MSers in Training 2018

[garyp]

My training goal for the year....

Am a little late to announcing training for the year!

For each calendar year, I like to set myself a goal of a major event/exercise thing. Then I tell my friends others - which keeps me on task to achieving that goal as don't want to report that didn't achieve it when asked

Rather than something of that nature - this year am focusing on being more like the Nile River. Easy does it, slow, but go on forever. So, have set myself the goal of "moving" a thousand miles this year. This will be achieved through some combination of running, swimming, stationary bike or similar. I will also give myself mileage credit for things like gardening (that is a workout), stretching and playing indoor soccer. The need to reach this goal will also keep me persistent in moving during the warm summer (I am heat sensitive).

Did not start tracking mileage until end of January, so started a little in the hole. But, am now about 50 miles ahead of where need to be - want a cushion before the heat arrives

Am also taking part with a bunch of other MSers in the Detroit Marathon in late October this year. As will not be cold enough for me, am only doing this as part of 5 person relay - though others in our group are doing the full thing.

[Marinadca]

Hi all, hope you all are doing well and Dave - I hope you are recovering well.

As for me - I have been working on my PT exercises (Lots of squats, bridges, clam shells, etc) and either I am making progress, or its wishful thinking but, while it is going painfully slowly its going.

I got outside for the first time this year for my longest ride since this injury. 5 miles in 35 minutes with a good break in the end. BUT no pain afterwards. So there is something.

Aside from that I have found that I can elliptical and its nice to work up a sweat on it.

Trainingwise the 6 Pillers century is May 5th. I think I will cancel as even the shortest route, 25 miles, it not going to happen in 2 weeks.

BikeMS is June 16/17 and I very much hope I can do at least some course. I dont know what I would do if not.

[ActiveMSers]

Recovering. Had a 16+ mile ride the other day (a bit of an adventure, stay tuned for the recap in my new blog). Chest not 100% but getting there.

Keep up the training Gary and Marina! (And everybody else.)

[AMFADVENTURES]

Adapt and move forward

It's Saturday - and it's snowing - again. On the good news front, I managed two climbing days last week, I got 41 miles and 3400 ft. in on Sunday and 9.5 miles with 1300 ft. in on Tuesday. In light of the snow, it looks like I'll have to set my schedule back at least day or so this week. Well, if MS has taught me anything, it's to be adaptable.

The other problem with all of the snow we've been having, is the delay it's causing in riding at altitude. I really need to start riding at altitude if I want to have any chance of getting over three mountain passes in a day on the Triple Bypass. Like Gary has a problem with heat, I have a problem with altitude, but I know I can adapt, it just takes time. I also need to get to altitude to get in the ascents I want. The 18 inches of snow expected in the mountains isn't going to help.

I also injured myself in the weight room last week, strained a tendon in my elbow. Fortunately it isn't affecting my cycling. Going forward, I'll add reps and lighten the weight in hopes I can work through it, something I should have already done when the cycling intensity picked up. If not, I'll have to forgo the weights for a while.

Ah well, it's all part of the process. Control that which we can, adapt to that we can't, keep moving forward. Carry on everyone.

Larry

[AMFADVENTURES]

Wind Weenie

Still staying with the Triple Bypass schedule, within bounds allowed by the weather anyway. My recorded activities look a little strange though, got 12.5 hours in last week but only 4.5 the week before due to a two day snow. But, overall, I am getting the time and the climbs in!

I did two major climbs last week. The first one was 46 miles with 3900 ft of ascent in 4:15. It had at least 3 segments over 7% grade. That one really hurt. I'm not sure that many segments that steep are really what I should be doing right now. I'll say one thing though, for a couple of days after that, except for muscle stiffness, I felt pretty good and I was walking better than normal. Interesting!

I did the second climb 6 days later, one of my go to climbing rides with one extra steep section in it. All of the uphill on this ride was into a 10 to 15 MPH head wind and of course, the wind always blows hardest on the steepest parts of the hills - some kind of Murphy's Law thing. My goal was at least 50 miles and 4500 ft of ascent but I only managed 46 miles and 2700 ft., proving that I am indeed, a head wind weenie. It probably had something to do with the ride earlier in the week too. The ride back down sure was a screamer!

Took a little time off from the weights last week, letting a strained elbow settle down. Still hitting yoga twice a week. No climbs scheduled for this week, will do some short hill and speed intervals instead, then, the following week is a recovery week which I am already desperate for.

