My Tour de France

[twizzle]

Yeah, 33km/h average is taking it easy.

Git.

Or is it all my local hills that mean my 32km/h average training rides aren't bad.

[toolonglegs]

...255 w average (268w NP) is taking it pretty easy for me (and you )...most intervals are done between 38-45kmph so this felt like cruising but certainly wasn't a recovery ride.
Anyway it was 40 minutes so doesn't count for much .

[Chuck]

Managed a 1 hour ride on the VTT yesterday...had a sore back but was good to sort of ride...I went bush so that I could keep moving around instead of risk sitting in one position too long.I have lost a shite load of fitness in 3 weeks .
Today I went to the osteopath...he more or less said it can be one of 4 things...herniated disc / hernia / problem with the iliac artery or a probablem with the sacral joint...pretty much what I already knew...he tried gently to free up my sacral a bit but didn't want to go to hard till I have had the ERM... .
This cheered me up...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFRahWnA4YM&feature=related[/youtube]

All the best Toolong, hope it's nothing too serious, although I'm not sure that vid was such a good idea, all that laughing would have to aggravate something

[toolonglegs]

Thanks Chuck...I am feeling a wee bit more positive at the moment.
Managed a 2.3km swim yesterday (48min)...my back was killing me at the end.But I relaxed on the drive home and I felt ok.Although I tweaked my knee a bit and groin,probably from breaststroke.I won't do that again,it is the lazy stroke anyway.
Did another 1km swim today...but felt tired although no back troubles today,but pace was down.
Then did the same ride I did on Tuesday...short 40 minute loop at 33.5av (275av / 290 NP).Back although a bit tired and probably because of that a bit stiff but no pain.Groin did hurt a bit at the start and gradually decreased to a dull ache...still that trapped nut feeling.My hip joint hurt quite a bit thou....and my knee from yesterday .Yes I am falling to bits...but my head will fall to bits if I get fat!!!.

[toolonglegs]

Took my camera along to watch Department championships yesterday...actually was hard to watch.I think I could of podiumed yesterday even on a hilly course.Will even be harder to watch the much bigger regional champs in 2 weeks as that is much flatter and a great course for me .
Oh well I took my camera along...and I was in pain all day long so I suppose it isn't worth dwelling on.

Smaller fields as you have to be from the department to compete...but tough course with 10 times up this 1 km climb.They only looked like this on the 1st lap...shrunk pretty quickly after that!.

[tomns]

How are you travelling mate, any progress ? feeling any better ?

Tom

[toolonglegs]

Feeling a little better...but next round of docs visit's are on Thursday and back MRI the week after...I actually hope they are all clear which would point more towards a muscular problem.But who knows.
I did manage a 50 minute ride today but was pretty sore by the end.
Thanks for asking...fingers crossed my season isn't over yet!.

[tomns]

Good to hear mate, Just hope you are getting better !

Tom

[mikesbytes]

Good to hear you are back on the bike. Hope you are not overdoing it

[toolonglegs]

I wouldn't really say I was back on the bike...OK I am doing little rides every so often but they are not comfortable or productive...except to clear my head.
For instance my 50 minutes this morning has left me hobbling this afternoon.
The only thing that is going good is the diet...but this is the ideal time to starve down a bit after all!.

[toolonglegs]

Update...I don't have a hernia of any type.Had an MRI for a Femoral Hernia yesterday (can be very small and painful)...so thats one thing.
I also have a good set of arteries...but still need another type of blood test and then a visit to the only specialist in France for this very cycling specific type of injury...but I really don't think that is my problem (hardening of the iliac artery in the hip joint)...as I don't get a dead leg / pins and needles or lose strength during hard efforts.
Back ERM is next tuesday...but if I have herniated a disc then it is getting better slowly already.

I have also ordered one of these...

Try to take all pressure off my nuts...especially in the 30-60 degrees positions...ie:in the drops.

Next stop after the back scan is Physio.
But I am managing to ride an hour at a time (nearly )...and swimming a lot.

[tomns]

I run those ISM saddles, I think they are great, have them on all my bikes.

