Free Time

It's amazing how much time there is in the day when you aren't spending hours at a time on a bicycle.
When I'm riding and "training", it feels like I am rushing around all day long--from one thing to another to another. I feel lucky when I get a "time out" to chill and eat something.

Yes, my arm is getting better and better. I am able to ride 1 hr on the trainer (yay!) and get back into the gym to work on strength exercises, but I still have all this time in the day and that seems strange. It also seems strange to get other things done- like read a book, bake cookies, muffins, granola (and give them to people instead of eating them), and read up on hobbies (coffee and baking). All this free time has been pretty cool and I feel more "balanced". When you ride bikes and coach bikes for a living, there isn't much balance going on. All bikes all day, every day.

Soon it'll be all bikes all day, every day-- except when I go Nordic skiing and feel like a rebel--but for the time being it feels good to not think about bikes every waking hour of the day.

Arrrrr

Arrrrrrm update.
Went to the doc. All looks good. She did a darrrrrn good job. The scarrrrr looks better than it did before.

Tried to ride the trainer. It's farrrrr from feeling good. Guess I'll be hiking more.

Working on getting my range of motion back. Those exercises arrrrre a pain in the arrrrrse. They're farrrrrr from feeling good, but progress is being made.

Apparrrrrrrently I had wishful thinking that the arrrrrrm would feel 100% 2 weeks post surgery. Time to put the patience hat back on.

Surgery Day

Yesterday was surgery day. I got a "free" morning at home as I wasn't to be at the hospital until 11:30am. My "free" time was spent drinking small sips of water, in the form of espresso, till 8:30. Then I dealt with the Passport Curse- the last 2 times my passport expired, that very month, I got injured. I've been putting off renewing the passport due to fear of injury in November 2021, but thought if I renewed it the day I was having surgery, maybe that would end the curse.

JH took me to the hospital, The Mom met me there, and check-in and pre-op began.

Surgery went well. Except for one screw, that the bone had grown around, all hardware was removed.

 The Mom was there to take care of me and ask the doctor all my questions. Seems that post surgery I don't remember much, hence the need to have a person there to listen to and ask the doc questions.

Post surgery, it have been 19 or so hours since I last ate (that must be some sort of record), so they gave me some applesauce and crackers to eat.

 Which I promptly threw up, in the driveway, once I got home.

I took my spot on the little couch, and stayed there for the rest of the evening. Lucy Dog made sure to take good care of me and keep me warm.

Along with the no eating record I set a new "haven't gone pee" record. Something like 9 hours for that record.

What's next? I get to wear my brace (that I had before) for the next 9 days. I'm not allowed to take it off. Then I'll have to work on range of motion (again) and, eventually strength.  No bike riding for the next 2 weeks, and no outside riding for the next 6 weeks, due to chance of falling down--seems I can fall down doing most anything, so not sure why biking riding was singled out.  For now, I'm chillen at home, and enjoying breakfast.

Still Dropped

I continue to be off the back with Blog updates. Life has been a little crazy recently. What did I post about last time? Oh ya, riding road bikes and CX racing. Well, as of Monday, all of that has come to an end.  There's snow outside and I am having surgery on my elbow tomorrow. I'm SO excited to get the hardware outta there. After I recover and heal, I'll be DONE with this elbow injury. Yay!

The last 5 days has been filled with family time (Mom staying while JH is gone), CX racing (9th place 2 days in a row), and doggie watching (letting Lucy Dog break all the rules while JH is gone).

My Halloween Costume pre CX race

 Post race with The Mom. She was The Best Cheerer, period.
Check out this Link to see the Mom in action. It's awesome.

 Lucy Dog looking innocent

Tomorrow, before surgery, I'm not allowed to eat or really drink anything after midnight. Since surgery is at 1:30pm, I'll probably die before I get to the hospital.

Pavement

I'm off the back with the blog updates. Between riding, coaching, and hanging out with The Mom and Dad, I've been a little busy.

I've got less than two weeks 'till 'bow surgery, so I have been cramming in the riding. The road riding. After the FoCo shit show two weeks ago, all I wanted to do was ride my road bike- on the pavement.  I've ridden in Boulder, I've ridden in Nederland, in Colorado Springs and in Littleton. I've explored, I've gotten lost, I rode an entire 40 mile loop with my Dad-on bike paths. I've had a great two weeks of road riding.