I know it's been a tough year for some of us already but I do love hearing how everyone's doing. Keep on keeping on!

Larry

[Marinadca]

Good to hear your update Larry, all that climbing sounds intense! I hope your strain is feeling better.

As for me - Last week I was in Vegas (for work and then fun) and upped my walked from 3-4K a day to 12-16K a day, For 5 days straight! And very little hip pain. Yay, I thought PT is working!

Well - maybe not as much as I had hoped. I did 4 miles in 25 minute on my bike on Tuesday (little pain but in the muscle which is where I want pain instead of in my cartilage) and a yoga class last night. Today my hip is really hurting.

This weekend I plan my "longest" ride and will try 10 miles. But my first century of the year was to be on Saturday - i canceled since I cant even bike 10 miles yet. Looking ahead to bikeMS - but I am sure I wont be doing the 2 day 150 miles. The shortest route is 30 miles and I feel very bratty in general so will see.

[Veronica]

Ok, so I am tired of being a lurker here!! Just checked the last time I posted….yikes!

First off, to the crew:
Marina: looks like you are climbing out of the injury, slowly, but going in the right direction. A real bummer that this is all happening at your prime cycling time. All I can say is that you have to focus on that fact that you are training to the max of your abilities right now, and THAT has to make you happy. Not what you did last year, but the body changes, doesn’t it?? You are still kicking ass here.

Dave, glad the ribs are healing. You just keep riding and riding! I’d say like the Energizer Bunny, but that image just doesn’t seem to fit you, does it?? Invincible?? Unconquerable??? Whatever, seems to be working for you..

Larry, all I can say is that when you do the Triple Bypass, that RIDE will need a triple bypass as it sure seems that you are destined to KILL it!! Love the updates…. I can see the progress in your reports…thrilling reading…

Gary: I like your way of making your goals this year…incorporating all movement. But the little that I know of you through this thread, I kind of expect that you will have a major event that you will also completely conquer. Hope you want to share it!

I’ve been hanging in there….got some really good, fun skiing on the skibike the Monday and Tuesday after Easter up in New Hampshire at Cannon Mt. Great mountain, and totally intimidating to me…but in a good way. Worked with a phenomenal instructor who had me feeling like I was training for the Paralympics. Training on skiing skills and skibike skills. Over and over and over. And I see that the start of this coming winter season I have to get myself somewhere where I can continue this. I am getting more comfortable with speed, and learned the very valuable lesson that I can train for steeper terrain by just working on turns at higher and higher speeds on relatively flat terrain. It just feels so good to have reclaimed the ability to ski and enjoy moving on snow.

Now, my electric assist is still not in…had to switch from wanting the Bafang, to having ordered a Falco hub motor. The shop had a problem with the Bafang supplier… he just seemed to have gone out of business or something. I am hoping that the Falco comes in this week, and gets promptly shipped to me as I have already given my bike shop the Heads Up.
I could take the trike out as is, but then I would lose training time as I cannot easily keep hauling it into and out of the house. So, in the meantime, I figured I can just adjust to not being on the road yet and focus on my pedal skills on the trainer. I have been getting in a good 3-4 sessions a week…just decided to crank it up…and am focusing on getting my pedal strokes smoother and stronger. Been using one of the cycling videos that helps work on a more fluid spin. And I need that, as I know that my weaker leg, the right, often craps out on me. I’ve been able to identify which part of the spin is the weakest for that leg, and have been really focusing on that during my sessions. When I apply this to an entire session, I can feel that I have worked the hamstring and calf so much more than I would have normally. Interesting to me also is that when I do their drill of alternating focus from right to left to right, I am so aware of my brain needing just a few nano-seconds more to engage the leg. Could I improve this with this training?? Dunno, but I’ll see….

My walking training has also been limited to the treadmill as we just are starting to get descent weather. My yard hasn’t gotten the spring cleanup yet so it presently isn’t safe for me to walk my back hill or around one of the trees as there are too many twigs and branches still lying around. I plan to attempt again to get to the trail near me and see what I can do there. To the falls it would be a 1.5 mile round trip, and I know that is most probably out of my reach as I have to factor in the inclines, and trail conditions of rocks and roots all over the place. But it still is something I am planning to work on…. Hell, it might mean that I have a friend or two hang out with me all day long and just take hours to complete this… But there are several other non-destination trails around here where I can go training. And enjoy being with nature this way.

