The recovery continues and it has been a roller coaster of a ride lately. The knee was doing well, then I went through a bad stretch where it was swollen from mowing the grass and from trying to get back to sprint workouts. That set me back a few days until the swelling went away. Then I managed to catch a cold and lost a few more days. Rain stopped my return to crit. racing two weeks ago at the Music City Crits Series. The race was cancelled so I did not have a chance to gauge my legs and knee before the River Gorge Omnium in Chattanooga. I decided it was best to stay home with the recent swelling episodes and the cold. That wound up being a good decision as it rained for the Pro/1/2 crit. and there was plenty of carnage. It also rained for the road race on Sunday. Now I am up to 23 races missed this year due to injury.
Just when I thought getting back to normal training was over, the swelling went away, the cold let up and my legs started to come around again. I've enjoyed some really fun rides lately, getting in some distance on the unusually cool mornings and evenings we have had lately. I got a new camera in preparation for our fall vacation so there are plenty of pics from recent rides. Back to the weather, it has been around 52-53 degrees in the mornings this week, which is unheard for a Tennessee August. I have ridden in arm warmers almost every day. The highs have not been that bad either, staying in the mid-80s most days. It's been a very mild summer. We have had some hot days, but nothing in the triple-digits this year. Our only problem now is how dry it is. It has not rained much at all over the past six weeks.
Been visiting the shady backroads
Ended this ride on the dock on a perfect day
Crazy sunset on a late ride
The garden doesn't care too much for the drought, but I have had some fun on a dry trail at home. The trail is in great condition and I am really having fun mountain biking right now. The mountain bike puts me in a different position than the road bike, which has proven more bothersome to the knee. I'm trying to build up the tolerance to mountain biking before we go on vacation next month. I plan to do a lot of riding while we are gone so the knee better be ready! Thursday was my first day back on the mountain bike and I have been on the trail every day since, working on my dirt tan. After three days, the knee is already getting accustomed to the mountain bike. Today, I did the most laps on the trail that I have done in several years, and set a new PR for a single lap. It was a good day!
Riding my backyard trail
Cruising by the pond
Dirt tan
I got back to racing this past Wednesday with the 11th race of the Music City Crits Series. It was a tough night. The pace was cranked up from the start and we stayed strung out the first 15 minutes, which blew up many riders. I struggled a little getting off the turns. My legs were lacking acceleration from seven weeks away from racing and I know I was not pushing the turns as hard as I was earlier in the season when I was really comfortable in crits. I got caught in the back early and really had to use up my legs just to make it to the main pack after those first 15 minutes. I was actually off the back twice because of people letting gaps open, but I was able to chase back on.
At the back of a very long line under a full moon
Turn 1 hairpin
My goal was just to finish this first race back and I just managed to do that. A break of six or seven went off in those first 10 minutes and then the main group splintered the rest of the race. I got dropped from what was left of the main group with six laps to go, then somehow managed to get back on at four to go. There were 9-10 guys left in the group at that point. The big surges from Travis Werts would get me gapped, but I had the legs to sit at 27-28 mph until things calmed down and then I could catch back up. Travis was in full beast-mode at times this week and put in some really hard pulls for laps at a time. After I got back to the group, I even did some pulling myself in the closing laps.
We got lapped by the lead break right at the finish line as we were getting the bell. I was on the back of the line and did my best to let the others know we were getting caught while trying to stay out of the way of Tanner Hurst as he came flying by to get the win. Technically, my race should have been over as we were joined by the leaders right before the line, but everyone kept going so I hammered another lap too. I'm not sure if it counted, but I went for it anyway just to get in a little more race time. I was off the back after moving to let Tanner through and was never able to get back to the group to sprint. I finished 20th, the last finisher tonight. We had 37 starters, so plenty of DNFs from the fast pace. Highlights of my race from the handlebar cam are posted below. The best part is before the start when we got the instructions from the official. His talk included, "You know, you'll race like hell then see six to go." It made us all laugh. The knee was sore after the race and slightly swollen, but nothing a few minutes with an ice pack didn't fix. I did wake up a few times in the night after the race with aching, but that was gone by morning.
It was a mess at the finish. That's Tanner Hurst on the far right next to the wall. He had to push his way through our group to stay ahead of the rest of the break.
There's one more Music City Crits race left next Wednesday, then it's off to St. Louis for the Gateway Cup. Then we have a vacation! Work has been a bear lately. I had started to really enjoy it again. But I've done too good of a job yet again and now everyone wants to take advantage of my willingness to work hard and do whatever needs to be done to get my patients better. I hate that this is happening again, but it sure will make me enjoy my vacation that much more!
Sunny days on the farm
New garden pest, the black swallowtail caterpillar. At least it looks cool. Don't touch though. They emit an awful smelling odor that won't wash off and will destroy your sinuses for hours.
