Mystery Solved - Baker's Cyst

Baker's cyst.  Popliteal bursa.  THAT is what caused me so much pain, disappointment and grief since October 2017.

After four days, last week, of indoor training on the Lemond direct drive trainer I decided to hit the open road Saturday morning. Filled with trepidation.

Ten miles out I had to pull over because pain was so bad. I had a knee wrap around the knee and I had a rolled up sock in the back of the knee to add `compression' per R.I.C.E. I took the wrap and the sock off. I could barely straighten my leg because the pain behind the knee was so bad.

I was thinking `O.K..Only one 16.2 mile lap today.' The `behind the knee' pain was a good 8 out of 10.

I started to pedal carefully and slowly, a long hill coming up.

And then ... I became aware of no sensation of pain. None. None at all.

I concluded that this is just temporary, part of the `up and down' over the past six months.

I geared down so as to not stress the right leg/knee. I crested the hill ... no pain. Moved into a higher gear, carefully, slowly. No pain.

As the ride went on I continued to feel absolutely no pain. Fatigue? Sure. I pushed it. Still no pain.

I'm thinking that the `Baker's cyst' that showed up in the MRI `popped' at mile ten, the fluid draining into the leg and the irritation gone. Like a `hard rock' behind the knee was removed. (Later confirmed in conversation with a physical therapist acquaintance).

I pushed increasingly hard for the remaining 40 miles. Both legs and knees were completely without pain. Sure, I felt the burn of the muscles with increasing watts, the fatigue, etc. But absolutely NO pain.

I did an intense indoor training for a few hours the next day.  Again.  No pain.

Back on the road again.  What an ordeal!!!