I’ve had such a hard time finding the right way to exercise my arms with my shoulder issues, and see how I so badly need to strengthen them, and get rid of flab. I found SUCH a good piece of equipment for me. A Pilates “ring”…. Quite perfect for me to isolate what I want without triggering the rotator cuff issues. Also works my core during the sessions. AND I can do hip adductor and abductor exercises with this beautifully. So I have cranked those up to every other day without fail. I have been also really doing core work very diligently and faithfully and can see where it is helping with my posture when walking. I see the progress in yoga class ( still going once weekly) when going from lying on my back to a seated position. Before I had to turn to my side to get to seated position. I can now just use my arms as a little assist and come right up, which has me feeling great ( and just a little proud!!)

It feel good to post again... Carry on all!

[garyp]

Update

Veronica:

I do have a minor goal for this year which is part of a bigger goal of about (so far) 20 other MSers....participating in some way in the Detroit Marathon on October 21. Some are doing the full marathon, some the half marathon, others part of several 5 person relay teams. As will be October, not cold enough for me to run too far so doing the relay.

If others interested in joining us....can put you in touch with the person (Cheryl Hile who has MS and did a marathon on every continent in the space of 12 months last year) who is organizing it.

Loved reading about your skibike experience in this post. Something I have never done and you have motivated me to give it a try!

[Marinadca]

Welp... I am having the surgery Over the past 2 weeks my pain and range of motion has not been good and getting worse.

So, I wont likely be a participant in my bikeMS ride, and that makes me sad beyond words.

Surgery will be in early August. So I guess my goal will be to recover from that?

[Veronica]

Surgery sounds like bad news/good news. Bad news: surgery, Good news: it will get repaired, and you will ride again..pain free.

From my experience with major surgery two years ago, what helped me was to remember the goal, but also to get my mindset to viewing this as I would a training regime...and reminding myself that every day I get a little bit stronger. If you rally for a challenge, there you go! I see you as someone who DOES like a challenge, so this will serve you well.

Hard to remember that sometimes our bodies breakdown with non-MS specific related things..

Marina, I truly believe that you will come out of this stronger in will and body.... You may lose a season to it, but time will heal that and you will be back to those Centuries. And have a good War story to tell. It's your Double Century for this year...

You know you have so many of us hear cheering you on...

[cl3me]

Finally nicer weather here and have been able to get out of the gym and out on my bike, horse, and kayak. Have a fun "urban adventure race" bike/kayak end of June to get ready for.

I have a new "toy" a Garmin Vivosmart HR+ watch, a little clunky on my little wrist but measures everything and I no longer have to drain my phone battery - watch maps and records my bike/horse/walks/runs/kayak activities. Measures heart rate too. A bit pricey but my medic alert is built into the strap as well.

[AMFADVENTURES]

I know, I know, I'm late, I'm late, way past due for an update, so here it is.

But first, Marina, sorry to hear you'll be laid up and missing some rides but do hope you'll continue to check in with us and let us know how things are going. The setbacks aren't necessarily a bad thing. Although they may waylay your main activities, one might be able to find an opening to improve areas that have been neglected. At the very least, I always came away from my hiatuses with a greater motivation for the things I am able to do.

Veronica, I'm also looking into a ski bike program. I'm pretty sure it's the same outfit Susanna, of snowboarding fame on the forums, is involved with. I believe its available all season long but it might be important to make a reservation early. I'll keep you posted, maybe Gary will be interested too. This is the organization and their programs for anyone who might care to look. http://nscd.org/

Cl3me, I'm watching you on Strava! You're killing it! Geez you're busy!

Had an extended period of rain here that threw me off my schedule a bit. I'm a few days behind but not doing too bad. I'm up to 4.5 hours and 4,600 feet of ascent on my long ride and will try for 5 hours and 5,000 feet in a couple of days. And, I'm finally getting some altitude and that part hasn't been as bad as I feared it might!! The long climbs are definitely getting tougher and I'm still not sure where I'll end up, but in the end, it's all about the training anyway, right? Right!

I've also been feeling a little MSy lately. Might have postponed my next Rituxan infusion a little too long - again. You'd think a person would learn huh? Maybe a person will next time.

Keep on keeping on everyone,
Larry

[AMFADVENTURES]

Got 60 miles with 5,000 ft. of ascent, HALF WAY TO THE TRIPLE BYPASS. Only two problems. I'm 2/3 of the way through training, only six weeks left, I could use at least 12. And, it took me six hours. At that rate I'll probably get swept up before I finish, if I can even ride a bike for 12 hours and another 5,000 vertical ft. Oh well, it's all about the training!