I hit the one month mark in my recovery on Tuesday and everything is looking good. The knee has continued to improve steadily. I have full range of motion now thanks to the bike. Riding is the only thing I have done for the knee that has actually made it feel better. And I'm not making that up to justify getting back on the bike quicker. From that first day back on the trainer, I could tell a significant difference in the swelling, and ultimately that was the cause of nearly all my limitations.
That first day on the trainer was the only day on the trainer. I was outside the next day doing some light spins on the flattest roads I could find. At first, standing was out of the question. My patella was way to sore for that. It took about a week before I could stand and then another week before I could stand and put some real pressure through the pedals. I've had plenty of good rides in this two week period even with the limitations. I was able to hang at the local group ride without standing. I actually enjoyed that ride more than any group ride I have done for a long time. I usually have to do all the work to get in a good workout, but they held nothing back on me my first week back and I had to dig really deep just to stay on the back of the line. I suffered like the old days when we had a really fast group ride on Wednesday nights out at Exit 1 in Clarksville. Jim, I know you remember those!
Nice sunset on one of my first rides back
New Maxxis jersey was a nice welcome back present to myself
One of my favorite shady backroads
I had two weeks in the steri-strips after the stitches came out, but now I am strip and bandage-free! There's more skin than scab now which is giving me some peace of mind. There's always that thought of it pulling open again. I never had any issues pushing it when returning from broken bones, but there's something about having your skin split open that makes things a little scarier. When I first got the steri-strips off, the skin was very sensitive and my pants would irritate the knee all day long at work. I guess I developed a slight limp trying to avoid clothing contact. A 75-year-old patient told me I looked good with my "little pimpin' walk." While that was hilarious, I hope I have now dropped the pimp-limp so the old ladies will stop staring at me so awkwardly.
Humpty is almost back together again
I can do most things now. Deep squatting still hurts and riding the lawn mower makes the knee swell for a while. I think it will be a long time before I can kneel on that knee. I did it by accident while helping someone at work and had to lay down on the floor for a minute. It did not feel pleasant.
I was hoping to get down to Loretta Lynn's Ranch for the Amateur Motocross National Championships during some of my down time, but we did not have that much free time thanks to the garden. It keeps us busy when it is producing so well. Shannon has really worked hard freezing and canning things. She and my Mom have been making batches of salsa for everyone. The recipe comes from our friend Mary and is a hit with everyone that tries it. I have always loved the stuff, but can never seem to have enough of it to make through the summer let alone to the next canning season. Now that they can make it, maybe we will all have enough to get us through this winter. It is addicting! While they canned, I had to catch up on yard work.
Recently, we've had a few nice, cool evenings suitable for dinner outside. It's been cool for this time of year. Nights in the upper 50s and highs in the upper 80s is odd for August. I saw a huge fish swimming in the shallow end of the pond about two weeks ago and finally got the chance to seek him out with an early morning fishing trip this week. I caught a big one, but I think the one I saw is even bigger!
Enjoying one of those nice evenings on the farm with a colorful sunset and a grilled pizza
Full moon rising from the dock on the pond
Doing a little early morning fishing
Caught a big kitty. Needed another hand to be able to hold up this guy and take the picture.
While we missed Loretta's we did get to do some spectating the first weekend of August, taking in a double-header on August 1 with the Battle of Nashville Criterium and then racing over at the Fairgrounds Speedway. We only got to see the Pro/1/2/3 Men's race at the crit. It looked like a very hard race on a hot afternoon around the beautiful Bicentennial Mall State Park in downtown Nashville. The course had several narrow roundabouts on it that bottled things up on entry and strung out the group on exit. There was not much elevation change around the loop, but all the pinch points made for a difficult race that stayed single-file nearly the entire hour. It looked like a good place for a breakaway and that is exactly what happened as four riders jumped off the front in the first 15 minutes and stayed away. The group blew to pieces in the last five laps. I saw more pain on faces than I have seen in a very long time during those closing laps. I enjoyed watching the race, but I would have rather been out there racing than walking around having to explain why I was not racing to every person I saw. Word had not gotten out about the injury yet. For some reason, the thought that I have quit racing is still in a lot of minds so nobody has missed me at the races. I guess I'm good at flying under the radar because I have raced locally quite a bit this year.
The winning break of four
Strung out pain off Turn 2
The long backstretch
The break
Video clips from the Pro/1/2/3 race
From a spectator's position, I was rather disappointed with the conduct of the Pro/1/2/3 riders. I heard way too much loud profanity coming out of the group. While I understand it is easy to get caught up in the moment when some guy cuts over and nearly takes out your front wheel, it is a bit of a stretch for me to understand the need for f-bombs to be yelled out talking about primes and how your legs feel as you pass by the fountains at the park with dozens of children playing in the water just a few feet off the course. Come on guys! We are supposed to be the premier class. I think we can set a little better example than that. Be aware of where you are and show a little respect for the families nearby, spectators, other riders and the venue. It's not easy to find a good crit. venue and I would really like to be invited back to use those we have found. Just saying.
