It's a Long Road

For the last several months, I've been suffering from a mysterious ankle injury.  Resting off the bike through Jan and Feb did not resolve the pain in my right ankle.  Although I'm reluctant to see a doctor under most circumstances, I finally broke down and went to a highly respected Sports Medicine certified orthopedist.

My first visit, playing right into my initial fears, the doctor recommended a cortizone shot into the joint to resolve the persistent pain and swelling.  I agreed after some deliberation.  The doctor felt I had compressed the joint through my weightlifting or other activity and the joint just couldn't overcome the injury without some "assistance".  It seemed like a solid argument.  My newly injected ankle and I went on our way with a regimen of further rest and light self-rehab.  After 2 weeks, I revisited the same orthopedist who said everything was peachy and I could restart my activities, lightly at first.

After only two rides, my symptoms recurred.  I had a lot of discomfort on and off the bike.  Not thinking my initial care was aggressive enough, I sought out the premier ankle specialist in Atlanta.  A quick meeting and an MRI order later, I was ordered to not do any activities that involved my lower body until we had a reading from the MRI.  At this point, I was off the bike already for almost 7 weeks.

The MRI showed longitudinal tears of the peroneous longus and brevis tendons.  These tendons are involved in pretty much everything related to ankle motion.  The nature of these tears was not in line with surgical repair.  My only option, other than full immobilization and rest, was to undergo PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) treatment directly into the tendons.  I've had this procedure before and was familiar with its efficacy.

Almost 3 weeks after the MRI-assisted diagnosis, I underwent PRP.  This was followed by another 5 weeks of full rest.

It's now almost 4 months since this whole saga started.  My next follow-up to gauge my progress is in two days.  The ankle feels stronger but still has intermittent sharp pain.  That not withstanding, I've been back in the gym working on core and upper body strength.  I've also been swimming again with a floatie between my legs to keep me from kicking.

On Saturday, I went for my first ride, even without the doctor's permission.  So far so good...

Dripping Wet But Satisfied

The weather around here hasn't been cooperating so far this year.  Competing weather forecasts aside, I ventured out to the airport ride this AM.  I'm determined to get ready for the season, weather and ankle be damned!

I set out around 9:45 in a mist.  With the impending tsunami to the west, I expected the turnout to be weak. When I arrived at the start, there were only 5 other brave souls and 1 soulette.  Right before setting off, two of my teammates bravely rolled up.  Awesome!  So it was a quorum, 9 in total.  We set off and it was immediately clear it would be a death march.  The rooster tails off the wheels were almost as disruptive as the 20+ mph crosswind.  Compared to most, it was a low-paced airport ride.  With my current level of fitness and the weather challenges, it was quite difficult for me, especially after doing Tucker yesterday.

I'm pleased to have completed my first 150 mile week since October.  I feel pretty good overall.  The new kits look great.  The new bikes work really well.  I'll know more about the bike when our Zipp order is delivered in a few weeks.  I'm stoked to try the new 303's with my shiny new SL+ powertap.  That wheelset should bring the SL3 weight into the very low 14's.  With the wired 404's it's already sub-15.

Week Stats
Distance	146.8 mi
Duration	8:24:58
TSS	510
kJ	4612
Peak 20min	236w
Weight	185.4 lb

I just want to mention one thing. I hope CycleOps has worked on this since my era Powertap SL's. When it rains or it's damp and cold, the Powertaps refuse to work properly. I can't always ride in perfectly warm weather. I don't know what the root cause is but this has to get worked out. In order to get accurate data, I need a stable data collection device! More on this after the SL+ shows up. I'm particularly interested in the foul weather stability of the new hubs. In addition, I am eager to see if the Joule (if I ever get one) can show me cadence, power, HR and speed all on one display. In my opinion, it's critical for interval training to see any combination of these metrics simultaneously.

Cutting the Wood

It feels good to get back to real business with my training.  This morning's ride was set to be a killer, at least in my head.  I have not done a ride over 50 miles in weeks, if not months.  I've also not done any kind of real intensity on the bike since November.  The weather, although tolerable, was looking cold and damp.  All that made this morning's ride shape up to be a slog.

Stats
Distance	66.3 mi
NP	240w
20min NP	270w
TSS	210

The Beginning - Continued

It's amazing that feeling this lousy on a bike can turn into something so wonderful in a few short months.