Recovery week next week and a rituxan infusion. Yay!

Never give up,
Larry

[ActiveMSers]

Way to go, Larry. You can do it!

Been out riding regularly--chest kink is fine and I've fully recovered, but taking it easy was hard. Also been getting to the gym with no soreness afterward, which means my home/bike routine has been hitting the major muscle groups effectively.

Temps have been creeping into the 90s, so it's definitely cooling vest time! Hope others are training away!!

[Veronica]

I am happily reporting that I am now rollin’ with the e-assist! Got it installed just last Monday and did a little 5 mile ride down the trail over there just to test it out. Holy cow what a difference. Just gives me the boost I need…. Still is a good workout, as Alain had noted awhile ago, which delights me.

Since then I have been out twice more, once for a relatively flat 12 miler on a rail trail, and then a rolling 7 miler that included one good steep hill (don’t know grade %) and one bitchy long slow slightly increasing stretch which is the grade of an incline that always does me in. ( Like a “false flat”) I upped my average mph by a good 3 on the flat ride, which delighted me. And while I was feeling abit dejected at my slower average on the more challenging ride, my friend here who rides routinely told me her speed on that stretch is just about the same. FINALLY!

I was so excited to get out on the second ride as it was road riding, not trail riding, and I could do the route by riding right out of my garage. THAT was a hoot! Felt like I was off leash… Just was such a freeing feeling to be on the road, alone, without my bicycling buddies fretting behind me, or my catching them in the mirror walking up hills behind me. And the side roads here are just so beautiful, as they are thru farm lands with the foot hills of the Berkshires all around and very little traffic.


Now I was so excited to do the second ride that I totally ignored ( really was in denial..) that it was quite a hot, sunny day and I decided to start around 1pm. Kind of set myself up, which I finally acknowledged mid way into the ride, and smartly turned back. I was done in for the rest of day, terribly wonky legs, and pretty much totally fatigued out, but not too fatigued to be doing at least in my head the Dance of Joy! The ride the day before was not only flat, but on a cool cloudy day and I needed very little recovery time after that one. (Combination of weather and assist.) Really loved that I felt strong enough a few hours later to walk up a small hill on my property to do some weeding and planting under an apple tree. I know that without the assist I would not have had the energy to do another physical activity of even this minor proportion.


SOOO, I finally have some cycling goals for this season… I plan to use the hilly route for hill climbing training…and using the same approach that my skibike instructor taught me of just taking something “easy” and do it over and over in a more challenging manner. Actually is the same approach of my PT’s functional exercising .... The 12 miler on the trail can be used for increasing my speed. And now I have the option of a few more road rides around here that are challenging enough, without much traffic ( except for tractors and farm equipment!!) where I can ride with or without friends.

And what will I train for? We have a yearly ride around here, a local event, the Roe Jan Ramble Bike Tour in mid September. In the past I have only done the 10 miler, and became the sweep just naturally, but the Ride offers routes of 20, 25, 35 and 50. The 20 miler is new this year, and just takes off one rather steep hill at the end. Don’t know yet the elevation gain, but whatever it is, it will be a challenge for me. And I am up to it….


While I had been so frustrated with how long this took, it gave me the opportunity to work on my gardens, and so now that I will be looking to get out riding whenever my schedule and the weather agree, I can do so guiltlessly, knowing that the gardens are pretty much on maintenance with watering and some weeding being able to be fit in on non riding days, or in the evenings.


Just have to say if anyone has been thinking about an electric assist..DO IT! It is truly saving my cycling, and giving me back more of the pleasure of riding. While it adds considerate weight to the trike ( I think around 12 lbs.) the motor is thread into the rear wheel, and my bike guy put the battery right under my seat so that the weight is more distributed. I am still able to independently load this onto my rear car rack without stressing out/damaging the poor shoulders. It is totally do-able for me.

Right or wrong, I have gotten used to the simple truth that being disabled and wanting to be physically active means shelling out big bucks when specialized equipment is involved. I am fortunate enough to be able to (barely) fit this into my budget…makes things tight financially, but I would rather have the financial restrictions that this results in, than the physical restrictions that would have been the result of NOT doing this. A trade off I am willing to make....

Carry on everyone! We’re all climbing hills in our own ways daily, aren’t we?