MSers in Training 2020

[JTHrider]

On the Bike/Trainer about 3 to 4 times a week, usually 30 to 40 minutes, then its stretching time. The other days are for stretching, core, weights or out with the trekking poles/cane to get a walk in.
Try to do some form of exercise at least once a day, but there are days when I know the legs need a rest day.

Larry, ordered the pedals and shoes, should be here this weekend. Hope it helps with the out door rides.

[AMFADVENTURES]

Hey guys, I know it's been a while but I needed to take a little down time there, not to worry though, I have been active.

Karen, been watching your walk challenge, nice work!
Ronnie, I love your stories. What I love most about them is the variety of predicaments you seem to be able to get yourself into and then remarkably somehow back out of! It's still all about the adventure isn't it?
Dave, couldn't agree more with your reasoning on the new trike. It's the exploration part that intrigues me the most. Like Veronica, can't wait to see and hear all about it!

JT, I hope those peddles work as well for you as they did for me, I give them credit for launching my cycling endeavors. I did Crack 3 or 4 helmets while I was figuring it all out but never really hurt myself more than a few raspberries on knees and elbows. I was always pleasantly surprised by other cyclists who might rush over to check on me then make some comment about having been there and done that! I really think it also greatly improved my powers of situational awareness. Have fun and welcome aboard!

So I did need a little down time but I wasn't just doing nothing! I'm up to almost 1,000 miles now and over 45,000 ft. Of ascent. My goal is over 3,000 miles and 105,000 ft of ascent (20 miles) for the year. It won't be easy getting there but I think it just might be possible.

My toughest climb so far this year is Squaw Pass. It's 16 miles one way, starts at an elevation of 7,800 ft and goes to 11,000. I've attempted it twice, made it once and ran out of leg the next time, but only by a mile or so and a couple hundred ft. of ascent. The altitude definitely gets to me but it's a bit worrisome that it's actually leg strength that turns me around. Oh well, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. On the plus side, I beat my best time of the year on Lookout Mtn. by a remarkable 4 minutes after I did Squaw!

Take care all,
Larry

[ActiveMSers]

JTHrider, smart call on the pedals. If your ever transition to a trike they are pretty much mandatory. After you get used to them (trust me, you will) you'll wonder how in the heck you managed without them.

Way to crush it, Larry! I'm again looking forward to hills. My new e-trike is going to crush them! Hills on a handcycle are agony times two...

[JTHrider]

Have been looking at trikes, due to balance not being what it used to, fine when the bike is moving sketchy at times when I stop.

[Grady]

That is the same reason I moved from 2 wheels to 3. I’m much more relaxed on my trike than I ever was on 2 wheels. Balance isn’t an issue, no concerns about needing to unclip from the pedals in a hurry. I miss the speed of riding on 2 wheels but since I purchased a trike with e-assist that is no longer an issue. Feeling more relaxed also means I’m putting on more miles, losing weight and sleeping better because of the increased exercise. For me it is mental and physical therapy.

[ActiveMSers]

Grady, my new e-trike handcycle arrives soon! As for my current training, I got out on the bike trail for the first time since mid March. We picked a day we thought that would be pretty day, and we guessed right. Friday night. Clouds threatening rain. And 97 degrees!

Burned nearly 1,000 calories and rocked my heart rate, maxing at 159. My average overall HR was pretty high, almost certainly due to the heat.

Overall, a great day! Hope everyone else is still getting their fit on during this challenging time.

[Grady]

Dave, I think we need to see a photo of your new toy or better yet would be a video of you in action.

[AMFADVENTURES]

The guy I've been helping train for Ride the Rockies decided since the ride has been cancelled due to Covid, we'd go down to Durango and do our own version of it independently, so we did. It was a mini version of RTR because of time and because some of those roads are really only safe in the context of an organized group event. Red Mountain Pass for example, is an old narrow two lane highway with almost no shoulder, limited guard rails and very steep drop offs. It's a beautiful scenic drive with 3,000 ft. of ascent but is heavily trafficked by tourists in motor homes as well as semi's. We didn't see a single bike on that drive. We rode 4 out of the 5 days we traveled though and managed 110 miles and almost 6,000 ft. of climb, got snowed on once and faced heavy winds which generally blew us up the hills and made us pedal back down. Classic Ride the Rockies weather and terrain!

For the year to date I've got 1,265 miles and 64,485 ft of ascent.