Over at the speedway, it was another fun night of racing. There was some good racing on the smaller 1/4-mile oval and we saw a local NASCAR legend, Sterling Marlin, win the Pro Late Model race on the big track. Sterling is from Columbia, TN and drove in NASCAR's Cup division from 1976-2009. He won the Daytona 500 twice during his career. He has been diagnosed with Parkinson's, but is not letting that slow him down. Sterling is one of the drivers that has worked really hard to keep the Fairgrounds Speedway open and hosting races regularly. If it wasn't for him and a few others, the track would likely not be there and we would not have a Music City Crits Series.
Sterling Marlin
1/4-mile racing action
Beautiful summer day in Nashville
Crash happening on the backstretch during one of the races on the 1/4-mile oval
Late models on the big oval
Full moon over the speedway
Video clips from the two Late Model races
When I was lying on the ER table in Chattanooga, I thought I would be able to ride within a week. I would probably have to miss out on the Intelligentsia Cup, but I was sure I would definitely be good enough to race at Crossroads two weeks after the injury as long as I was willing to risk crashing on the knee. Well, that obviously was just very wishful thinking. I was physically unable to ride, let alone race for those first two weeks. I totally underestimated the depth of the cut, how much it would swell and how long that would take to heal. I decided I would not return to racing, mountain biking or even group riding until four weeks after the injury. I did not want to chance it with getting caught in a crash or clipping a tree with my knee. While I did break the rule to go the local group ride at three weeks, I did stay well out of the action. My legs were terrible when I first got back on the bike, but once I could stand comfortably, I started to feel really good. I was tempted to return to racing a few days early at the Old Hickory Classic XC at Lock 4 last weekend, but I decided to stick with my plan. Some of that decision came from seeing the new course they used for the race this year. It was a shorter loop with all the technical sections removed. All of them. I enjoy the technical aspects of that trail. It did not hardly seem worth risking my knee over a race I was likely going to be disappointed with. In all, I missed 17 races because of the knee. If you think about me missing the Snake Creek Gap Time Trial Series earlier this year due to the gastroc problem, I have now missed 20 races this year due to injury. That's more than most people race in an entire season. If nothing else, at least my budget looks better than it would have if I had raced 20 more times.
I made my return on Wednesday night at the final Bells Bend Time Trial of the year. It was far from a spectacular return. I have felt really good this week, but I did a really tough ride with some of the Riverside Bicycle Racing guys on Tuesday night. They beat me up for over an hour in the middle of a 75-mile ride. It was a my first long ride since the injury and the first day I really push hard on the pedals in standing. My legs were smoked! It killed my TT time, but in the long run it will be a good thing. I have to keep focused on the bigger picture rather than rest up for every little local training race. I also rode down to the race, getting in 40 miles before my start. I took the scenic way down, enjoying a few nice backroads and the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail in Ashland City.
Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail
Nice bridge over Sycamore Creek along the trail
Very happy to be pinning on a number today. And doing it on a new First Endurance kit.
My TT was an odd one at the start. Just before I was to go, a load of fire trucks came flying down the course. There were about nine trucks that came by with sirens blaring as I got set to take off. One more passed me just after I left the start. I got over the first rise to see them blocking the road, apparently tending to a small house fire that was quickly controlled. Five of the trucks turned around immediately and headed back to the station. I stopped while they turned the trucks around. Three of the riders behind me also got stopped before the starters realized the course was blocked. Nathan and the guys were nice enough to let us turn around and have a full restart. We waited about 10 minutes before the road was clear and then we were able to hit the course again. It was kind of disappointing for me because my Dad started a few minutes ahead of me and I wanted to try to catch him.
I had even less legs after waiting for the restart and struggled the whole 12 miles. I was near the back of the start list and all five adult riders that started behind me caught and passed me. I did manage to hold off the Juniors. I couldn't get my heart rate even close to my normal TT pace. My legs were toast! I wanted to come back and give it 110% because I am very grateful that I am still able to race, but there was only about 50% in the tank. I gave what I had and turned in a 34:18, which is my slowest time ever on this course. I have worked on my time trialing a lot this year and feel it has improved, but I somehow managed to go slower at each of the four Bells Bend TTs I raced this year. That's mostly due to that fact that the first one was the only one I did with fresh legs, but still that's not the best trend! I finished 9th in the Merckx class, ending my streak of four straight 7th place finishes.
I'm hoping to return to real racing next Wednesday at Race #11 of the Music City Crits Series. There's just two races left and I hope to do them both. I'm feeling good at home, but I really have no idea how I will fair against others in a race. I'm sure that my acceleration is lacking since I have not sprinted in over a month. I really don't care how I perform the rest of the season. I've written off my goals and expectations. I will be happy just to be back out there. I'll give it my all and see what happens. If things are feeling well in the knee on Wednesday, I may go down to Chattanooga next weekend for the River Gorge Criterium and Road Race. We shall see. I'm focused more on training for long days in Utah than I am on racing. I have a lot of riding plans for this year's trip.
Thanks again for all the well wishes. I'm going to go ice my knee now and then go out for a ride before time for work. Thanks for reading!
