NOTHING IS FOREVER!

Today is the last day of 2011. Today is when I finally came to the conclusion that running and/or race walking are no longer a part of my exercise repertoire. Too many issues with the knees and back have forced me into runner’s retirement.

I dreaded the day when I would be forced to become a non-runner. Eliminating a passion in life is not always easy to accept. I’m handling it well, however.  I have graciously accepted my new role as supporting husband while Janet continues to run/walk.   

Looking back, though, I wished that I would have dropped out of running voluntarily instead of when injuries forced the issue. But you know we runners, we simply do not listen to our bodies until it’s too late to reverse the accrued damage.

They say that the best way to accept a loss is to replace that loss with something else as soon as possible, and that’s exactly what I’ve managed to do.

Road cycling, another passion of mine, has completely taken the place of running, jogging, race-walking or whatever you call what I was doing during the waning days of my storied running career.

Unlike running, biking is not damaging to the skeletal frame. Even though I’ve biked nearly 4,000 miles during 2011, I feel no ill effects of pedaling multiple miles while sitting in the saddle of an expensive road bike. Quite the contrary!

In closing, I look back with pride at all that I’ve accomplished during my running pastime. From local 5K’s to out-of-town marathons, it’s all been good.

Between my wife and me, we have five shoe boxes full of finisher’s medals accrued over the past 18 years. And then there is our brag wall where our last two years of medals are boastfully displayed. They hang as a constant reminder of our personal triumphs, countless good times and new-found friends.

I have no regrets!

2011 JOSLYN JOURNAL

26th Wedding Anniversary… One of many 2011 highlights was Bob and Jan’s 26th wedding anniversary this past October, celebrated again in magical style by running the 2nd annual Wine & Dine Half Marathon in Walt Disney World. They also ran the Halloween 5K the morning of the half marathon. And speaking of running, once again Bob and Janet completed Disney’s Goofy Challenge, all 39.3 miles of magic and smiles. Even though Janet will be aiming for her 6th Goofy Challenge January of 2012, Bob is completely dropping out of running due to minor knee and back issues. Road cycling, a sport that Bob likes even more than running and speed walking, has recently taken the place of running. During this past Labor Day weekend, he cycled two metric centuries (64 mi. each) plus a half century during a three day period in the Sebring, Florida area. So far this year, Bob has cycled nearly 4,000 total miles. That’s a whole lot of pedaling.

Tennessee Vacation… During the month of April, Jan and Bob, along with Bob’s oldest daughter, Lynda, traveled to Nashville, TN to run the Country Music Half Marathon. The CMM was Lynda’s first running event of any noteworthy distance, and she did fantastic.

While in Tennessee, they stopped and visited with Bob’s youngest daughter, Diane, and Diane’s daughter, Cynthia.
Ohio… In early July, Lynda joined Janet and Bob as permanent residents of Pembroke Pines, FL. Bob personally traveled to Ohio and then escorted Lynda to her new sub-tropical home, after first passing through Tennessee for a brief visit with Diane.

Janet and Bob love having Lynda as a permanent member of their happy household, and they wish her the very best in her new life.
Employment and Retirement… Janet celebrated her third year of employment with Wal-Mart in September and Bob celebrated his ninth year of retirement in May. Not too long after her arrival in July, Lynda secured employment with Wal-Mart as a service rep, working in the same store as Janet.

Our Pets… Gigi and Santana, our two kitty cats, continue to fascinate us with their love and random acts of kitty mischief. In addition to parenting Gigi and Santana, we now nurture tropical fish, tiny frogs, turtles, snails and two birds. There’s never a dull moment in the Joslyn home!
Visitation… Blessing us with a one week visit during Thanksgiving week was Lynda’s daughter, Felicia. We were elated to have her as our guest during her college break. Felicia’s school is located in Eastern PA. While in South Florida, she and Bob took a short airboat tour of the Florida Everglades.

Like Lynda, Felicia has fallen in love with South Florida. Coming from Ohio, who can blame them!

Here’s hoping that each and every one of you has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


Bob, Janet, Lynda, Santana and Gigi

ALMOST THERE

With a twenty mile run/walk under her belt, accomplished yesterday beginning at 4:14 in the morning, I’m even more confident that my wife will accomplish another milestone when she takes on the challenge of running a 5K, half marathon and a full marathon in a span of three day. That’s 42.4 miles in three days for those who haven’t a clue the distances of marathons.

Unshaken by the challenge, she gained some personal confidence when she easily ran and walked the 20 mile training run, part of which was run in our mall’s parking lot and part in our neighborhood’s county park. 

Confidence supersedes anxieties.

Accompanying her on my road bike, I liked the county park half over the initial mall run. Sitting on the bike’s saddle for four and a half hours, at slow speeds, isn’t exactly exuberating in my book. Being able to open up the speed while in the park somewhat alleviated the agony of sitting on a small saddle for hours.

There remains one more training run of any significant distance before Disney, the intermediate distance ten-miler taking place next week. I’m looking forward to being her water boy and running/biking companion.

THE THREE CABALLEROS

No matter how much I try, and how necessary it is for me to ignore running events, I just can’t seem to stop myself from signing up. Today was another classic example.

After listening to The Amazing Race’s third place finisher tell the audience that you should never give up, I jumped up from the couch, told my wife that I’m signing up for Disney’s Three Caballeros 5K that takes place this coming January in Walt Disney World, and then I did just what I swore I would never again do – sign up to run/walk another running event.

Not only did I sign up myself to walk the 5K, I signed up my wife as well. We had discussed this possibility days ago that if I felt up to it, I might give the 6^th of January’s 5K a try seeing as though I am compelled to drop out of the subsequent Goofy Challenge, a double event that I’ve completed the past six years. 

Unable to run those distances because of knee and back issues, it’s time to pass the baton to my fabulous wife.

My courageous wife now has three running events in three days to conquer. I’ve no doubt that she has the fortitude to endure 42.4 miles in three days. And I have no doubt that she allowed me to sign her up to run the first day’s event just for me.

That’s the kind of person she is.

GOOFY’S RACE AND A HALF CHALLENGE TRAINING COMING TO A CLOSE

One more intermediate distance run and one more long distance run and then Janet’s Goofy’s Race & a Half Challenge training should be completed. And boy oh boy is she ever looking forward to her last long run/walk combination.

