Re: Attn. Smokin'Spokes

[Guest guest]

Hey, Tom!

Did I say my doctor was letting me ride? Au contraire. He told me I was an

idiot! But he can't argue with the progress I'm making. I'm " listening " to the

hip,

and it doesn't complain, so I keep spinnin'. I'm going really slow, too, taking

it

easy.

I'm staying up on the tops of the bars, sometimes sliding out onto the hoods. I

tried the drops just around the neighborhood, crawling along, and it hurt. I

showed the doc a photo of a guy riding a tri bike, and told him, " I need to be

able to do that. " He said I might have to raise the bars, or change positions,

and that full aero was too extreme. Maybe next year!

Are you going to be able to resume tri? Especially running? After 6 mos, are

you pretty much back where you were at the beginning?

-glenn

> Glen,

> Just to answer a few of your questions. I'm also a cyclist,

> ex-triathlete who had to quit running. i can't believe your doctor has you

riding already.

> At 6 weeks I was on an indoor trainer seated mostly upright. You shouldn't

be

> down in the drops. You don't need that type of speed as of yet. It'll come

> back slowly. Your hip is way to new to go aero. Don't push it. I'm at 6 months

> and the hip is doing fine when I ride. Hope this helps.

>

> Tom in San Francisco

> Mont C+ 10/03

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

" Are you going to be able to resume tri? Especially running? After 6 mos, are

you pretty much back where you were at the beginning?

-glenn "

Glenn,

I won't run again because of what it can do to my joints. I ride enough

to satisfy the urge to run. There is a hippy who did the Ironman a year after

his surgery so it can be done

At 6 months I'm doing fine. I had problems with the post op rehab and

didn't really get to road cycling for 3 months. So I have to keep reminding

myself that I had 3 months off AND major surgery. They say that for every day

off

you need 2 days of training to get the fitness back. So I'm on my way but it's

going to be a while before I get back to pre-op. shape. Sunday rides used to

be 4 hours. Now they're getting up to 2 1/2.

I also need a second surgery that I'll have in June. When all the

original pain came back post-op., when I started weight-bearing, and physio

didn't

help, we did an MRI of my lower back and I have lumbar stenosis. So that'll set

me back a bit more. But if it stops the pain, which the neurosurgeon gives a

90% chance, I'm happy.

You just need to be patient. When I first started on the wintrainer I

could barely get the leg over the top of the pedal stroke. It'll all come back

in time. Just listen to your body

Tom in San Francisco

Mont C+ 10/03