Dave, did the trike arrive yet? BTW, I saw an incredibly rad e-trike on the trail the other day. It looked like a Niner version of a trike with e capability, really cool.

Larry

[ActiveMSers]

Larry, that ride sounds great! I love that area and have explored it a lot (not on a bike, though).

Getting out for rides every other day or so. I've been on major deadline with several projects including a website redesign, so it's been a bit crazy lately. So posting has been limited lately, sorry.

My new bike has yet to arrive. But here's a preview! Imagine the Comp CC in yellow. It is being built in Austria by Alois Praschberger, a leader in adaptive gear. The wait is killing me!

https://praschberger.com/en/

[Suebee]

WOW! (Whistle whistle )

[Grady]

Double WOW. That is one sweet ride.

[Veronica]

Make that triple WOW..... that IS one sweet looking machine Dave. Makes me want to pack up my trike and come out and RACE you....
you will be doing a different type of Zooming for sure with that ride!

[Suebee]

Keep moving EU MS exercise videos

For those of us without such an awesome bike as Dave, and who need some extra motivation to exercise during covid, the European MS Platform produced six short videos to get us moving! Focus is on strength, balance, stability, and flexibility. Also includes instruction to do with walker. Granted this is basic stuff, but it will get you off the couch. The drop down menu on the right let’s you select a 2 min video targeting certain type of exercise. It is available in a doz languages and downloadable in pdf. No excuses now! Bien.
http://www.emsp.org/news-messages/keep-moving-with-ms/

[Veronica]

Well, it’s about time for me to resurface and tell my latest story.

I got hit with shingles on my FACE in early May. It marched from the tip of my nose and across and through my left eye and up and over the left side of my head. Dangerous stuff marching through the eye, and I found myself seeing my eye doc weekly. Saw him more than anyone else during this pandemic… Really….

Not gonna go on about what it was like…. Let’s just say you don’t want this anywhere, and certainly not on your face or in your eye. I had no idea how bad this could be…

And I will answer the question that some will be probably asking…. No, I did not get the vaccine…was actually in the process of doing it in March when New York went on Pause….

In the early weeks I was still able to do rowing (obviously outside riding was out…. ) but then about three weeks into it, that wasn’t gonna happen as it was just too painful to do much besides applying ice very gently to my face and head, and eye drops to the poor left eye… I was wobbly, no energy, just a Hot Mess….

I am much, much better now, I’d say 90% improved, but I still have some pain in the eye as the virus is still in there ( but no damage to my vision so far…Yahoo!) I can’t wear the contact in that eye, and the bridge of my nose is still so sensitive to eyeglasses, plus I still have some light sensitivity. I’ve gotten back to rowing inside a few times a week and getting better at doing my balance checks and stretching, but BOY, did I fall off that wagon!

And I missed two months of riding….May and June…the best months for comfortable weather riding around here besides the fall…grrr…

I want so badly to RIDE!!! And I think I have my plan of action at this point. I expect to not be able to wear the contact in that eye for awhile yet, so I just ordered a good pair of high quality polarized ‘fit overs” for the glasses that should arrive by week’s end, and By Cracky, I am gonna ride in the next week! I have lidocaine creme that I will apply to my nose so I can tolerate the glasses if that is still an issue.

Even for a short distance would be heaven, as my endurance took a beating with this, but I am gaining it back. And the head is now able to tolerate wearing a helmet…

I am so glad I got some good rides in early in the Spring, otherwise I would be quite morose by now… I’ve gotten back outside much more now and have been working on weeding my poor neglected garden. Using the outside time to work a bit on stair climbing too.

But really, if I had to get shingles, it was good timing…. during a pandemic shutdown. I didn’t miss a single social event, did I??

Of course, I will share my first ride back….

[ActiveMSers]

Just got word that my future bike is still in the future. I was hopeful it was going to arrive soon, but Covid has disrupted manufacturing. July is a big maybe.

That said, I've been cranking every other day. Friday it was cloudy in the low 80s and I crushed it. I'm definitely fresher in cooler weather. Got in a 10.5-mile ride, longer than my typical 6-8 mile rides. Also, got out on the off-road section of our bike trail for the first time since the pandemic started. To say I was happy would be an understatement!

I'm trying to increase my leg workouts and core. We'll see how that goes. It's not as fun, ha.

Great to see you out, Veronica!! Hope others are getting out there, too.