It’s not that she abhors the actual run and speed walk training. Standing on her feet 40 hours per week while working is the villain that extinguishes what joy she has for her chosen participation sport. The training part, that is!

Anyway, Janet courageously completed her next-to-last long run early last week and she has that last intermediate distance run coming up Wednesday the 14th.  

During that training run and all subsequent runs, I’ll be escorting her on my road bike from start to finish, joyfully carrying her Gatorade and water on my sleek road bike. Immediately afterward, however, I’ll be joining my cycling comrades for our classic bike rides to and from Weston’s Einstein’s Coffee Shoppe. It’s there that we guys and gals solve most of the world’s problems, if only in our demented minds.

Any thought of me signing up for Disney’s Three Caballeros 5K has been distinguished by reality. All I can envision is messing up my knees and back ever more and then not being able to walk normally while in Walt Disney World. With us having season passes to all of Disney’s theme parks, and Janet running both Saturday and Sunday, I need healthy legs and a strong back just to keep up with her.  I have vowed not to let her down!  

Besides, I must listen to my doctor’s advice.

Then again, it's only 3.1 miles...

HUMPTY DUMPTY

I admit to being somewhat negligent regarding my writing and blogging. But darn it all, sometime a man just doesn’t feel like sitting still at a computer conveying bits and pieces of his physical fitness sessions or lack of. I’ll try to do better!

What can I say other than I’ve continued to be active on my road bike but negligently inactive in the gym, and that’s not necessarily a good thing.

As we age, it is of the utmost importance to keep our bodies’ strong, if for no other reason just to keep from being needlessly injured should we take a fall. I’ve promised myself that as of this week, beginning today, I shall pick up the pace in the gym even at the expense of missing a bike ride or two. And I hate missing bike rides with my cycling buddies.

Semi depressed over not being able to race-walk or run any longer, I tried one last time to race-walk at an acceptable pace, and I did this test in Century Village way up in West Palm Beach while visiting my mother-in-law.

I wish I could report that all went well, especially since I’ve now completed all five lubricating knee injections. But the truth is, at mile 1.7 I had to end the test because of pain in the left knee. For once I listened to my body. The right knee was fine!

It is what it is and I’ve finally had closure on any thought of running or walking any type of running event, from 5K’s to full marathons. For now, that is! Should a divine miracle be granted, I would consider making an attempt at walking my tenth in a row ING Miami Half Marathon in latter February. Only time will tell!

Early last week when I was following my wife on my road bike while she was running and walking around the mall on their reprehensible sidewalks, she took a fall just as she began the transition from walking to running. Thanks to uneven sidewalks on the south side of Pembroke Lakes Mall, along with the sun that was shining directly into her eyes, she fell on the concrete injuring her right arm and shoulder, not to mention her pride. She did, however, manage to pick herself up from the ground after we assessed the extent of her injuries.

After significantly decreasing her pace the last mile and a half, she prided herself in finishing a run despite the embarrassing fall. My wife is one tough, determined lady.

However, never again will she run or race-walk on those bloody mall sidewalks.

SIXTEEN-MILE TRAINING WALK/RUN

I really have to give my wife a lot of credit. Even though I am no longer able to run or speed walk due to running-related injuries, she devotedly continues with her Goofy Challenge training. Determined to complete both the half marathon and the full marathon  this coming January in Walt Disney World, without me offering support by running and walking by her side as I've done the past six years, she faithfully laces up her running shoes and heads out the door for whatever distance run/walk is on her training schedule. Yesterday was a 16-mile training run.

Greeting us outdoors was near perfect running and biking weather.  After Janet laced up her running shoes and I secured my biking shoes with Velcro straps, we began the journey Monday morning at 4:49 a.m. 

Not able to run or walk because of run-related injuries, I was at least going to escort my wife on my Felt road bike the entire distance. Living in the city as we do, one never knows who or what lurks in the darkness of night. Or for that matter, who or what lurks in the light of day, especially in our neighborhood’s county park. Even decent neighborhoods such as ours have occasional drifters meander in and around parks and mall areas.

My wife began her usual routine of walking and running by starting out in our regional mall’s well-lit parking area. Our plan was to run/walk and bike in the mall’s secure parking area until day-break, at which time we would skedaddle across busy Flamingo Road into CB Smith Park. We did just that when my bike’s GPS indicated that I had ridden just under eleven miles. Jan was almost at mile marker six when we entered the massive county park.

Besides offering my wife added security, my job was to carry the Gatorade and water bottles on my road bike. Whenever she was in need of fluid, I'd ride close by and then hand her whichever drink she preferred at the time. After she would consume the amount that she wanted, I would then circle around her so that I could take the bottle from her hand. My wife likes the fact that she doesn’t have to tote a bottle and I like the fact that I can contribute towards her training.

Sitting in the bike’s saddle for nearly four hours, yesterday’s session was more of a buttocks workout for me than anything else. It doesn’t matter if I sat in a new Serfas cruiser saddle, four hours on any skinny bike seat will be rather uncomfortable.

Jan completed her walk/run routine in a conservative pace of 15.11 minutes per mile, or slightly slower than 4 mph. Her goal yesterday was to complete the training walk/run faster than what Disney allows, which is a pace of 16 minutes per mile. 

Mission accomplished!

Robert's GPS: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/446050

Janet’s GPS: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/128669663

MARATHON TRAINING

You know what? I do not miss marathon training in the least. Not one iota do I miss having to run/walk predetermined distances on predetermined days. I can tell you that in past years, going back to 1997, much of my every-day, time-line schedule used to be full of strict training schedules. I would live or die by those schedules.  Now I can say goodbye to restrictive training schedules and hello to impromptu bike rides. My time is now my own!

Don’t take me wrong, I’ll assuredly miss event days as I stand in the wings while others participate in fun, rewarding events such as Disney World half marathons and full marathons or the Country Music half or full marathons that precede fabulous country music concerts in downtown Nashville.

I’ll also miss the challenges and having flashy finisher medals draped around my neck after victoriously crossing the finish lines. I’ll miss the starting line anxieties and the camaraderie of fellow runners, but I won’t miss the never-ending training. And I won’t miss my knees seizing up after miles and miles of fast walking and running.