Me and 2 other "FasCats" went to Colorado Springs for a 4 day coaching clinic. It was pretty fun--mostly because we got to ride our bikes (road bikes) and learn at the same time- then ride some more. One full day in the class room was less than ideal, but it could have been far worse. Now I have to take the test and I'll be an official "Level 2" coach--which really means I get to pay USAC more $$.

I spent three days in Littleton hanging out with the Mom and Dad. The Mom had surgery on her broken collar bone and is healing well. The Dad entertained me with 2 bike rides and one gym visit. I needed a rest day when I got home.

The good news? I am going to play bike racer again next year! The bad news? I had to send my Specialized Tarmac (road bike) back to TIBCO on Friday as I am not going to race for TIBCO next year. Without a sweet road bike, I thought I would give CX another chance. The weather was awesome and the course was extremely roadie friendly. As seems to be the case with me and CX, there was drama. This time--after attacking on lap 3, I rolled my rear tubular (slightly annoying). After "snapping" it back on, I was able to limp my way to the wheel pit and put on a new wheel.

I'm extremely motivated by money. I was now in 4th place. There is no prize money for 4th and if I got 4th, I could lose the overall in the series (there's prize money for the 5 race overall)--especially since I'm not racing the last 2 races because of the 'bow. So, I rode harder than I have ridden in a long time. Deep in the pain cave, I felt ill and kept pushing it. I made up all but 12 seconds and got 2nd place. That makes me proud. I had fun, I challenged myself, and I got rewarded. I'm SO glad Amanda Carey was there to challenge me. Competition makes you better, and keeps things fun as you are challenged to better your game.

Here's a cool video of the race- http://www.303cycling.com/2011-Boulder-Racing-CX-Xlinx

That's all for now.

Lemon-Aid?

After three great days in Fraser, 2 fun rides with The Dad, and 3 quality family days, it was time to head home and get ready to race CX in Ft. Collins.  I'll admit, I wasn't looking forward to the racing before it even started.


1- The race venue is 1:45hr drive (3.5hrs round trip) from my house.
2- After being gone from home for three days, more time away seemed less than desirable
3- The weather forecast looked bad- rain. Rain means mud and for a roadie with absolutely no mud skills, that did not seem appealing.
4- Mud means having to clean my bike, my kit, my shoes, my ego, and get ready to do it all again the next day.

Stupid preregistration. I wish I never did it - or at least waited until the last moment to check the weather and my racing desire.

 Despite my lack of enthusiasm, I went to Ft. Collins. Reader's Digest Version-
-I crashed 4 times (in a different place each time).
-I sucked
-I couldn't get out of my own way to save my life.
-I had the worst time on bike that I have ever had.
-It was horrible
-Despite being muddy, sore, and cranky, I didn't even feel like I got a workout.

I tried to stay positive during the race. -this is making me better, -I can do it, -don't give up.  Bull Shit. It sucked and I am never racing CX in those conditions again. There was no way to make Lemonade from those lemons.

Stupid preregistration. I wish I never did it - or at least waited until the last moment to check the weather and my racing desire.

I did not race day #2 in Ft Collins.  I'm sure it was better conditions (for me) as the course dried out a bit, but my bike was still in the car, some rust had accumulated, my kit was muddy, and my CX racing desire was very negative. Not to mention, my body is pretty sore from falling down so much.

So, I stayed home and rode single speed CX bikes with JH and Meriwether, in the snow. JH and I had two great dog walks, and quality at home chill time. Lemonade.

Lemonade

The saying goes- "when life throws you lemons, make lemonade". Well, we got lemons yesterday. Unfortunately, The Mom caught almost all the lemons. She got tripped by a Honey Badger while running and broke her collar bone. She of all people, do not deserve this injury.

Luckily, I was able to drive home to the Mother Ship yesterday and stay a few days with The Mom and The Dad.  Mission-help out. Do what I can to take the burden off my Dad and help my Mom feel somewhat comfortable.

Turns out, I'm getting a lot out of this trip home too. It's pretty fun spending time with the 'rents--Lemonade.

Yesterday, instead of a home alone while JH did his NATO thing, I got a salmon dinner and ice cream sundae--Lemonade.

Today, I was supposed to motor pace around the flats north of Boulder. Instead, I got 3 hrs of single track with The Dad--Lemonade.

This afternoon, instead of farting around on the computer and commuting to and from Boulder, I got to run errands around Fraser with The Dad and see old stomping grounds--Lemonade.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring, but I'm sure we'll do our best to make more lemonade.