THIS I Didn't Expect.

We live in remarkable times. 

Two weeks ago tomorrow a surgeon sawed out Mrs. Fallon's kid's right knee and replaced it with a fake one.  (Really! That's what first came to mind after the surgery.  "I'm gonna tell Momma about that stinker doctor.")

Not much pain.  I can already sense the absence of the offending arthritis and associated bone on bone damage.  I'm relieved.  

But what I did NOT expect was to experience such a profound impact on my stamina.  

I had been doing indoor training on the rower and the bike for six weeks, two hours a day, in preparation for the surgery.  Two days after the surgery I walked up one flight of stairs and had to lay down on the bed, gasping for breath like a beached whale. 

Today I returned to work for four hour days and three day weeks.  My stamina (from the neck up) has returned.  But afterwords, returning home, I needed a nice nap.  A NAP?!!  And I was able to eat only half a sandwich.  

So the take-home message for me is that my body recognizes the surgery as a major trauma and is telling to go hide in cave, shut up and wait a long time.  I didn't expect that.  But I understand it and it makes sense.  

Deliberate and disciplined rest is the hardest of tasks.  

Choosing a Cross-State WUCA Route

I hold two World Ultra Cycling Association Cross-State records.  2009.  Illinois and Indiana.  Male recumbent 60-69.  

If the upcoming knee surgery (replacement) goes well 2019 should be a good year for me.  My bikes (Bacchetta Ti Aero, CA2 and CA3) are good (countless modifications over the past few years to make them durable, more aerodynamic and comfortable on long events).  I'm in good physical shape and the knee rehab should go well, allowing me to train to be in competitive condition.  

I have a primary criterion when considering an open road cycling event with a crew:

• SAFETY:
• low volume traffic 
• NOT a significant truck route
• shoulders that aren't taken up with rumble strips

I considered repeating the Illinois and Indiana events but, at this point, the only challenge would be in beating records I set a decade ago.  Not much motivation there given the other options.  

I had considered Nevada but reports from other cyclists have convinced me that the road quality and truck traffic make the routes too dangerous. 

That leaves me with Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska and Iowa.  

To my surprise, among these four Colorado has the most population, cities and traffic.  Though I will continue to investigate this route I don't think it will pass muster.

Idaho has decent distance (400 miles) and challenging climbing (15,332 feet).  A few interstate highways are nearby the route so that might mitigate the truck traffic.  More investigation is needed regarding the safety issues.

Nebraska has good distance (430 miles) but is short when it comes to climbing (7,674 feet).  A few WUCA cyclists have recently traversed the Nebraska route and I'll want to contact them to get their opinions.  The route is quite straightforward: US 20 all the way across the state.  

And Iowa is likely to be tricky.  Although the route is relatively short (280 miles) with decent relative climbing (10,465 feet) that may be deceptive.  Iowa is known for long rolling hills.  But the RWGPS map shows the elevation points to be `choppy,' i.e., short steep hills.  Which may be fun (as long as the route doesn't mimic the roads in Ireland -- short pops with 18% grades). Again, this route needs more investigation.  

2019 Biking Events

Knee surgery scheduled for Monday, August 13th.  Though I have reluctantly accepted the fact that I will be spending several weeks, and perhaps months, in careful rehabilitation I have (anxiously) sketched out several competitive cycling events for 2019.

2019 Bike Events