Now that I have ceased running and power walking,  there is no longer a need to set long-distance running and walking goals. Instead, my current goal is to simply walk normal. Bad knees, as you can imagine, do not allow normal walking. Bad knees forbid nearly everything that’s enjoyed in the great outdoors. There is no room in my life for bad knees or bad anything, and that includes my lower back, which has recently been diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis and Spondylosis, not to mention the arthritis.

But things are about to get much better.  

After having received my second of five Hyaluronan knee injections, I am now able to slowly walk to and from our fitness center without grimacing or complaining. That’s a total of one-mile over sidewalks and uneven grassy areas along the bank of the lake. I feel good about my progress. I’ll feel even better when I’m able to again make use of our Disney World season passes – without the thought of being placed in a wheel chair.

On second thought, doesn't the Disney folks place everyone who is disabled at the front of the lines?  

Adopt-A-Bike Ride

The Adopt-a-Bike and Special Needs Bike programs provide bikes and helmets to low income, disadvantaged and special needs children and adults who would not be able to own a bike otherwise. Started in 2002, it has grown each year and as of 2010, SBW has provided over 2000 bikes and helmets to various community groups within the tri-county area.

I’m pleased to announce that we had well over 250 cyclists during this past Sunday’s Adopt-a-Bike ride.

For those who wished to participate in the actual bike ride, they had several distance and speed choices to select from. Myself, I chose one of the slower groups to ride with.

With our group being the next to last to leave, we didn’t leave Markham Park until ten minutes after the first and fastest group departed. And because of our later start, we and the group behind us were the only groups of cyclists that ran into a moderately heavy rain storm.

Notwithstanding the danger of riding in the driving rain, I thought the drenching felt heavenly compared to this past summer’s relentless heat and humidity. One downside of the rain, however, was the wet roadways.

Riding directly behind the cyclist in front of you, their rear tire constantly threw road water into your face and chest. Seeing out of my sunglasses was next to impossible.

Anyway, the rain ended and we continued on with our Sunday journey wearing wet biking shorts and drenched jerseys.

The strong northerly wind was another factor, one that our leaders wisely conquered by changing the course. Instead of heading south in the beginning of the ride, which would have forced us to ride north into the wind during the second half of the ride, we started out riding northbound. Thank heavens for wise bike leaders. As it was, we glided along nearly effortlessly the second half of our 37 mile ride. Thank you Allan and Deanna!

Despite the inclement weather in the beginning of the ride, we still maintained a 16 mph pace throughout the entire 36.3 mile course.

Map and stats of ride   

To replenish some of those lost carbs and calories, after the ride the bike club had a nice layout of bagels, donuts and fruit. I enjoyed one of each and seconds on the donuts.

LUMBAR SPINE MRI PROGNOSIS

Regarding last week’s Lumbar MRI, the results are in.

Lumbar Spine MRI prognosis: Spinal Stenosis, Spondylosis and Arthritis.

Will have cortisone injections administered this Wednesday.

Per my orthopedic surgeon, I must give up running, race walking and possibly freestyle swimming. I can still bike, strength train and doggie paddle, as well as most everything else in life, all without difficulty.

I continue to be blessed, but there ain't no way I'm going to doggie paddle in our condo's pool. Not in this lifetime! LOL

NAMI 50 Mile Bike Tour

When I first learned of the NAMI Bikes ride, a local cycling event that was recently generated to raise funds for the mentally ill, I envisioned a ride that would benefit most of our area’s population. Can you tell that I have a negative, slanted opinion of our dumbed-down masses?

All kidding aside, I was anxious to saddle up to assist however I could, even if I wasn’t in good bike shape. I figured that fifty miles in the flatlands would be achievable even in the worst of conditions, meaning the strong wind that was coming from the north and my questionable fitness.

NAMI, translation National Alliance on Mental Illness, went all out to make their first annual event attractive to all cyclists. Included in the $35.00 registration fee was a Friday evening pasta dinner and packet pickup located at the South Florida Mental Hospital at Pembroke Road & University Drive in Pembroke Pines.

I attended the small dinner and so did my oldest daughter, who happens to be a non-biker. An additional donation towards the cause acquired her a dinner as well as an event t-shirt. She was overly pleased with both.

Some of our Team Memorial Group prior to the cycling event.

I wouldn’t expect anything less at the beginning of a Davie, Florida (horse country) bike ride than a Davie Cowboy and his horse leading all bikers out of Davie's Vista View Park. Because there was such a small contingent of cyclists, maybe 40 to 50 maxium, I found myself not 20 feet behind the horse as it and its rider galloped out of the park followed by the throng of cyclists. Good fortune must have been with me and the others close by because the horse chose not to discharge during his park exit.

Despite perfect signage along the beginning of the course, we still found a way to drift off course. Riding along in a fragmented peloton, I personally played follow-the-leader instead of paying attention to the directional signs. Others in the back-of-the-pack must have done the same.

Once out of the City of Davie and into the City of Weston, there were no longer any directional signs. Directions were nonexistent. Weston reportedly did not allow the NAMI folks to erect signs along the roads, leaving us with nothing more than a sheet of paper with directions. Have you ever tried biking while holding onto a sheet of paper, in a strong wind? Trust me, it doesn’t work well.

That being the case, knowing the area quite well, I basically made up my own course during the second half of the ride. I also chose not to ride with the already fragmented peloton during the second half of the ride. Past cycling experience told me that I do much better at my own speed and not the speed of others who view bicycle touring as a bike race and not a tour. Having two knees that were basically destroyed three weeks earlier while running a half marathon in Disney World didn't exactly help matters.

The northerly 15 to 20 mph wind was brutal. And since the other bikers from the very beginning of the ride chose not to ride in a tight pace line, alternating the lead every minute or two, my legs and knees were burned out after the first 15 to 20 miles. With 30+ miles remaining, that was not a good thing.

Ready to drop out at mile marker 40 because of muscle fatigue, I hesitantly talked myself into not quitting while taking a much needed break on a roadside bus bench. That one five-minute break was the only time I got off the bike during the entire three hour and forty-five minute ride.

Thanks to pure determination, two packets of GU and my two bottles of on-board Gatorade, I managed the fifty miles despite my infirm condition. The entrance to Vista View Park never looked so good.