Today, I was able to get in a 2 hour ride.  The weather was perfect!  The body, on the other hand, didn't feel so well.  It's hard to ask the body to respond after not being on a bike for a full 3 months, essentially.  All in all it was a good ride.  I was able to get in a few digs.  There will be more time for that in the weeks ahead.  I'm very motivated to stay healthy and put my new rides to good use.

I think track practice is starting this week.  That's also good news!  It's a blessing to have a velodrome in your back yard.  I wish more people took advantage of it.

Support is the Name of the Game

In most ventures in life, the amount of support you receive is directly proportional to the success you enjoy.

Today, I called Saris because one of my Powertap CPUs went T/U.  Here's how it went down...

"Ring... Ring... Ring..."

"Saris Cycling Group, Jarod speaking.  How may I help you?"

"Hi, my name is Jeff Blau.  I have a Powertap CPU that's giving me fits."

"No problem, Jeff.  I can get you fixed up."


First, someone actually answered the phone without me hitting a phone jail!  That's huge.  Second, after explaining my issues, Jarod gave me a few tips to try before resorting to sending the unit in for service.  He made me feel secure in knowing that he was there to help.  He wasn't short or quick to get off the phone.  A+!

Now on to the problems.  My Powertap CPU Wired 2.4 is displaying 'APLDR'.  It is an error message that does not go away, regardless of what you do.  The cure for this is to update the unit's firmware.  Unfortunately, with a Mac and PowerAgent, you can not FORCE a firmware update on a CPU that is in this state.  Here in lies my problem.  I have to find a PC that I can load the firmware updater on.  I will post up if this actually fixes the problem.

ed. note:Using the firmware updater for PC (in Parallels) fixed the APLDR problem on the Powertap computer.


OK - Problem number 2.  The battery access to the CPU lacks durability.  Over the course of a few seasons, I've tried many different tools, from screwdrivers to coins of varying denomination, to open the little black door without chewing up the plastic.  After some age, the plastic gets so soft it makes it impossible to open.  Jarod to the rescue again!  He suggested I try the back of a cone wrench.  He said the curve on the cone wrench is the same as the battery door slot.  WINNER!  ... and in the vein of great support, he put a few replacements in the mail to me.

I can't wait to get my hands on a Joule.  I'm eager to review it in real conditions.  In Vegas it looked like a huge improvement over what we have today.  It's only on the road where we see if is truly more usable.  I really want to see power, hr and cadence on one screen.  Let's see if the custom report screen can actually show me this.

A Season Started

So it began today... finally.  After the rain stopped this AM, I went out for a ride on the new SL3.  It's a pretty sweet racing machine.  I'm not fully comfortable on it yet.  I have a few tweaks yet to do with my fit on it.  After about an hour or so, my powertap head unit started giving me fits.  I turned back and decided to do a head-to-head comparison with the Parlee.

I can say, without a doubt, that the Parlee is by far the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden, now addding the Tarmac to the list of contenders.  The Z3 is stiff but comfortable.  The SL3 and the T-Cube are more alike, actually.  I'm not sure what to attribute the stiffness on the SL3 to.  I'm sure the BB30 bottom bracket helps.  The 1.5" lower bearing and the tapered head-tube probably add some to it as well.  In terms of stiffness, I'd say the Z5 I rode at Interbike was the stiffest of the bunch.  It and the SL3 are a lot alike.  The difference coming in terms of road feel.  There are too many variables to attribute that to one specific thing. Wheels and tire combination has a lot to do with that anyway.

Overall, I put a bit under 2 hours on the two bikes.  The SL3 is just about ready for 2010.  I'm excited for that.  The Parlee's new 11-speed group kicks ass.  I'm excited for that too.  The ankle held up well today.  It's a little sore but not nearly like it has been in weeks past.  ... and I'm definitely excited about that!

Health Update

After an hour and 10 minutes on the trainer Wednesday night and a max strength workout at the gym last night, I'm happy to report that my ankle right now is pain free.  Now that doesn't mean I'm all better but it's a definite step in the right direction.  This series of activities three weeks ago would have resulted in 3 or 4 800mg Advil doses, ice and lots of hobbling around.  Baby steps...  I walk through the garage and see the new SL3 built up and ready for a spin outside and it makes me really itch to just ditch the rest plan and go full bore!  With the Transition nearly done, I want to start VO2 Max interval workouts ASAP!  Hopefully in the next few weeks, I'll be able to put in some 8-10 hour weeks.  Crossing my fingers...

2010 Specialized Tarmac SL3 Team Ride

I spent all weekend building bikes.  Since it's like negative 80 outside, I didn't really miss anything outside.

