Ankle Allows Road Cycling, But Little Else

What else do I need? Well, I first needed to overcome a pneumonia I caught while laid-up with the injured joint. Then I needed to get back condition I had before I wrenched the thing. The good news is, road cycling is not very stressful to an ankle. So, as I got over the lung infection, and when the weather allowed, I started rebuilding the base of fitness I had lost by riding on the road. However, it was like losing two to three months of training and starting over from that point.

Base miles without intervals were done on the Lemond cyclocross bike at first. With Donna and solo, I did rides of 20 to 30 miles. Due to work commitments, much (too much) of the riding had to come on weekends. So, at first a 50-mile weekend, followed by a 65-mile weekend, etc. I did manage to get in a least one ride of 20 to 40 miles in the middle of the weeks.

Riders passing horse farms in Saratoga Springs, NY. McMahon's is the birthplace of Funnycide and a good Cargill customer.

With early season racing out of the question, I focused on training for my annual Team Guerrilla Road Ride Alternate Plan B (TGRRAPB) ride, which occurs every Memorial Weekend Saturday. Eventually I worked into longer rides and did some interval training on hills and long tempo runs. A 53-mile, 3500 feet of elevation gain Bruce Ride, "Balloon Festival Preview," was a good warm-up the weekend before. There were a dozen riders and I was one of the slowest, especially on the climbs. My ankle swelled up the last half of the ride, so much so, that Art and Bruce noticed it readily.

Copious icing and continued therapy with Keith Donato resulted in a good recovery. In fact, I think the stress it was placed under force greater progress. I did one good 30-miler during the week out in Cazanovia Lake, which included a great 9 mile climb from Cheenego to Cazanovia on little-traveled Route 13. The short stretch past the Falls is steep. I am packing the Lemond in the back of the Subaru as a travel bike these days to save my Cannondale from getting dinged and it makes a better training ride on the heavier bike. Since I have put the Cane Creek wheels on the Lemond, it is great fun to ride on the road.

Saturday of the big ride and I felt ready to not be too embarrassed. It was a glorious Adirondack day with temperatures in the high 50's, some clouds and a good 15 MPH breeze from the north, which would provide a tailwind on the last half of the 65-mile, 5000-foot ride. Twenty people showed up and we were off to do the most serious climbs, which come in the first third of the ride. Before the first real climb comes the screaming descent down to Diamond Point on Lake George. I hit 51 MPH and passed nearly all the riders that dropped me on the first little climb. I think I passed Bruce going 20 to 30 MPH faster than he was going.

I was not totally embarrassed on the big climbs, but was definitely towards the back of the pack. It was fun to get into the rhythm of the climbs that I now know so well. After the long and fast decent down to Schroon River (50 MPH), it was paceline time on the flat section along the river. I kept into the line-up for most of the long paceline, coming to the front towards the junction of Rt. 8. After the rollers and the stop at Adirondack, it was an easy ride toward the back of the group the rest of the way home. The tailwind helped and my base building paid off. No cramps or fatigue and my ankle held up very well.

Little to no swelling of the ankle and a rapid recovery of the legs were signs that I am ready to start riding like I want to now. Bruce is leading a Tour-paced ride the next day and Donna and I decide to do it. This is a joint club ride with a group from Long Island that Bruce does every year. We will have the option of going slower if needed, since the LI riders are more used to flat lands and a slower 16 MPH pace. Turned out we did not need to have the company of the slow riders. We felt good enough to go faster and there were enough local riders that usually go with Bruce and keep the pace at 18 to 19 MPH to keep us company. The ride was from Saratoga Springs to the Battlefield - one loop of the Battlefield (10.5 miles) and then back. I paced a group back from the Battlefield and it was fun to pick off riders that started ahead of us, or took short cuts around the climbs. My paceline always had Donna on my wheel and we picked up and dropped riders as we made our way back past the scenic, rolling horse and dairy farm scenes that make Saratoga the destination it is.

The Sunday of Memorial Day weekend found us ready to take an easy day. So, we drove up to Newcomb in the Adirondacks and rode the mountain bikes into Camp Santanoni. It was a short 5 mile ride into the Camp on a dirt road. The Great Camp is being restored and is on a beautiful setting next to the lake. We were chased out by some rain and took a nap at a Tauhus trailhead on the way home.

Long post, but it has been awhile since I felt like writing. The ankle still hampers walking and hiking. Too much time has been spent on the recliner with ice on my ankle, but now I am ready to get into better shape and do the riding I love to do.

End of Year Injury Report

Knee and shoulder injuries in July start cascade of attention to all areas needing repair.