Under such dire conditions, the steady wind and my lack of conditioning,  I was well pleased with my average pace of 13.5 mph.

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/428686 

The only regret I had was that more cyclists didn’t sign up for NAMI's inaugural event. Putting aside the lack of directional signs in Weston, it was a nicely laid out course on relatively safe streets. The police escort during the beginning of the ride was a nice touch. But like all police escorts during biking events, only the lead bikers benefit.

I cannot say enough good things about the folks who put on the cycling event and the pre-event dinner. Lord willing, I’ll do this ride again next year.

MEDICAL REPORT

The waiting game has begun!

With the severity of my knee (make that both knees) and back pain at their zenith, I  found it necessary to visit my orthopedic surgeon’s office yesterday for a consultation regarding the popular lubricating knee injections. Although I did not actually speak with my doctor during yesterday’s visit, during a previous visit he strongly recommended the series of five injections in both knees.

During yesterday’s brief visit, his able assistant confirmed my need for the injections.  He then set the ball rolling whereas my insurance company is concerned – and they most definitely will be concerned when they discover the costs. Whether or not they will pay is another question all together. But if they do pay, what percentage will they pay and what percentage must I pay???...hence my anxiety over the entire monetary matter.

The lower back is another issue, one that will be addressed next Wednesday at the same medical office, only with a different doctor.

Spinal Stenosis can be very debilitating at times, and unfortunately I’ve reached one of those times. Understandably, the morning time is the worst. Repeated stretches and torso twist does help somewhat. But even after doing the stretching and twisting, any sudden bodily movement will typically send an awful pain down my lower back and down the back of my legs. 

To alleviate or eliminate the back pain, an epidural injection is forthcoming. Receiving the injections used to be a semi-annual occurrence. I haven’t had one in two years – mostly because I have all but eliminated running from my exercise disciplines.

Bizarre as it may seem, I’m essentially looking forward to needles intruding my body. Anything to ease the pain!

DISNEY WORLD'S WINE & DINE HALF MARATHON

Mickey and Minnie Mouse with Bob and Janet before the 5K race

If either of us had to suffer with excruciating pain throughout the entire Wine & Dine half marathon, all 13.1 miles of it, I’m glad it was me and not my wife. She experiences enough discomfort with her upper back during her day by day living.

Never in my entire life have I experienced such pain and discomfort as I did during this past Saturday night’s Disney World Wine & Dine Half Marathon.

The annual event, which coincides with Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival, took place in Walt Disney World Orlando, Florida. We participated in the event last year with relative ease. But this year, at least for me, the half marathon distance was a bear. That’s bear as in barely able to finish!

Prior to the evening’s half marathon, my wife and I also participated in Disney World’s Halloween 5K. The shorter-distance event started at 7 a.m. and the longer of the two began at 10 p.m.

5K finisher medals

The 5K event, which was advertised as a fun run, took us through most of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and then back out to the butterfly parking lot where the race began.

It was indeed a fun run, with much of the fun preceding the actual race.

Disney sure knows how to pick DJ’s, because the guy that entertained us for an hour prior to the start of the run was fabulous. The music was good and his antics were very entertaining.

And to kick off the morning event, immediately after getting off the shuttle bus we had our picture taken with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

Our net time for the 5K was 45:43, a 14:36 pace. Not bad for only walking!

In between races, knowing that my knees would be an issue that evening, we basically stayed in our room at Disney’s All Star Sports Resort. We did manage to walk to the food court for lunch and dinner, but the rest of the day was spent in front of our room’s TV watching college football.

Knowing that my knees were going to give me all kinds of fits during the half marathon, I should have used my noggin and dropped out before the race began. But pride and stupidity kept me in the game. It was more like stupidity than pride!

Lorie S, Janet and Bob in corral C

We did, however, get to meet up with one of our daily mile friends in corral C, Lorie S. from Orlando. We immediately learned that she is even lovelier than we anticipated.

If ever there was a foot race that I wanted to drop out of during the actual event, the Wine & Dine half marathon was it.  Sure, I've been beyond tired in many past events, especially the Goofy Challenges. But this was not a matter of being tired or exhausted. I can best describe what I experienced as mild discomfort in the beginning, turning into an indescribable, debilitating agony well before the half way point.

Beginning at around mile four, I began looking for a first aid station that could possibly transport me to the finish line outside Epcot. I spotted many first aid tents but never saw any type of related transportation. That alone kept me in the race.

Maintaining a walk pace that kept us just ahead of the sweep bus, we finished with an embarrassing time of 3:35:36.

After crossing the finish line and then receiving our individual finishers medals, I plopped myself down in one of the wheel chairs that Disney had placed along the finish line fence. I didn’t think I could walk another step. Correction, I knew I couldn’t walk another step. Both knees had seized up to the point of me not being able to bend them.

Picture taken with Minnie and Mickey just short of the finish line.

A friendly Disney employee then wheeled me to a point just short of where the cold beer coolers were located – and you can bet that, despite the excruciating pain, I retrieved my free beer and Janet’s beer as well.

Unable to attend the after-race party in Epcot, we then took the tram and the shuttle bus back to our room. It was there that I swore that I would never again attempt another half or full marathon.

Eight days from now, I have an appointment with my orthopedic surgeon to see if I’m a candidate for the series of three knee injections. The injections are advertised to lubricate the knees.  If I am a candidate and if the injections work, I may renege on my promise to never again run or walk marathons or half marathons again.

I’m a stubborn old fool that won’t go down without a fight!

IN CLOSING:  Tuesday, three days after walking the Wine & Dine Half Marathon, complaining most of the way, I did several upper and lower body weight machines in our local fitness center. Ten minutes into my workout, I watched a rather attractive young lady enter the gym using aluminum crutches. Each small step was a struggle!  After taking several minutes to walk 20 feet to the nearest machine, she dropped her crutches, lifted her stricken body onto the leg machine, and then enthusiastically pushed with all her might just to get in four reps. She obviously has some sort of muscular disease! The victorious smile that came across her face put me in tears – and made me ashamed for complaining about having a hard time walking a half marathon this past Saturday evening in Disney World. I am such a jerk!

