The title says it all. I sit here in Adelaide after having readied my bike for a week of riding to find we had gale force winds, hail, and thunderstorms ALL week. Freakin rediculous. SO...
Next week, Im on the Gold Coast for work (looking after the Flinders Uni Games Team) so Im pumped for some warmer, drier weather. We stay right near the beach and there are some amazing running paths around the area. As much as being a team manager for an event is hard work, stressful and long hours, I really love getting my butt out of bed for a morning run, or destressing at the end of a long day with a sunset run along the beach. (Trust me, setting the alarm the night before is the hardest part!!)
Whats more, is that unlike here in Adelaide at this time of year, I will be surrounded by other like-minded people who are out and about running, riding and exercising. Its not only really beautiful to see all people of different backgrounds, ages, shapes and sizes but its also really motivating. When the winter weather gets too much in Adelaide - this is a great fix-it. Im just lucky enough that Im being paid to do it!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Broken & broken some more
I can't believe the luck Im having. As if its not frustrating enough having to get my ankle reco'd but now I have a broken big toe. Yes, you're thinking Im a wimp, and to an extent you're probably right but to be quite honest its a pain. Literally.
I can't do my gym program properly because anything that bends my toe back hurts. Squats. Lunges... you get the picture. Basketball makes it worse, but being a part of a team I can't really just pull out on them... running doesn't help any either.
Lucky for my bike is what I have to say. It works out alright really. I went out for a trundle on the weekend with my other half and some of his volleyball team mates who Im planning to do the Tour ride with. It was good to get out and about. We did about 45km in all, which to be honest, for me, after so long not riding (yes, Im a weather snob) much was a decent ride. We went along at about 30km/hr for the most part, so I was happy with that.
Got home, sat down and only the next day did I think I possibly should have done some better recovery... maybe some stretching, maybe some compression, maybe a bit more water instead of my egg roll and coffee breakfast I tucked into.
Maybe.
I can't do my gym program properly because anything that bends my toe back hurts. Squats. Lunges... you get the picture. Basketball makes it worse, but being a part of a team I can't really just pull out on them... running doesn't help any either.
Lucky for my bike is what I have to say. It works out alright really. I went out for a trundle on the weekend with my other half and some of his volleyball team mates who Im planning to do the Tour ride with. It was good to get out and about. We did about 45km in all, which to be honest, for me, after so long not riding (yes, Im a weather snob) much was a decent ride. We went along at about 30km/hr for the most part, so I was happy with that.
Got home, sat down and only the next day did I think I possibly should have done some better recovery... maybe some stretching, maybe some compression, maybe a bit more water instead of my egg roll and coffee breakfast I tucked into.
Maybe.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Tour Down Under
Its official... Lance is back. Unless you were here last time, you wouldn't believe what follows this guy around. Its seriously insane. I visited the TDU teams & mechanics tent during the race week and at the time the Astana mechanic was working on this big guy's bike and the crowd that surrounded that booth was about 5 deep all round, just to get a photo of Lance Armstrong's bike! Crazy.
There were stories from my fellow riders all throughout the leadup about who saw Lance, and who rode with the Astana team (or tried to pick them up at least...) - then the event began. Crowds to a cycling event second to none. Never has SA pulled bigger numbers for The Tour and it was due to one man... pure and simple. Sure it was the first time the event was recognised on the UCI calendar as an official pointscoring event, but that had nothing to do with the fact... it was due to Lance.
AND he's coming back. This year under his own team, which will be exciting in itself. Lance Armstrong and hand picked bunch of young guns who will battle it out with the best of the best pro's from around the world. Something to watch... I think so.
SOOOO.... Im going to ride the tour again this year. The public ride, but 111km. Me and the boys... so it will be good fun. I like the challenge of being the only girl. To my mind, there aint no excuse for me to be able to do what they can.... so I will!! Stay tuned, more info to follow.
Lets just say, Ive been bitten by the Lance bug. Back on the bike again.
There were stories from my fellow riders all throughout the leadup about who saw Lance, and who rode with the Astana team (or tried to pick them up at least...) - then the event began. Crowds to a cycling event second to none. Never has SA pulled bigger numbers for The Tour and it was due to one man... pure and simple. Sure it was the first time the event was recognised on the UCI calendar as an official pointscoring event, but that had nothing to do with the fact... it was due to Lance.
AND he's coming back. This year under his own team, which will be exciting in itself. Lance Armstrong and hand picked bunch of young guns who will battle it out with the best of the best pro's from around the world. Something to watch... I think so.
SOOOO.... Im going to ride the tour again this year. The public ride, but 111km. Me and the boys... so it will be good fun. I like the challenge of being the only girl. To my mind, there aint no excuse for me to be able to do what they can.... so I will!! Stay tuned, more info to follow.
Lets just say, Ive been bitten by the Lance bug. Back on the bike again.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
The Verdict Is In
So its official, I have to go under the knife! That sucks - well for now it does. Should be back stronger and better afterwards for having done it.
I saw the surgeon on Friday morning, he gave me the good news... and the bad news. The good news is that the op will be 3 fold. It will be initially an arthroscopy where they will be inserting 2 cameras/implements inside my ankle joint itself to have a look around and clean out any of the damage I have done to it that presently floats around giving me aggrevation. They will also at the same time do a final assessment of the ATFL ligament and then on the way out, they will also remove a ganglion which sits on top of the front of my ankle. Very good.
The surgeon will then cut across the top of my ankle bone and around the front of it to make a flap of skin which he will peel back. This will allow him to pull back and stitch in my ATFL by my ankle bone. Once this is done, he will replace the flap of skin back over the newly stitched ligament and will sew it back closed. By all accounts he will make a messy job of it, because it means that more scar tissue will develop and that the ligament will heal up better and tighter this way. Very good.
He also told me that I would be in a cast for 6 weeks, then in a moon boot for 6 more weeks... then following that I would start my rehab proper. By all accounts there are some risks with the op, but none too stressful from my point of view. Being a fit active person who is a non smoker removes most of them. The majority are about blod clotting etc, so often they prescribe blood thinners, but they don't like to do that as it can more easily lead to infection in the wounds. Sounds like the compression gear might even come in handy following the op if this is the case.
All very interesting.
I saw the surgeon on Friday morning, he gave me the good news... and the bad news. The good news is that the op will be 3 fold. It will be initially an arthroscopy where they will be inserting 2 cameras/implements inside my ankle joint itself to have a look around and clean out any of the damage I have done to it that presently floats around giving me aggrevation. They will also at the same time do a final assessment of the ATFL ligament and then on the way out, they will also remove a ganglion which sits on top of the front of my ankle. Very good.
The surgeon will then cut across the top of my ankle bone and around the front of it to make a flap of skin which he will peel back. This will allow him to pull back and stitch in my ATFL by my ankle bone. Once this is done, he will replace the flap of skin back over the newly stitched ligament and will sew it back closed. By all accounts he will make a messy job of it, because it means that more scar tissue will develop and that the ligament will heal up better and tighter this way. Very good.
He also told me that I would be in a cast for 6 weeks, then in a moon boot for 6 more weeks... then following that I would start my rehab proper. By all accounts there are some risks with the op, but none too stressful from my point of view. Being a fit active person who is a non smoker removes most of them. The majority are about blod clotting etc, so often they prescribe blood thinners, but they don't like to do that as it can more easily lead to infection in the wounds. Sounds like the compression gear might even come in handy following the op if this is the case.
All very interesting.
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