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.