SATURDAY’S TEAM BIKE RIDE

In spite of promising myself that I would stay off my road bikes for two weeks in anticipation of rehabbing my aching knees, Saturday I loaded up my newest road bike and associated cycling equipment and then headed for our cycling team’s Saturday MEETUP place.

After joining many other bike club members at 7:30 a.m., I cycled strong for over 26 miles, completely oblivious of the fact that I have a 5K and a half marathon to walk/run in seven days.

I must say that I’ve never felt so strong on a road bike. Obviously, the one week hiatus from biking did my legs and knees a world of good.

Choosing the 16 to 18 mph pace group to ride with instead of the slower 14 to 16, or the faster 18 to 20, my choice turned out to be slightly less than what I was capable of. Near the end of the ride, I found myself slightly behind the fasted pace group and well ahead of the 16 to 18 pace group. It’s amazing what rest will do for the body.

Finishing the 26.6 miles in one hour and thirty minutes, my average pace of 17.6 mph turned out to be a personal best. Had it not been for the myriad of traffic signals and other cycling obstacles that continually decelerated the peloton, my average pace would have been near or at 19 mph.

Regarding that 5K and half marathon that loom large, I really must take it easy for the next five days in hopes of entering both events injury free. Taking it easy doesn’t mean that I have to forego all exercising; it simply means that I need to stay away from any intense riding or walking from now until the actual events.

Sometime that’s easier said than done!

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/401156

TESTING A KNEE WRAP

Anxious to try out my new Wal-Mart purchased knee wrap, a Mueller one-size-fits-all adjustable compression knee support type wrap, my wife and I headed out the door this morning at exactly 7:57 a.m.

Greeting us as soon as we exited our air-conditioned condo was 86 degrees with humidity that could just about be cut with a knife. We knew that we were in for a hot walk – and if we felt up to it – short spurts of running.

Hiding behind a large eastern cloud was the punishing sun that was just about to make its not-so-grand entrance. Not five minutes into our walk, the blaring sun did just that. Jan forgot her sunglasses, so when the sun did come out from behind the cloud it was a double whammy for her.

We typically start out slow, forcing us to pick up the pace later to make up for lost time. This morning’s first mile was a 16.57 pace, one and a half minutes slower that our usual settled-in pace. Some things just never change!

All Walt Disney World running/walking events require runners to maintain a 16 minute per mile pace. And if you don’t, they will scoop you off the course without hesitation. We’ve always been well below the scoop-pace, and we are determined to complete both the 5K and half marathon this coming October 1^st without being taken off the course.

The knee wrap seemed to work wonders. Placing it around my right knee, which is the only knee that’s been giving me fits lately, at no time did I feel apprehensive because of weak or aching knees. I’ll test it one more time, and if the knee feels comfortable during one more power-walk session then I’ll purchase a second one for my left knee – just in case.

Despite the slow-motion first mile, we still averaged less than a sixteen minute per mile pace for the 3.6 miles.  We ran only twice, 30 seconds each time. 

We can already feel the 5K and half marathon finisher medals around our necks.

TAKING A BREAK FROM CYCLING

With two running/walking events coming up at the end of this month, it might be to my advantage to give up cycling for the remainder of September. I’ve been thinking about this for some time, that I’ll need refreshed, healthy knees just to get through the morning 5K and the evening’s half marathon. Consequentially, my bike shall remain in its restful state for two weeks or more resting from multiple past rides.

To maintain my aerobic conditioning, I’ll swim nearly every day along with strength training in the fitness center. The two disciplines will suffice in keeping me in shape to endure two power-walking events, both taking place in one day.

As far as walk training is concerned, the daily trips to and from the gym will be sufficient. My legs are already like pistons from biking nearly three thousand miles just this year. The object of not biking for two weeks is to rest the knees, hence no long-distance walk or run training.

I love this healthy lifestyle.  But at times, to remain healthy, one must keep everything in moderation, which  to me is agonizingly difficult when it comes to cycling.  

PELOTON (CYCLING PACE-LINE) GUIDELINES

1. 

   Be Predictable—This may be the most important rule (even for solo riding) and it involves every aspect of riding from changing positions in the group to following the traffic rules. You might say that all the other rules support this one. Smooth predictable riding isn’t just a matter of style...here the word survival comes to mind! If unpredictability is the only predictable part of your riding style, you are a hazard to yourself and everyone else who has the misfortune to ride with you. Have you ever been on a ride where the group stops at an intersection and people scatter all over the lane? Some going through on the wrong side of the road and others turning left from the right side? Some running the stop sign and others doing it right? It’s confusing and irritating to drivers of vehicles as they approach a situation where cyclists are going in all different directions or just blowing through stops! Part of being predictable is riding within the rules of the road as a vehicle. Groups should maintain integrity when approaching intersections. That means staying in the correct lane, stopping together, and starting together as traffic allows. It goes without saying that if we demand the right to ride on the road, then we must be willing to ride responsibly...especially as a group.
   
2. Don’t Overlap Wheels—This habit will get you in real trouble. This is a good way to test your ability to do cartwheels if you don't adhere to this rule. Some people do it from lack of concentration, others may just not know any better, but sooner or later they'll crash. There is no recovery from a front wheel deflection. All it takes is for the person in front to move sideways a few inches...if someone is overlapping his wheel, that someone will go down along with practically everyone who is behind him. Many times the person in front can recover, but not the people behind.
   
3. Be Steady—This includes speed and line. If the person behind you fails to adhere to #2, you will contribute to a crash if you wallow around all over the road. When everyone is working for the group, maintain a steady speed as you go to the front. Ever notice how easy it is to ride behind some folks? If you take note of their riding style you’ll probably notice they don’t yo-yo around in the pack. They are rock steady. When they take the lead, they don't accelerate. If they are strong enough to accelerate the group, they do it after the previous pull has rejoined the rear of the group and then only gradually so as to not string out the pack. When they are leading, they ride a straight line and their speed will be constant with the conditions. What a joy to ride with someone like this. Sometimes steady doesn’t just mean speed. It means steady pressure on the pedals…uphill or downhill, headwind or tailwind. When you are following someone like this, life is good! When they are following, they don’t make sudden moves or they know how to control their spacing by using their body position instead of using the brakes. Sudden braking will set off general alarms from everyone in the rear and make you very unpopular. If you do use the brakes, feather the front brake only and keep pedaling against the resistance. This allows you to moderate your speed without disturbing trailing riders.
   