After an injury free first half of the year, it started with a simple knee twist when my worn tires slipped off the slick rock mountain biking at Grafton. A quick recovery and then a tumble on a rock slide hiking on Big Slide Mountain shoving my elbow and arm up into the shoulder joint. This one did not get better on its own. Also, walking down that mountain in the slick rain without full use of my arms put added pressure on the knees. As a result, I started to get treatment for the shoulder.

As the shoulder responded, attention turned to the knees. All the time, biking and spinning and snowboarding were all possible because the treatments did not hamper the activities. Until I added some injuries to the list doing the activities.

First, practicing wheelies on the front yard, landing hard on my back and snapping my head and neck back. Then catching an edge on the snowboard and re-injuring a repaired right shoulder. And finally, shoveling snow of all things, taking my back out again.

The ART sessions with Kieth Donato go from one damaged body part to another and back again. Today back to the back. The net accumulative effect is a slowly repaired and better functioning body able to do the ridn I want to do.

It is easy to get discouraged, but if the overall net effect is to re-build and strengthen weak and incorrectly functioning joints -- it is positive. At the end of the year the shoulder is better than it was going into that hike in July. The knees have promise to also be better with new alignment of the soft tissues around them; and the back issues which go back to running days, are being addressed. The New Year should be one of continued progress for total health and performance.

Warm October Riding Turns Frigid in November

Donna and I continue to get great rides in as the summer-like weather persists into October. The CycloCross bike gets into gear when the temperature dips into the 20's. Art's annual Lake Desolation mountain bike trek provides a great birthday present.

Despite being out in Minneapolis for two weeks, October riding was again record-setting. For the third straight month I have set combined mileage records for all bikes, this time at 350 miles. Mostly road riding, but now that the weather has turned in November I have tuned-up the Lemond Propad and will work my 21-mile, 5-Hill, 30% dirt circuit ride as a way to stay in descent shape. The "5-Hill" ride never takes me more than 5 miles from home and provides at least 6 or 7 opportunities to get the heart rate above 150 bpm. Being that close to home gives me the confidence to go out in nasty weather - I could bale at any time and get home in a hurry.

The ride is a challenge to get done in less than 1:20. I start up Louse Hill, then down to 74, turnaround and go back up the other side of Louse Hill. That gets the heart started after a 10 minute warm-up. Then a pretty long cruise on pavement down Hogsback. I always head to the Battenkill damn at the Paper Plant and then turn around and go back up Hogsback. Down the dirt cork-screw called Old Schylerville Road, and turn around and go back up. I then head for the Fairgrounds for off-road soft grass riding which gets the heart rate up using different, non-climbing muscles. Three of the 5 hills are on dirt; the last hill is up the river past Booth's farm and then across Hand's flat field -- and head for home.

I was hoping that Art G would lead a ride on the trails around Lake Desolation again this year. Last year we did the ride in late November and it was a killer. We had some real hammerheads pushing the pace the whole time and I was totally exhausted by the time we finished. When I got the email notice, I was relieved to see that "no hammer sh#t this year" in the ride description. I tried to get Donna to go, but she had a hockey game that evening and did not want to waste her legs before hand. The best part was the ride was on my birthday! As I packed up to leave I looked at the temperature and it was 18 degrees! This ride is notorious for its deep, mud infested, ATV-made water holes. No matter how cautious you are, you WILL get wet. So, I packed the SealSkin waterproof socks and headed out the door.

Seven riders showed up at the Stewart's in Middle Grove. We parked at the cemetery to gear up and headed off to run into ATV-powered hunters within the first mile. No problems, but it was a reminder why we did not wear any white clothing. My all-white Epic bike hopefully would not draw any rifle fire. This ride has lots of long climbs with baby-head and larger rocks - also long descents with the same obstacles. The leaves are all down, hiding the dangers below, but allowing you take chances you probably would not ordinarily make.

The first stop after a heart-pounding series of climbs is an old abandoned graphite mine. The office building now only is a skeleton of formed concrete with trees growing out at all angles. Art gave us some of the history of the mine and some local that invented the bomb site for the first A-bomb. This RPI person perished in an off-road accident that his buddy survived but was trapped for 48 hours. We continued negotiating the rocks and mud holes for the next 3 hours. On the way out Art located the mine shaft and we were able to enter the mouth. The shaft goes flat into the side of a hill for over 1500 feet, but we only were able to get in a few feet before the water inside was too deep.

Finally we came back to rest at the cars parked by the cemetery. As the picture indicates "rest for the weary!"

A good start to winter riding season. Today Mount Snow had its earliest opening day ever with top to bottom skiing and riding. Killington will open next week. We have had some snow at higher elevations, but plenty of cold weather for snow making. Maybe the next post will include the first snowboard session of the season.

