Update on the DownLow

OK...here I go posting again about a drab, mundane topic.  Me.  As I mentioned in my previous post, I prefer to post about topics other than myself.  However, people have been asking (bikecurious??) about my injury recovery...and someone (Heather?) even suggested that they find my blog posts/strava  inspirational.  Who knew??

Yeah, sorry...

So be it...here is my update.  I am healing...slower than I would hope...but mostly as expected.  Last Sunday was 4 weeks since the injury occurred.  And this Tuesday I had my update with Dr. Smith...the fracture specialist.  The collarbone and ribs are mending.  The clavicle healing faster than the ribs.  (ribs can take 10+ weeks!?).  Mostly it is the muscles cramping/spasming around the injuries that I find most annoying, and debilitating.

Also, weeks of relative inactivity has my core weakened and is going to need a lot of work to get back up to bike fitness.

Also my wieght ballooned up to 208 lbs.  (Yeah....fatter than I have been in almost 15 years...). Need to lose about 25 of that...or more.  Now that I have put this out there...it kind of makes me accountable...I guess...dammit.

So....the good news...

I have had great friends come over to visit and keep my spirits up!  And motivated to get back out there!

Friends keeping the Sunday Riot rides going...

Even though they could work on their Riot face trail pics...

This guy has it down....almost...

Anyways...back on track...   The last couple of weeks I have been stretching, and doing some light weight workouts to try to stimulate healing, and to maintain range of motion.  So I currently have almost full range of motion...however huge lack of strength, and reduced capacity to move quickly without discomfort.

How I think I look weightlifting...

How I really look...

And, a big one for me...after over 2 weeks of sleeping in a recliner, I am back to sleeping in bed (yes, my own bed...).  Although, still in a semi-reclining position.  

And the best news.  I have been able to get back out on a bike this week.  Sunday marked the 4wk anniversary of the crash...and so I got out for a short, easy ride.  On the road, on a mountain bike.  An hour...21 kms...slow.  But it was the max the back muscles could endure before spasming.

Then Monday, over 45 kms...still on a mountain bike...but threw in some rail trail...

And Wednesday...over 55 kms...on a road-adventure bike (Ti Kona Rove) on road and gravel.

So far that is the farthest/longest the muscles and bones will tolerate.  So far yet to go.

Still not fit enough to tolerate a bike ride, and weight workout in the same day...so have to mix it up for now.  However, my sights remain set on repairing and getting race fit over the winter for next season.

The short term goal, for now is to get healthy and fit enough to act as sweep for Substance Projects' 40km Howling Coyote race.  Which is coming up very soon!!  You registered yet?

So there you have it...that is where I am at.  Enough about me...

There have been some very cool races/rides in the previous 4 weeks.  Besides the Fall 8 Hour, there has been Christian's Invitational Dirty Nein, the Batty Cross, The Energy Crusher.  By all accounts, all of them looked to have been amazing.  So much cool stuff has been going on!

And to finish off...with some folks way more exciting than me.  A video that Giant had posted on his page.  I think this video is great...the XC MTB women promoting their sport.

To me the women's XC World Circuit is some of the most exciting bike racing to watch.  Not only because we have local hero Emily in top competition...but it seems to be way more competetive than the guys.

So on that happy note...till next time...

Stay posted!