When Exercise Becomes Training.

OK, so after lazing around the house in a post-op haze for the past week, I went out and had a killer workout at the local gym today. I'd let me membership lapse a few years ago, but re-upped this fall so that I could be assured of a dry place to do my walking and then stationary riding. The weights are also helpful. Today's numbers in the rehab triathlon? Treadmill = 1 mile, weights/stretches = 1 hour and bike = 20 miles. 

I feel like I've hit another milestone. It's definitely time to re-brand my "exercising" as "training." The craziest thing about this dreadful accident recovery is that I am actually not that far off of my normal training schedule. Volume is reduced significantly, yes, but Oct. and Nov. are typically months in which I reduce my riding and catch up on other interests and give my body (and family) a chance to recover from a tough season. So it looks like this year, too, despite an arm in a sling, I'm able to kick it up a notch around Christmas in anticipation of the year ahead. With Paris-Brest-Paris on the horizon in August, now is a perfect time to begin logging base training miles.

I graduated a few weeks ago at the gym to an upright stationary bike from a recumbent and I much prefer the angle at which this places my legs in relationship to the pedals. This weekend I will be setting up my Bianchi on the Cylops trainer next door in Jessie's studio (thanks to winter break at the dance school!)  This morning I was unable to remove the Time pedals from my totaled Indy Fab with one arm so Jessie brought the frame over to my buddies at the Bicycle Depot. They were gracious and helpful as always, but I think a they were little shaken by the look of my bike. With the Bianchi set up next door, I'll be able to log longer base workouts starting tomorrow.

My shoulder feels much better this week and I shoot into NYC on Tuesday for a follow-up visit to my surgeon who will remove the stitches and discuss rehab plans with me. My hunch is that I will remain in this sling without any PT for six weeks until my humerus has fully healed. I'll remind her of my plan to be cycling on the roads in March. I'll let you know what she says.

By the way, I just got an email announcing a 30% off sale on Rapha gear with free shipping. Don't wait, sale ends on Jan 3.