September Cycling - Spectacular!

A record-setting month of road riding results from great weather and many group riding opportunities. September weekend schedules are full of multiple choice opportunities that Donna and I take advantage of.

After the Mohawk-Hudson Cycling Club (MHCC) century ride brings in the month, there are many other longer-distanced and hilly rides on the club schedule. With the great weather it is sometimes hard to commit to just one. Bash-Bish Falls and the Sacandaga Reservoir rides on consecutive weekends were challenging 60+ mile hilly rides done at an 18+ MPH pace. We revisited the Alternate Plan B ride up in the Adirondacks with a smaller group and at a slightly slower pace and Donna was able to see what a great ride it is.

Crossing Stewart's Dam --->

Donna and I did our own rides too. The Cambridge Valley Cycling Club (CVC) had it's Fall Foliage rides, followed by the Tour de Farm - a tour of local farms that have sold development rights to ASA, a farmland preservation group. We did these rides from home, on our own schedule and following our own route. On Saturday we did a hilly 50 mile course that hooked us up with three guys that were on the last 10 miles of their century. On Sunday we did a 35-miler from home that was even hillier, making the start and first stop at Ziehm's dairy farm, and then returning home. We drove back to Cambridge to check in and eat some good food.

Donna headed for home -->

All-in-all, I logged 475 miles on the road, a record for September. At the same time I am having my shoulder (the one that I separated on my first century in 2000 and re-injured on a July hike off of Big Slide Mountainn) worked on by an Active Release Technique (ART) chiropractor. So far - so good, but painful to get started breaking up old scar tissue and adhesions.

If this weather holds up, October can be just as good as September for all kinds of riding. I will likely head into the woods for more Mountain Biking now. In fact, tomorrow Donna and I are headed to Millstonehill Inn, a Lodge in the middle of 30 miles of single track built on the old granite quarries near Barre, VT, for a two-day get away.

May Wrap-up

Memorial Day Weekend provides a memorable end to May. A 62-mile, 5000-foot climbing ride in the Adirondacks on Saturday, followed by Donna and I teaming up for the Saratoga Duathlon on Sunday, and a mountain bike ride up the 11 mile Kelly Stand Road in Vermont privided an opportunity to go hard at three disciplines / bikes in one weekend.

Saturday's MHCC group ride led by Art G., called "Team Guerrilla Road Ride, Alternate Plan B (TGRRAPB)," was the first "Quick Ride" of my cycling life back in 2000 and I have returned every year since. The first ride was with my old FujiClub 12-speed and I was very nervous not knowing any of the riders. I had no idea what a ride of that length or amount of climbing would entail. I even did not know what to bring along in terms of repair tools, food, etc. I strapped my large handlebar mounted pack on and loaded it up with spare parts and tools! At the last minute, after I saw that the rest of the riders had tiny saddle bags, I ejected my 5 inch adjustable wrench. I kept up with the pack of 15 or so riders the first half of the ride, but paid the price the second half with cramps. I limped in many minutes after Art had provided a wheel to bring in an overweight guy that was behind me with 10 miles to go.

Since that first ride I have learned a great deal on how to eat and train. We have had as few as 7 riders on cold, rainy days and set the record for the most riders this year due to the great weather at 32. The second year of riding TGRRAPB I learned about over-hydrating. I just drank water and wound up cramping again, even though in better shape, due to diluting out my electrolytes. After this lesson I always carry one bottle of water and another of sports drink and alternate drinking from each. The third year I learned how eating too many carbs and not enough protein induces insulin to drain all of your circulating blood sugar leaving you without fuel for muscles. At the half way point we stop usually for about 20 to 30 minutes at a country store in Adirondack for a rest stop. The picture shows us a this year's edition. After devouring large amounts of GU and power bars and sports drink we started off around Schroon Lake. After about 20 minutes my legs seized up on this ride for the third time in a row. By the fourth year I finally completed a TGRRAPB in good shape. I now pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for my longer rides and can eat it with confidence even at a long stop knowing that the protein and fat will prevent the insulin surge.

The long climbs and descents and smooth Adirondack roads twisting by lakes, rivers, streams and mountains make the TGRRAPB a must ride for every year. There is a core group of riders that returns year after year. Some are the same riders that do other Quick Rides and others I only see on this ride. This year we had a fellow that claimed to be an American European ProTour rider. He had a beautiful Team Phonak BMC team issue bike and told great stories about riding for Landis and others on the Phonak team. We always stay and eat some cake that Art's wife provides and talk about the ride and other things as we recover. The group this year was pretty unanimous in thinking our ProTour rider was spinning a tall tale on us.