4. Announce Hazards—When you are in the lead, you are responsible for the safety of everyone behind you. You will become very unpopular very quickly if people behind you keep bouncing off of potholes, running over rocks, or reacting to unsafe traffic situations that you fail to point out. You need to be very vocal when approaching intersections, slowing, stopping, or turning and all actions should be smooth and deliberate. Sudden, unannounced actions will throw terror into any peloton. Riders in the pack should relay these warnings to the rear. When you are following, announce oncoming traffic from the rear…in this case others should relay this info toward the front.
   
5. Signal—Signaling lets everyone (vehicles and riders) know your intentions…remember #1? This makes you predictable. Also, it’s a good idea to make eye contact with oncoming traffic at intersections. One note here, use your right arm straight out to signal a right turn. It’s uncool to stick out your left bent arm to signal a right turn; more importantly, it’s impracticable and ineffective. In a big group combine this with a loud vocal warning of your intentions.
   
6. Don’t Fixate—If you are staring at something (i.e., the wheel in front of you), eventually you’ll hit it! When you walk in a crowd, you don’t stare at the back of the person in front of you…so you shouldn’t ride like that either. Learn to be comfortable looking around or through the riders ahead of you. This will allow you to see things that are developing in front of the group. With a little practice you will be able to "sense" how far you are off the wheel in front of you.
   
7. Stay Off Aero Bars—This shouldn’t require much discussion. They are much too unstable to be used in a group ride. Plus, you don't need to be on aero bars if you are in a pack as you will receive more aerodynamic effect from the other riders anyway. Maybe...one exception…when you are at the front pulling you can get away with it, but never, never, never when you are within the group or following a wheel. I know there are some people, usually triathletes, who are more comfortable on the bars. But, sooner or later, steering with your elbows in a group will add new meaning to the term "lunch on the road." Plus, it really tics off those behind you when you go down in a pack! Use aero bars for what they are meant for...solo fast riding.
   
8. Don’t Leave Stragglers— If you get separated at intersections, as a matter of courtesy, the lead group should soft pedal until the rest have rejoined. Another note here is that if you are the one who will be caught by the light, don't run the red light to maintain contact. If they don't wait for you to catch up, you may not want to be riding with them anyway. Also as a courtesy to those who may not be able to stay with the group, the pack should wait at certain points along the route to regroup. Especially, at turn points and if the stragglers don’t know the route. Now obviously this is not applicable during a race but we're not talking about a race...No one should be left alone on a group ride. If you don't adhere to this rule, your "group" will get smaller each week until you're riding solo.
   
9. Know Your Limitations—If you’re not strong enough or too tired to take a turn at the front, stay near the back and let the stronger cyclists pull in front of you instead of making them go to the back of the line. Unless they are a complete...well you know...they will appreciate that more than having to get past you to get back to the front. Plus, it strokes the animal's ego as you admit that he/she is the stronger rider. Another point here, don’t pull at the front faster and longer than you have energy to get back in at the rear (Remember, your "pull" isn't over until you do). I've seen this scenario many times, it comes "biker wannabe's" time to take his/her pull and the pace is getting up there. The thoughts running through his/her mind is, "I need to show these guys that I can pull 2 mph faster than everyone else has been pulling." They go to the front and hammer. Legs begin to burn after a monumental pull...now it's time to pull over and let some "lesser" rider take a turn. Well, the "lesser" biker is all refreshed after tagging on a wheel and is ready to punch it up another notch. It's bye-bye to the first rider as he/she gets blown off the back...toast! Testosterone and ego is a volatile mix (even for you females) and it can get you dropped in a heartbeat.
   
10. Change Positions Correctly—A common beginner faux pas is to stop pedaling just before pulling off the front. This creates an accordion effect toward the rear. Keep a steady pressure on the pedals until you have cleared the front. After pulling off, soft pedal and let the group pull through. As the last couple riders are passing through, begin to apply more pressure to smoothly take your position at the rear. If you don’t time it correctly, you’ll create a gap and have to sprint to get back on. A technique used to reenter the line is to move your bike sideways first then your body. Try it. It will feel awkward at first, but it is the safest way to move within a group. It's just a small subtle move not an exaggerated one. If you lean your body first and misjudge the speed or the person in front of you slows down, you’ll touch wheels and be leaning the wrong way…bad situation! If you move the bike first, you will have a chance to pull it back.
    
11. Climbing—Ever been behind someone when they stood up going up hill and all of a sudden you were all over them? If you need to stand, shift up a gear to compensate for the slower cadence and stand up smoothly keeping a steady pressure on the pedals. This will keep you from moving backward relative to the rider behind you. Apply the opposite technique when changing to a sitting position. Downshift and keep a steady pressure on the pedals to avoid abrupt changes in speed. It takes a little practice, but your riding buddies will be glad you spent the time learning how to do it right.
    
12. Descending—The leader must overcome a much greater wind resistance as the speed increases. If you are leading, keep pedaling. If you don’t, everyone behind you will eat your lunch. Riders to the rear will accelerate faster downhill as drafting becomes more effective at the higher speeds. If you are following, back off a couple of bike lengths to compensate for the greater affects of drafting. If you are closing on the rider in front, sit up and let the wind slow you or use light braking to maintain spacing, but in both cases you should keep pedaling against the resistance. Keeping your legs moving not only makes it easier to keep the spacing, but also helps the legs get rid of the acid build up from the previous climb.
    
13. Relax—This one is really important. It will allow you to be smooth and responsive. You can bet that if you see someone who is riding a straight line and is very steady, he/she is relaxed on the bike. It not only saves energy, but it makes bike handling much more effective. Anytime you are riding in close proximity of other riders there's always the chance that you may come into contact. If you have tense arms and get bumped from the side, the shock will go directly to the front wheel and you will swerve, possibly lose control, and possibly cause a massive pile up. If you are relaxed, it's much easier to absorb the bump without losing control. A good exercise is to go to a grassy field (which is softer than pavement if you fall) with a friend and ride slowly side by side. Relax your arms and lightly bump each other using your relaxed elbows to absorb the (light) impact. You will become familiar with how to safely recover from that type of contact. It may save you some road rash someday.

