ON THE ROAD AGAIN- TAKE TWO...

It's been 5 weeks since the pec surgery and I couldn't stand it anymore. So I got on the bike and went for a ride. Wow! What a relief! I had forgot its hard to ride with more weight on one side. I was trying not to put pressure on the bad arm. The body mechanics didn't work so good with that and I got a pretty good back ache. But it was worth it. So as long as I don't wreck or get hit I should be OK to train on the road. Now how soon I can hit the mountains will depend on time and how much I want to defy my surgeon's advise- again.

SILVER LINING

It's been 4 weeks since the shoulder surgery. It doesn't hurt, but I am still restricted to putting any weight on it. It's been frustrating but being layed up but not completely inabled has had some advantages. For instance, today was 5 mile pass race. It was a cold, wet day and I didn't have to worry about deciding if I had to suffer in it or feel guilty about bailing. I got to go see both the boys' games instead. As a matter of fact this month there hasn't been the "do I train or do I spend time with the family" dilemma.

BUT, there has been the apprehension of "am I wasting away" "getting weak" "how long will it take to get back into condition" fear. AND I went to the team meeting and felt like I didn't belong! I got the itch to race really bad at the meeting. But I am still looking at (what seems like) a long time before I can race. In the meantime I can enjoy some free time and the family.

Pictionary- Adults vs the kids- try it sometime

But I think in the end I've realized I might have to strike a better balance between family and racing.

I hope to hit the road next week. We'll see how that goes.

MY DOCTOR WAS MAD AT ME

It's been two weeks since the pec repair. This week I went to see the surgeon for followup. He saw me and I could tell he was mad at me. "Where's your sling?" he says. "I Uh, Uh, didn't know you wanted me to wear it still" I lied. Wow what a typical patient I am. You'd think I'd know better. But that's just it. As patients we "think" we know our bodies best. Who else lives with them all day, every day? We'd like to think or hope we are different than the other patients. Maybe we have a special gene that will make us heal faster. Or maybe the doctor really has it in for us? Or maybe we are deluding ourselves. Yes we are all different as a whole but tissue are the same. A muscle is a muscle and a tendon is a tendon in all of us. And the doctor has seen a lot of different individuals but in the end everyone's tissue is about the same. And

tendons take a long time to heal. (All this is just my way of talking myself into being a compliant patient-so feel free to ignore the ramblings of a doctor/patient.)

I have to realize the only thing still holding me together are threads. I'd better quit digging sprinkler ditches...... As I expected the "after-surgery" is the hardest.

ARANTIX MILES: UNCHANGED ;(

GREAT RACE WEEKEND

This was the best part of the weekend! Dot's first ride after the surgery!

Dot, the family and in-laws picked me up at the surgical center in Provo around 9:3o am Friday and we were off to the races- except no one was planning on racing! Luckily they numbed my skalene nerve and I wasn't feeling a thing-until we got to Hurricane. We got down to wonderful weather and Dot did a "practice" lap with the boys so they could decide if they wanted to race the next day and then Dot went off to do another full adult lap! Pretty cool. She even considered racing in 35+ but we actually do have some scruples and both decided it probably wasn't the best idea. The boys decided to race. Here they are lining up. Dot rode with Jonny but Joey didn't want anyone to ride with him. I wasn't sure if it was because he is so independent and doesn't need us for support or he doesn't want anyone there so he can slack off. I believe it's the later but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Jonny had a hard time since he is racing the 12 and under category this year. Joey pulled out a third in the boys group and 5th overall in 9 and under. Not bad considering he was hardly sweating at the finish line.

The Mad Dog team did well and it was fun just being there to take pictures and cheer them on! Here, Carson is racing for his VERY respectable 5th place. Notable first place finishers were the Moffits- Kevin and Joseph. Good Job!

After the race the family and I parted ways. They headed home and I headed up to Gooseberry Mesa with Carson. "The Goose" is an incredible area for riding, camping and scenery! Since I couldn't ride I enjoyed a nice hike down this face toward that sun-lit Butte. It was good to test out the knee. You might be hearing more about "the Goo$e" in the next coming months since I have a special project going there.......

So it was a great weekend to get away and "get some rest" even if I had a couple aching nights. Things are feeling much better with the pecs at this time.

I'VE BEEN CONTEMPLATING

The surgery is in the morning to reattach my boob. Then we are heading down to Hurricane to get away and to see the race crowd. "Maybe" the boys will race.

This is where I start rambling and musing, so tune out if you want.

With this string of injuries to myself and Dot, I've been thinking, "Why do we do it?" I see that same question on people's faces when I've told them about yet another injury- "What is wrong with you?" BUT, despite my third (significant) injury this year I can't think of anything except how quickly can I get back to activity. I'm sure it's a kind of addiction, but I'd like to think I could stop (yet another sign of an addict) if I wanted to. But in reality I think its just my personality. And that's hard to change. (Wow, Its kind of interesting I just wrote that since I just heard Dot say the same thing, "That's my personality and I can't change it".)

I can't just do one thing. I am a multi-tasker and get a rush out of doing many things at once.

Granted, I am not an expert at anything, but sure can do many things well. I have experienced in this life more than most will ever even dream of- anything more from now on is just icing on the cake. I feel like I am in full time bonus land. I enjoy experiencing life and if I get an occasional bump from it, well then I have to make it part of the adventure. The probabilities of something happening grow with time. I guess its my time. I'll get over it.

AM I STUPID OR JUST UNLUCKY!

I've been feeling really good the last week. I just got my new belt in Karate (only 6 months out from black) and have been really excited to return to racing. Then tonight I was grappling with the teacher (again). We weren't even going at it that hard since I vowed to take it easy so as not to reinjure my back. And all of a sudden as I was trying finish the take down we both heard a "RRRIIIIIPPPPPP" and stopped. I actually initially thought that he dislocated his shoulder. Then I started to feel the pain in MY chest. I TORE MY FRIGGIN PECTORALIS (CHEST) MUSCLE!


I should just give up and make this into a medical blog instead of a biking one. In general these need to be repaired. I am going to see the Orthopedic surgeon tomorrow to see what he recommends. So I need to see what happens next and don't know if I can make it down to Hurricane. I'd like to come down even if I don't race. We'll see.


Here's some images of what I think is going on. We'll have to leave it to the expert for the final diagnosis.

Ready Or Not Hear I Come!

That's whether I am ready or not. I can't stand it anymore. I gotta get out there to get butterflies, to burn out my lungs, to eat every one's dust, to waste $39, to tear apart my bike, to tear apart my body to prove what? To prove I can do it of course. And admittedly I just hate being left out....

So Cholla here we come!

Oh and guess what? Dot asked me to get HER bike ready too! No not to race, but at least to- maybe- get back on! This would be the first time since the surgery.

Corner Canyon is getting there. We (Carson and I) were able to put together nearly 2.5 hrs of single track!

ARANTIX II MILES: 117 (FOR 2010-OUCH!)