The last three years I have gotten myself into the shape and have the experience to do the ride well without needing lots of recovery time. In fact, I have done it knowing I will be doing a 20-mile time trail the following day teaming up with Alix or Donna in the Saratoga Duathlon. The first year Alix and I managed to run-ride-run to first place in the mixed team division. Alix ran a good first 5K and I used my Trek Y-foil to advantage and completed the 4-lap, 5 miles per lap course in about one hour. The result was that Alix was the first women to start the second 5K run and she held her position through to the finish. She brought the crowd to cheers as the first women finisher - she said it was awesome! That first year Donna did all three legs and placed first in her age group.

The second year the race grew in size and Donna, Alix and I failed to repeat our first place finishes, but we still were respectable. I finished 16th in the field of 200 for the bike leg portion of the race, which I thought was good. It is great fun to pass riders and move so fast through the field. The Y-Foil is such a fast bike being all carbon and DuraAce components. The aerobars with bar end shifters allows you to stay aero the whole time. The course is flat except for a short climb at the end of each lap. Once you figure the right gearing, you get into a pattern that repeats lap after lap. I watch the computer and time each lap trying to bring in negative splits. If you stay under 15 minutes per lap you are going over 20 MPH. The previous day's ride is either a good warm up or a drain on leg power or both!

This year I felt really good after doing the TGRRAPB so I expected to do well in the duathlon. For the first time I am teaming up with Donna, instead of Alix. Donna tags me at the end of her 5K and I start running with the bike out of the transition area. She yells that she has set a PR for the 5K with her first leg time. OK - now the pressure is on; I better come through with a good effort to support her PR. Last year I averaged 22.3 MPH, so to go better I need to hit well under 15 minutes per lap. I started off and felt off. Legs felt ok, but my stomach was not right. I had eaten too much - taken in what I would normally do for a long ride, not a 1 hour hard effort. By the time I rounded the third corner I started bringing up breakfast. The first climb to finish the first lap and I was not pumping in the right gear - not going fast, others were passing me! My time for the first lap was 14:45 - not fast enough. After that lap I started to feel better.

As is often the case, I passed riders and the same riders would pass me back - each of us showing our own preferences for different parts of the route. By the third lap we are thinning out to be the same riders and only passing really slow riders. My lap times were getting better each lap. By the fourth lap I felt really good. My finishing pace was a new record for me at 22.6 MPH, which was good enough for 7th overall out of 150 riders. Donna ran another good 5K leg and we finished 4th out of 12 coed teams and only 25 seconds off of 2nd place. We enjoyed the great spread of food and each had messages at the end of the race.

On Monday we decided to take out the mountain bikes and explore a favorite road over in Vermont. The Kelly Stand Road is a dirt road that climbs for about 10 miles along side a beautiful tree-lined stream. People camp between the road and stream and there is little traffic. The road is only open in the non-winter months and connects Arlington to Stratton Mountain. The Appalachian Trail crosses the road at the 9 mile mark. At the 11 mile mark there is a historical marker where Danial Webster addressed 15,000 people in July of 1840 at the Whig Convention! It is hard to believe that this little traveled road in the middle of the Vermont forest would ever have had that many people on it. The climb is long and steady but never too steep. A good workout for sure and an awesome, long and fun descent. We ate some food down along the stream and then drove home.

Today, the last day of May, I did my first ride after the Memorial Weekend trio of rides. It was one of my usual routes out Lick Spring Road, up the Summit Lake climb (.5 miles, 250 feet), up north road, back to Greenwich. I decided to finish by going up Willard and then going home, since I am training for the Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike Race in 3 weeks. At the top of Willard I see a CRBC rider heading down. I figured he was out alone on a training ride, beating the afternoon thunderstorms like I was. When I get to the Willard Ski Area driveway I see several cars, bikes and bikers milling about. I turned into the driveway and saw that these were more CRBC clad riders. One saw me roll up and said, "Hey, this isn't one of our guys." I asked who was playing in my neighborhood. He told me that they were filming a commercial for Litespeed bikes! Sure enough they had beautiful Litespeeds decked out in Zipp wheels. They said they had to take pictures here instead of Tennessee to keep for getting shot out on the good country roads. I warned them that getting shot was still a possibility here. He asked if I was just out for a ride and I told him I lived 6 miles down the mountain and I was finishing off a 40 mile ride. We talked about the Battenkill-Rubaix Race and I rode home. Once again I was reminded how special an area we live in - a road and mountain biking paradise that I hope the rest of the world only slowly learns about so it stays that way.