TEAM MEMORIAL WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIKE RIDE

Last night was my first afternoon/evening bike ride, and I loved it.

After being absent the past couple of weeks from Team Memorial’s Saturday morning ride, and up to last night opting out of our team’s new Wednesday evening ride, it was good to see some old faces as well as some new members prior to and during last night’s ride.

Feeling out the relatively new evening ride for the first time last night, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of bikers that showed up. With a 6:30 PM start time, it was no surprise that we had a couple/three stragglers that are not included in the above photo that was taken by our club’s photographer, Vanessa. I can only imagine the difficulty that some people may have participating in a bike ride that begins at the time when many folks are just getting off work.

Furthermore, because many people are just getting off work, an additional degree of difficulty, or unsafe condition, is added to our ride. Not only is visibility limited because of darkness, add to that increased traffic and congestion and you’ve got risky conditions, which is why front and back lights are required on all bikes.

In addition, I would like to have seen everyone remain together during the entire ride, but that wasn’t the case last night. Mostly because some of our pace-line leaders felt the need for increased speed, our group of fifteen became dangerously divided. I fully realize that everyone’s skill level is different. But seeing as there is strength in numbers, it might behoove this group to remain together during the entire ride instead of being spread out in smaller groups. Small groups are less visible to the average motorists. I’m just sayin’.

Everyone returned to home base safely, though, and I can only pray that this is the case at the conclusion of all future rides.

Lord willing, I’ll ride again next Wednesday evening.

TOUR OF SEBRING

On September 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th, 2011, I could have been found participating in any one of three bike rides in the rolling hills of South Central Florida with nearly 350 other road bike enthusiasts. In attendance, also, were recumbent cyclists and tandem cyclists. The majority of cyclists, however, were perched atop their shiny, colorful road bikes wearing outfits of every color imaginable, some club related and some not.

My uniforms of choice were a red Spiderman outfit, a Livestrong black and yellow outfit, and my usual red and white Team Memorial jersey and pants. The first two aforementioned outfits, both Chinese-made and purchased online through a Chinese bike apparel shop, caused painful chaffing in the private area triggering much personal distress and prompting a few chosen curse words directed at my industrious neighbors on the opposite side of the globe. My bad, though, for buying cheap!

The first day’s ride, referred to as "The Lake Istokpoga Ride," totaled 63.75 grueling miles on mostly hilly country roads. To me, each hill felt steeper and more difficult to pedal up than the last hill, an expected characteristic of us flatlanders.

We must have passed tens of thousands of ripe orange trees, all neatly planted in perfect rows. Nestled amongst the orange groves were a handful of small farms and cow pastures. We even spotted some angry looking bulls hanging out by the roadside barbed wire fences. Riding quietly by, I wasn’t about to anger the already angry looking bulls. I didn’t trust the bulls or the flimsy looking fences.

The second day's ride was aptly named "The Lake Reedy Ride" simply because we rode around the entire perimeter of Lake Reedy. Just a tad bit shorter than the first day’s ride, pedaling around the Lake Reedy area put an additional 63 miles on my bike’s odometer. I thought day two’s ride had more hills, but maybe that was merely my imagination because of fatigue.

Day three’s ride was my favorite of all three, mainly because of its shorter distance.

After leaving the Kenilworth Hotel staging area, we rode around nearby Lake Jackson and then straight for what seemed  like miles until we entered Highlands Hammock State Park, where twice we slowly pedaled around the park’s interior road taking in all the sights and sounds of the jungle-like park.

Advertised are alligators, deer, bears, wild hogs and other beast of the wild. We spotted one hyperactive squirrel scampering up an oak tree. Only one! Marlin Perkins would have been sorely disappointed. So were we!

To critique all three courses, they were well marked, mostly devoid of vehicular traffic, and they offered an array of scenic cycling. I’d give the routes five stars out of a possible five.

Five stars are also due the event’s organizers and all of the staff at the host hotel, The Kenilworth.

All meals, breakfast and lunch all three days, were exceptional. Feeding hundreds of hungry bikers is no easy feat, but they found a way. I give praise to all personnel that worked diligently in the food department.

Now for the downside of this year’s Tour of Sebring – at least in my opinion.

There isn’t too much that irks me more than waiting on people that have no perception of time or respect for other people’s time. If a bike ride is advertised to leave, for example, at 7 AM, you would think that everyone in a group would show proper respect for others by being at the staging area, bike ready, at 7 AM. Most definitely that was not the case with our group – three days in a row. We were the very last bikers to leave the staging area all three days because of individual tardiness, and the same thing happened during last year's Tour of Sebring.  Add to that, we were the last bikers to leave at the beginning of this year's Tour de Broward metric century in our home county.  Can you see a pattern?  The word "Frustrating" comes to mind!  

And to make matters even worse, once we did depart the staging area as a group, not once did we remain together as a group. There was always someone who wished to surge ahead as if they were in a race, leaving the others behind to struggle against head winds by themselves. Others would simply refuse to cooperate. Group riding and pace lines (pelotons) are all about assisting one another during long bike rides.

Tour of Sebring is just that, a tour. It is not a race! It is essentially a tour of the area’s rolling hills and scenic countryside.

Even though there were many photo opportunities along the courses, not once was I able to stop to take pictures. It was all about speed and zilch about taking advantage of the beautiful countryside. Had I stopped to take pictures, I never would have been able to catch up with even a remnant of our already divided group.

Biking alone is not fun! But at one point during the second day’s ride, I biked nearly fifteen miles by myself all because I, alone, followed the leader’s suggestion that we regroup after attacking the hills.  There is no need to get further into the attributing details.  This is not meant to be a slanderous blog post.

I’m not saying that I’ll never again do the Tour of Sebring, or any tour for that matter. But if I do, there first must be an understanding within this particular group that riding in a disciplined peloton is vitally necessary.  So is showing up on time!

Why do I have my doubts!?

RAISING THE SEAT

Who would have imagined that one additional inch could make such a difference? I surely didn’t!

And no, I’m not talking about the notorious “Does size matter?” debate. I’m referring to the height of my bike’s saddle relative to the pedals.