I'm excited to get a chance to ride the new Tarmac.  All built, with my Powertap SL (wired) and my porky Shimano pedals, it weighs in at 14.8 lbs.  That's pretty damn light!  Now if I were a bit lighter... hmm... ok. Now to the bike porn.

2010 Tarmac SL3 54cm

Record 10 Shifters + Derailleurs

FSA K-Force Compact 42cm Bars
Specialized Pro Stem 110mm
Specialized Zertz Seatpost
Specialized Cranks 172.5mm
KMC 10SL Gold Chain
2009 Feather Brakes
2008 Zipp 404 Tubulars w/Powertap SL Wired
2007 Shimano Dura Ace pedals
Prologo Scratch Cool Team Saddle

Next time, I'll post up some pictures of the new S-Works Transition TT build.  I may also share some pictures of the Parlee rebuild.  The jury's out on how well the Chorus 11 will work.  I sure is pretty tho.  I know I'll enjoy those taller hoods.

The Weather -- Urgh!

So the weather in Atlanta hasn't been very conducive to training outside.  That's a big bummer since my fitness is waning by the day!  I don't think an hour of swimming a week can really do much to help.  The ankle issues are still keeping me from doing much on the bike anyway.

I just set up the Parlee in the basement bedroom since the garage is almost as cold as outside.  I don't know why I haven't done this before.  Yesterday, I rode the trainer just spinning and doing a few one-leg drills while watching the last episode of Lost on Hulu.  It worked out pretty well.  So in 2 weeks, I've ridden outside 1 day (2hr) and 1 day inside (45min).

On a good note, my leg press is up to 650 lbs.  I've also managed to get some muscle tone back in my upper body.  Not that it helps my cycling but it helps my self-esteem.  My shirts don't droop off my shoulders nearly as much as they did over the summer.  It also helps my relationship because Carol always says I'm too skinny during racing season.  I will say that it's getting harder to lose those 15 lbs I seem to gain every off-season.

Speaking of the pounds, I've started changing my diet back to the on-season variety.  No more are the dinners out with 2 or 3 tasty beverages.  Also, I'm paying more attention to the amount of high glycemic index carbs after lunch.

The new Specialized bikes are coming along.  I picked up a new group for the Parlee and I plan to put the Record 10 group on the SL3.  The Transition still needs a saddle and I haven't cut the seatpost yet.  Hopefully by the end of this weekend, both bikes will be completely built.  At least that's the plan.  The Zipp order and the CycleOps order are going in shortly.  I'm going to build a new set of 303t's with a SL+.  I may also drop in some ceramic bearings.... can you say Bling?  For the track, hopefully I can get one of my SL hubs converted and use the 404s.  I thought about getting a 900 or Super9 disc but that just may be a little impractical, not to mention the lack of a power meter for the track.  I really need a second job just to pay for new equipment season!

Current Conditioning

I finished 2009 racing the USA Crit finals in Las Vegas in September, during Interbike.  I was pretty torn down from a full season of training and racing on the road and track, putting over 4500 miles on my road bike alone.  One of my chief physical complaints was this nagging ache in my right ankle.  Although I still haven't had it "officially" checked out, I believe it is extensor hallucis longus tendonitis.  It presents as ankle pain on the front of my ankle, between my foot and my lower shin.  Needless to say, I've been taking it rather easy this offseason.

I've been in the gym since the end of October.  I also took up swimming as a form of a low ankle impact aerobic activity.  I can't swim worth a damn but it gets my HR up for 25-30 minutes and has no effect on my sore ankle.

Riding has taken a back seat since my last race.  I think I may have logged 250 miles in 2 1/2 months.  This obviously puts me behind in base.  My current CTL is around 18.  I might as well consider it starting from scratch.  At my peak in 2009, I had a CTL of over 140.  I've got a long way to go.

My priorities for the next 4 weeks are to get my new equipment dialed in, along with seeing my PT teammate to get a set of orthotics.  I had a pro fit done when I bought my Parlee.  That was almost 3 years ago now.  Maybe it's time to do another.

A New Beginning

This is my first post of the 2010 season.  A lot of good happened in 2009 and some not so good.  For 2010, I intend to correct some of the bad and hopefully exceed the good.

To do this, in part, is by starting this online diary of my experiences training and racing this year.

I'm proud to say that I am supported by my team, Aarons Cycling.  For 2010, Specialized Bicycles and CycleOps join my support network.  I am highly motivated for the upcoming season.