2018 challenges

[Chris_]

What was wrong with your knee? Is it now 100%?

[eccc whippet]

What was wrong with your knee? Is it now 100%?

I thought the pain in my knee was from the bike on the indoor trainer...bent pedals (both) slightly shorter crank on the left after i snapped the left side one...changed bikes...felt better while riding the bike.

 

Had to finish off installing LED lights 6 M high in a factory...every time i climbed the scaffold...the pain got worse...i noticed i always start off with my left leg...so i made a point of using my right leg...a couple days later...the right knee had the same pain.

 

went for a 9 km trail walk...while climbing over roots and stuff i noticed the pain in both knees.

 

I didnt feel pain while riding the mtb or the road bike.

 

every time i went down into the squat position to connect the machines...pain in the knees.

 

I decided to go visit the quack...he turned my foot in and lifted the leg...no pain ( but did note a clicking sound top right of knee cap...but not concerned) ...pressed around the knee no pain...when i walk no pain...i showed him a soon as i go down into a squat position...it feels like somebody is pushing steel pins into the top on my knee caps...he gave me DIFEN SR ciclofenac slow release 100 mg and told me it is the ligaments and i should be fine after taking the tablets...4 days later no change...still the same pain if i go into the squat position.

 

never had issues with my legs (knees) other than a few motor cycle crashes many years ago.

 

even while cycling in my 130+ kg body...i do spin most of the time (80 + cadence)...never grind up the hills.

[eccc whippet]

look like the insurance company is going to replace my helmet cycling shoes and light...honestly i am not surprised...a couple years ago our old broker would have given u s more reason why they couldnt pay than why they should.

 

changed our broker a few years ago...every time we had a problem and tried to claim...there was always  an issue...my wife found a new broker...best thing we ever did moving from a friend as our broker to just a good broker who came highly recommended...the cost is a slightly higher but worth every penny.

[eccc whippet]

no sugar in the coffee...2 days in a row

 

I have decided to start walking every morning again...no strava...no phone...no water bottles...just a small ipod with tunes and set route.

 

i am hoping for a t least a 5 kg drop in weight by the end of the month.

[Chris_]

I thought the pain in my knee was from the bike on the indoor trainer...bent pedals (both) slightly shorter crank on the left after i snapped the left side one...changed bikes...felt better while riding the bike.

 

Had to finish off installing LED lights 6 M high in a factory...every time i climbed the scaffold...the pain got worse...i noticed i always start off with my left leg...so i made a point of using my right leg...a couple days later...the right knee had the same pain.

 

went for a 9 km trail walk...while climbing over roots and stuff i noticed the pain in both knees.

 

I didnt feel pain while riding the mtb or the road bike.

 

every time i went down into the squat position to connect the machines...pain in the knees.

 

I decided to go visit the quack...he turned my foot in and lifted the leg...no pain ( but did note a clicking sound top right of knee cap...but not concerned) ...pressed around the knee no pain...when i walk no pain...i showed him a soon as i go down into a squat position...it feels like somebody is pushing steel pins into the top on my knee caps...he gave me DIFEN SR ciclofenac slow release 100 mg and told me it is the ligaments and i should be fine after taking the tablets...4 days later no change...still the same pain if i go into the squat position.

 

never had issues with my legs (knees) other than a few motor cycle crashes many years ago.

 

even while cycling in my 130+ kg body...i do spin most of the time (80 + cadence)...never grind up the hills.

 

Sounds super frustrating..

 

I'd get a second opinion if I were you. Handing out anti-inflammatory's and saying you'll be better in a few days sounds like they have no idea whats actually wrong. (I too may be wrong though)

 

I'm also having knee problems thats why I'm interested. Getting back into running and my one knee is popping and cracking like a good thing. 

 

Good luck, and well done cutting out the sugar in coffee! 

[eccc whippet]

I woke at 3 am this morning...in absolute agony...cant even roll over in bed.

 

when shyte happens in life sometimes you just just gotta take the warning and back off.

 

i decided to meet my wife at Giba for a late afternoon ride...packed my stuff and closed the garage door...and that is when it started...my assistant had unpacked the van so i could put the bike in the back...he placed one of the crate in the walk way...I closed the door and turned to walk out the other door...i tripped and landed on the tips of my fingers on my gammy arm...at that point i should have canned the ride.

 

after that i just wasnt feeling like the ride...but went anyway...decided to start on the trail to the dam so i could hook with pinky and mom...took it easy.

 

met up with them... had a chat i i went on my way...riding at a slow pace...up to the dam...then right over the river and left onto the loop which ends at the bench (think its called single track heaven...bottom of the blue route)...took it easy...instead of going up the the blue or green route...i decided to stick to the bottom and just do a few loops.

 

went around and back to the start of the single track heaven...it starts off with a nice drop to get speed into a slight right...i know this track so well...have done it plenty times...stood up and put power to the pedals.

 

as i dropped into the slight right...i heard a click...when i opened my eyes i was lying face down on the track...as i moved i knew it wasnt good...i couldnt see the bike...but managed to find it in the bush...pheww thank goodness the bike is ok...just a bent plate on the gear lever...could be because it was suspended in the bush.

 

i have been trying to figue out what went wrong...the only thing i can think...tyre pressure might have been too hard and i have bad feeling that as i dropped into the track i switched the fork to soft/downhill( but instead the opposite way by mistake...and locked out the fork instead) 

 

there is a root on the corner...i must have slipped on the root...the front wheel must have locked and i must have gone over the handlebars...landed on the left side of my face and shoulder.