When I first purchased my Felt bike many months ago, I was measured every-which-a-way by the shop’s bike-fitter prior to the bicycle shop ordering the road bike. For you non-bikers, road bikes are made to order depending on the size of the prospective owner. The day the bike is delivered to the buyer, an assumed expert will make further adjustments to the bike with the bike’s owner sitting in the saddle leaning forward with hands on handle bar. My bike and I fit that description to the T.

Well, so much for assumed perfection when being measured and when final adjustments are made. Come to find out, strictly by experimentation, my bike’s saddle was nearly one inch too low, creating a situation whereas my knees were being overly stressed under normal biking conditions – much worse under extreme conditions. Extreme can be cycling too fast or often attacking inclines, which is exactly what I was guilty of doing.

Anyway, ever since I adjusted my bike seats on both road bikes, raising them at least one inch, the discomfort in both knees have vanished. I’m now power walking with ease and my biking has taken on another dimension.

No longer distressed over not being able to speed walk or casually walk at any speed and distance, I am again looking forward to the upcoming walk/run events.

I’m still not sure if size matters, but height makes a world of difference. 

END OF RECOVERY?

After walking moderately-fast yesterday for one mile with no soreness in the knee joints, and then biking today for 29 miles without a hint of discomfort in the knees, is it safe to say that recovery is over with? Can I put all of this reclamation of normality nonsense behind me and get on with life – at least my athletic life?

Even though yesterday’s power walk was split into two sessions, one half-mile each, with weight lifting taking its proper place in the middle, neither half mile revealed any issues with the knees. I haven’t a clue what will occur whenever I extend the distance to anything significant, but I do know that for the first time in weeks, walking did not feel agonizing. That’s the good news!

What’s the bad news? None! Nada! Nothing!

What I might want to consider is my future cycling distance and cycling intensity. It was long-distance biking that got me into this mess in the first place, along with high-intensity cycling. Let me not forget how intense some of my bike rides ended up being.

Today’s ride, a mere 29 miles at a snail’s pace, was just what the doctor ordered. We did not attack the bridges and we did not fight the strong wind (outer bands from Hurricane Irene) that was in our face much of the time when we were returning to the mall. We took our time, chatted while riding and more than likely burned more calories talking than we did pedaling.

That’s okay, isn’t it? Isn’t this biking thing supposed to be all about having fun in the great outdoors? Is it okay to slow down and smell the roses?

It is for me! And that, dear reader, is the honest truth!

RECOVERY DAY SEVEN

Day seven of recovery was measurably easier than the first six days, mainly because I sat in the main juror room of the Broward County Courthouse from 7:30 AM to nearly 4 PM. Just so you know, sitting for hours is not one of my favorite things to do, especially when you haven’t a clue when you’ll be released or if you’ll be selected for a multi-day trial. Even being selected for a one-day trial would have been distressing.

I wasn’t selected for a jury, but it was a close call when I and several others had to stand before a judge during his selection process, hoping all along that he didn’t find favor with us for his upcoming 7 to 10 day civil trial. The extra-long trial was at his admission. Can you imagine sitting in a jury box for up to ten days, possibly longer? On a trial that was to resolve a dispute over land development in the Bahamas?

Anyway, during much of my wait in the main juror room, I stood or walked around the vast room just to stretch out my legs and back.

Our one allotted break lasted one and a half hours, and that was for lunch. Instead of going off the courthouse grounds, I elected to walk across the hallway and then purchase a $9.65 cheese burger combo in the court house’s lunch room. Included in that price was a 20oz bottle of vitamin water and a very large Snicker’s bar. The candy bar ended up being the highpoint of my meal.

As the day lingered on, more and more people became restless and began circling the hundreds of seats like I had been doing. In a devious sort of way, it was comical watching the other potential jurors squirm in their cushioned seats, eventually getting up and walking around like restless rats in a large box. The masses were becoming restless and impatient.

Driving home during rush hour is another story all together. Imagine I-595 at peak rush hour exacerbated by the enormous construction project.

I was glad to get home! And I’m doubly glad that I no longer have to serve as a juror because of my age. And to think that I never realized that turning older had a bright side.

RECOVERY DAY SIX

This morning’s bike ride was good, all fourteen miles of it. It was good in that both knees held up well under the normal stress of pedaling a  road bike at a moderate pace.

The route’s one bridge and only elevation change posed no problem today probably because I refused to attack the incline. 

Bridges are usually handled in such a manner that nearly everyone sprints to the top, rapidly coasts down to the flat land, and then regroup once the bikes resume normal speed.

The ride was also good because I had the pleasure and privilege of riding with two of my magnificent friends, Patty and Lorrie. They are both outstanding cyclists and a pleasure to be around.

Along with biking at a reasonable pace of 15 mph, we practiced taking the lead for one mile and then falling back to the rear.  A light tap on the left buttocks cheek with left hand is the signal that the lead biker gives to the others in the peloton when he or she is ready to drop back.     

I have to say, we were a well synchronized trio of cyclists prior to spotting large dark clouds heading our way. Not wishing to cycle in the rain, we ducked into the parking area where we parked our trucks.  We then quickly dismounted, enjoyed some watermelon, chatted for a moment, and then left the state park.

Our mileage goal for the morning was 20, but because of the rain we settled for 14.

I’ll take it!

RECOVERY DAY FIVE

Even though I’m somewhat discouraged with my knee recovery, make that both knees, I’m not totally disheartened. It’ll come in time, I hope!

Walking to the gym this afternoon wasn’t too bad up until I began walking along the lake. I’m thinking it was the sloped land near the lake’s edge that made walking difficult, not to mention the tree roots that jut out of the ground by several inches. Stepping over those babies can put anyone’s knees to the test.

Once inside the gym, I mostly did weight machines. The stationary recumbent bike did host me for 2-miles/8 ½ minutes – and one of the treadmills for 3/10ths of a mile at 3.5 mph. Feeling a slight tug inside the left knee, at least it felt like a tug, I thought it best to leap off the slow moving treadmill (after first stopping the tread) and then do a slow walk home along the lake and road.

So I did just that, snapping a few pictures of the lake as I meandered along its picturesque bank. Every picture came out fuzzy and I can’t figure out why.

Now I have two issues, my knees and the cell phone’s camera. I want the knees fixed first!