Well folks, I have managed to shake off the dreaded headcold-from-hell and get back out for some light training. I say light, which it honestly how it started out to be, but true to form I had difficulty in keeping it that way. Like a taper, I find that most challenging. Perhaps its just that I get out there and decide "I'm here, I might as well do something useful". Anyway, I kitted up and went for a solo ride. I started gently and rolled through some back streets partly to find a new path to the city and also to check out the suburb where a friend and fellow blogger lives (Ihatetoast). This achieved and finding my lung capacity not totally gone, I kept going to the city and beyond. This took me over Brisbane's largest bridge the Story Bridge (see gratuitous night pic), which is not what anyone would call cycle-friendly. But it was the quickest way to get where I wanted and I figured, "I'll just dash over safe and sound". I was right on the latter, totally wrong on the former. The aforementioned lung capacity.... evaporated on the slight but long climb over the bridge once I engaged "dash" mode on the engine. The result was I spent an uncomfortably long time on the bridge with zooming traffic. But I made it to the northside of Brisvegas and headed out to the airport and surrounding areas. Its a popular route for cyclists here and although it was a solo ride, I found some energy to punch into the wind and keep the speed to a respectable 34kph average for the 55km trip. I did stop on the way back for 5 minutes to check out the docked ship at Brett's wharf. So there was a little breather towards the end. But... the real news is...... I could stand on the pedals!
I haven't been able to do that with any success since the surgery, which is now over 9 months ago. Oh I've tried, but its like running...I need power and control in the ankle and foot. And that hasn't been there. But today I just gave it a try, as I usually do, and it didn't collapse under me as usual. It wasn't perfect but it was better than its been. Man, it felt good. So much in fact, that I stood at every opportunity up hills and climbed like I used to. It was one of my favourite things to do in the past and something that I tended to do better than many and so was my trump card. It also means things with the nerves, etc, are improving. Its so slow, like watching the shadows move across the ground, that unless you measure it over a decent amount of time, it appears there is no movement at all.
Hence I'm quite thrilled at the moment. Sure I overdid it and made my foot/ankle hurt a little, and I stopped standing on the pedals towards the end. Fooey to you doctor. Next step, a serious run. Perhaps to work tomorrow. Maybe the next day.
Stay tuned, there's definitely light at the tunnel's end now.
Stand-in-the-pedals Tomawac out.
3 comments:
Serious run? .... now you have my interest, do tell!
hey, i know you're on a serious bike, but i couldn't help but visualise you on a banana-seat bike with streamers and cards in teh spokes pumping the pedals standing up and riding like a happy kid!
hurrah for you! did you end your ride at a 7-11, flirt with the girls over a slurpee and nerds?
Gorgeous bridge! Sounds like a good ride... There is a ride in portland that I did once where you ride over ...I think 7... bridges. So I know what you mean about getting up that hill!
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