ALLISON MANN

Monday, September 24 marks exactly 10 weeks since I had proximal hamstring repair surgery.  10 weeks ago I was sitting in the waiting room of the surgery center.

Today I’m sitting at my desk, not perfectly, not completely normally, but healing, strengthening, and getting better.

The best news is that I rode my mountain bike this weekend.  Both days.  Not the normal late summer rides Justin and I would be doing, either smashing ourselves riding 5-6 hours on cross bikes just for the fun of it like last year, or training for cyclocross racing (which starts up this weekend in So Cal).

I had gotten the okay at my two month appointment to try riding my bike, around the neighborhood.  That weekend I couldn’t stand to sit.  My leg wasn’t really strong enough for much out of the saddle pedaling, and with my sit bone being very irritated and painful, I made to the pool in our complex before calling it quits.

I didn’t test it the following weekend, but this past weekend felt like I wanted to give it a go.  It was time to get outside at least, and PT said that she’d prefer I rode a bike than go hiking (less chance of slip and fall).

I wasn’t sure if I could handle clipless pedals, but the Mallet shin graters made me nervous, so I tried clipping in around the garage, and seemed to have no problems in a controlled environment.  OK, let’s go!

This past weekend we rode the first two trail systems we rode back when we first got bikes.

Saturday Justin and I headed up to Santa Rosa Plateau, starting on the fire road by the Equestrian lot because it’s mostly flat and wide and easy to turn around.

Happy Campers

I was SO HAPPY to be riding again with Justin.  I didn’t want to stop.  Ever.  We even rode a few of the little singletrack off-shoots

All told I rode for 27 minutes.  A combination of Justin slicing his sidewall and my sit bone starting to get pretty agitated meant that was it for us.

We tentatively planned to go down to Daley Ranch on Sunday for a ride, and somehow there are two people aside from Justin that like us enough to ride in 100F temps with humidity on exposed fire roads.  That’s true friendship.

The heat was insane, and I repeatedly thought I was going to pass out or die from the heat and the effort of climbing.  I spent months doing intervals trying to raise my heart rate above 170 to no avail.  Three months off the bike, a little bit of heat, and I was pegging 180 on any rise!

I can’t tell if I’m smiling, grimacing, or having a panic attack.  Maybe all three.

I probably rode a bit more than I should have, but everyone had come all that way, and it was really nice to be out riding again with Justin.  I’m sore a bit today, but I don’t think any lasting damage.  Nothing ballistic!

I made it 45 minutes, and while it was not even a mile more of riding in the extra 20 minutes, it was quite a bit more climbing!

Quite the victories, if I may say so.

I’m not “back on the bike” in the proverbial sense, but I know I can at least get out and pedal.  As much as I’d like to start riding every day again at this point, it’s not going to happen.  For one, my sit bones (in addition to my repair site on the left sit bone) are really sore today after riding back to back days, and for two, I need to take it slow.  My leg and body are still vastly atrophied, out of shape, out of balance, and in need of work.  That will take time, and I’m still going to do my best to reign myself in and take it slow.

Sure, I’ll push the envelope sometimes, but I’m not planning on donning a full face and hitting the lifts any time soon.

This is a bit of an odd week with a road trip out of town for a long weekend coming up, but I’ve got physical therapy, hopefully a bike ride, and a day in the gym to work on some strengthen training.  Then hopefully – more riding and red rocks!

I even rented a toy for the trip.

I really wanted to buy the Canon 17-40L, and with $100 instant rebate and Calumet paying sales tax, it was about as cheap as that lens will get brand new, but we’re trying to save some money, and the sales guy was not really into selling the 17-40L, so I rented the 10-22 instead.  Maybe he was trying to up-sell me with the more expensive Canon lens, but either way I rented instead of buying, saving myself a few Benjamins.  Still kind of regretting not buying the 17-40L, but it’s good to keep “wanting”.

So, Happy Monday.  Hope to have some good photos and stories to tell next weekend.