 

looking back at the flyby...it seems i went down on the right hand bend...clearly my wings are not functioning  

[eccc whippet]

Timed that fall just right ...had to go in for a procedure this morning at 8 am (cut out a lump on the back of my neck) now i can move my arm freely with minimal pain...local has made everything numb

 

got the doc to check everything is ok...shoulder...neck and ribs...no broken bones...thank goodness.

 

just need to get the lever replaced and we are good to go.

[SundayCycler]

Great to see you're still soldering on like a real trooper. I'm still a spring chicken in my 30s but with a horrible lifestyle in my youth I have next to no fitness. Just reading about your journey is motivating me keep going even with all the niggles and pain.

 

Keep it up!

[Letum911]

Nice one Whippet.

 

Keep it up!!

 

I'm still young and stupid, but figured out that stress is a killer and that I need to get my life on track. So I backed off the booze (only drink a whiskey and water on the odd occasion), no smoking whatsoever (I have an unhealthy love for cigars), less sugar and training schedule is back on par...

[Dragon]

I’m hoping to do about 2500km for the year. Will be my first.

[eccc whippet]

had some time to think about the nasty fall on Wednesday.

 

many factors could have caused it...so i need to look into what could have gone wrong.

 

what was different from the 50 other times i had ridden that section of track...and many other slippery wet tracks with roots.

 

new tyre...i had just changed from a rocket rod (very soft compound) to a thicker harder compound  tyre.

 

tyre pressure...using a thicker harder tyre maybe i should have dropped the pressure to allow the tyre more give...i have always run a slightly higher than recommended pressure...because i am a lot heavier than the 70 kg riders they are recommended for. 

 

lock out...i am still not sure about this...but it is a possibility...i normally ride with the lock out in the middle while on the track...then drop to downhill when on fast bumpy single tracks...i might have switched it down instead of up. 

 

broken root...something i need to go back and check...i have a feeling that the root as you drop into that segment is split on the top which could have caught the tyre...i will need to go back and check.

 

or it could have just been because i was having a really crap day...maybe i need to just slow down a little on the downhills...being a fattie...downhills are always the fun...reward for the haul up the hill. 

 

feeling a bit better today...after all the drug last night i had a good sleep...still feel drugged this morning.

 

the lump is finally out my neck and hopefully the doc got the right one this time...i didnt think it was so big...was expecting it to be the size of a marble...but this time it was double the size and there were 2.

[eccc whippet]

I went back to Giba to see what could have caused the accident...it I look at where I landed...where I found the bike...this root is about the spot where it happened...

 

It was a right turn...I can only assume my front wheel hooked this root which caused the bike to high side...I went over the left side of the bike...the left side of the handlebar hit the floor...I must have rolled onto my side landing on my shoulder and face...then unclipped and flicked the bike into the bush...which is why the only damage on the bike is on the left grip.

 

 

[eccc whippet]

It seems my biggest challenge for 2018 so far...is just getting the F%^&* on with it...every time i try do something...something happens.

 

i need motivation to get out of bed in the morning...bruised right hand index finger (swelling has gone down a lot) ...bruised leg...ribs...shoulder etc...then on Saturday got a rash that is so itchy its driving me nuts...apparently from a hairy worm  om the tree we cut down....lets hope the 3 bad things have are now done for the year.

 

got the marshmallow back...just needed a gear lever replaced...bike looks brand new again with new tyres and the awesome clean the guys do at the shop.

[eccc whippet]

forgot to mention...still off the sugar...up to 100 kg at the moment...i am hoping its just from all the medication and craving for food...combined with a lack of exercise. 

 

coffee still tastes *** without sugar. 

[eccc whippet]

Got up this morning still feeling a bit broken...thought i would take a spin with the club (they were doing a short one to Umhlanga and back) 

 

Loaded the bike and gear and headed to sun coast...mmm turns out some of the fellas were doing a 100+ km ride.

 

the ride went exactly as i expected.

 

first 50 km...nice easy cruise...HR up but recovered pretty quick.

 

got a slow start to the airport loop...decided to work up a sweat...so i jumped from the slower bunch to join up with the faster bunch...couldnt catch them so it ended up a solo slog...managed a PR...the catch is i burnt everything i had.

 

by the time i got to the 80 km mark i was done...then i t was just focusing on the pedal stroke...butt was sore...legs started cramping (no surprise) and i needed a red ambulance (what tom calls them...coke with sugar)

 

spent most of the afternoon on the couch...recovering...this is what happens when you have big breaks in your strava profile activity chart. 

 

one thing i am enjoying...i dont get psyched out by hills anymore...I chew off what i can handle as i progress up the hill...using the gears to make it easy enough to climb without grinding but slow enough to keep the momentum (for me this is 80 rpm) 

 

a tip for those who are starting out...if you like me and hated climbing hills...make sure your gears are set up right..understand what the cassette holds...in my case 11-28 and the front chain rings...I have a compact....not semi compact...i learnt the hard way...doing a valley drop with a standard crank....you only make that mistake once. 

[eccc whippet]

so insurance paid out for a new helmet and shoes...i wasnt surprised...this broker we now use...checked our policy informed us that we had xyz cover to x amount...sent photos of the damaged goods...a week later the money was in the account...less the R500 excess.

 

 

 

 

i spent a little extra and upgraded to a MET rivale...black and red to go with the rattlin red rocket.

 

 

my thoughts...if i were chasing a top 5 position in races...maybe carbon road shoes would be the way to go...lucky for me if i get a 500 th position in a strava segment i am doing well...so a pair of good quality carbon mtb shoes would be a huge improvement and all i really need.