Hope it works for you

Cheers
Tom

[MichaelB]

I guess you are narrowing down the cause, and at least getting there with the riding.

Hope you keep getting good news, as I loke the ride reports and pics

[toolonglegs]

I run those ISM saddles, I think they are great, have them on all my bikes.

Hope it works for you

Cheers
Tom

Really...be interested in the difference you noticed.Mine should arrive today or Monday.I always feel like one of my nuts is creeping up to my stomach hence I want to try a different saddle.

[toolonglegs]

I guess you are narrowing down the cause, and at least getting there with the riding.

Hope you keep getting good news, as I loke the ride reports and pics

Yes surgeon did say yesterday that you just have to keep looking...still doesn't explain my total body melt down.

On the plus side I have my tickets booked for Xmas...3 weeks in NZ and arrive in Sydney on New Years day for 4 or 5 days...so might be able to get a Waratahs race in...the next morning and a Tuesday night Hefron .

[ft_critical]

I guess you are narrowing down the cause, and at least getting there with the riding.

Hope you keep getting good news, as I loke the ride reports and pics

Yes surgeon did say yesterday that you just have to keep looking...still doesn't explain my total body melt down.

On the plus side I have my tickets booked for Xmas...3 weeks in NZ and arrive in Sydney on New Years day for 4 or 5 days...so might be able to get a Waratahs race in...the next morning and a Tuesday night Hefron .

Good news. I was getting a simliar though not so serious pain. It was refered from the top of my right hip (on my back above my right glut - so medically inept eh.) Bit of massage and trying to stretch forward when adopting a low position rather than arching to get more power helped.

Shame I won't be in Sydney at the time, I will be on hols in Thailand.

[toolonglegs]

Well today I think I have solved it...see Medical Section.

[mikesbytes]

That seat, isn't that the one that's designed to allow you to sit further forward while still been within the 5cm setback rule?

[toolonglegs]

That seat, isn't that the one that's designed to allow you to sit further forward while still been within the 5cm setback rule?

More so one of their other models...mainly it is to allow more blood flow.

[toolonglegs]

Took my mtb for a little ride today...not really ideal for this hill!...but I did have a 7 or 8 kilo back pack on as well and wasn't in much of a hurry...got a nice tan waiting for this guy to go past amongst others.DOn't know what my time was as the last 100 meters was closed off...but I bet it was close to Pistolero!.

[tomns]

nice shot mate, you were stalking the slopes of the alpe, weather didn't look too good there on the TV.
I will be riding that puppy in a months time !

Tom

[mikesbytes]

If you'd fitted lighter slicks and dropped the handlebars a little, they wouldn't have stood a chance

[toolonglegs]

Nah,then I would have looked like I was trying.
Here I am with a smile on my face...my back was killing me!...I didn't use my 70-200mm lense so could have lightened the load a couple of kilos!.
Whats your plans while you are over Tomns?.

[tomns]

Howdy there,

I am heading over there for about 4 weeks, I have 2 x 5 day stints for riding
First up for the riding we are are staying in Grenoble and doing Alpe D'Huez and a few other rides that take our fancy
in that area then we are heading down to Carpentras to ride Mt Ventoux and a few other rides (the additional rides are yet to be determined - open to suggestions.)

Grenoble 6th - 10th july
Carpentras 11th - 16th July.

Our trip starts in Frankfurt and we have hired a car, driving through to Barcelona and flying home.
It is getting rather close now and when a few parts arrive this week I will be packing the bike up
in its bag so it is not a rush job.

Tom

[toolonglegs]

Sounds like a pretty good holiday coming up then...normally I would say "lets meet up for a ride" cause I know some pretty special rides around Grenoble...but my body being the way it is and having the summer school holidays start that week sort of rules it out .

Anyway me and me boy headed off the sit under Mont Blanc today...we had a good spot that stayed dry the whole day...we got rather wet on the long walk home thou!...little fella loves getting his Aussie flag out...but 8 or 9 k's off walking did him in a bit!.
But anyway no one got in my way today...so got some good snaps.
Brajkovic had a pretty impressive week...star of the future...could good old LA have stuck to Contador's wheel yesterday like this fella did?!.