Update - Returning to Fitness

I'm typing this from a motel in Borrego Springs, CA, an hour and some change from the start of the 24 Hour World Time Trials. I arrived here two days ago (Wednesday) to get some flatland miles under my belt.  It is hot: 95F in the midday sun.  

Today is an `off day.'  The previous two days I did about 65 miles each day.  That is the most volume of miles I've done in four months.  And October looks like it will be the month with the most miles ridden so far this year.

At the end of my training ride yesterday my right leg was quite painful, but only when I clipped in or clipped out.  The quadricep tear in early September is far more consequential than the full right knee replacement in mid-August.  Lots of R.I.C.E.  

Unexpectedly, the right leg damage is soft tissue behind the knee.  The accident in September resulted in my right leg folding under me, heel touching the gluteus, with my full weight on the leg.  About 150 degree of bend ... and 128 degrees is considered very, very flexed.  The tendons and muscle at the posterior axis of the knee were compressed and, apparently, severely damaged.  I limp.

This means that the return to fitness regimen has to attend to allowing the knee axis to heal.  Lots of physical therapy, strict compliance to the physical therapist's at-home instructions.  This morning I spent 35 minutes on the indoor rower doing a sedate 5,200 meters.  And then another easy hour doing PT exercises.  Slow and painful.  

A perverse mantra of some cycling athletes is `too much is never enough.'  A certain road to ruin.  In a few minutes I'll head over to cheer the 24 Hour racers on their way.  

And then, tomorrow, Saturday, I'll assess the leg and decide if I should ride the bike or head back home for more rest and PT.  

I'm impatient from the neck down.  But my options are very clear.   

Returning to Fitness After A Bad Year

In November of 2017 I participated in the 24 Hour World Time Trial Championship in Borrego Springs, California.  Though I managed to put 252 miles on the books during that event I found myself stopping for several hours to nurse a very painful right knee.  At that time I concluded that I must have pulled a tendon or ligament causing the pain.  

Following good medical advice I undertook a disciplined protocol of RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) for the right leg.  

In February of '18 I participated in the 24 Hour Pace Bend Ultra Race just west of Austin, Texas.  The PBUR course included several 4 - 11% short climbs.  I was able to complete 149 miles, spending most of the race off the bike, nursing the right knee / leg.  Again, I attributed the problem to tendonitis or the ligamenture equivalent.  

More RICE.

In June of '18 I participated in the 24 Hours In The Canyon ultra race just outside of Amarillo, Texas.  The first 100 miles was on a dead flat course in the Texas high plains.  Thereafter the event had us riding laps on a 7 mile hilly course.  The right knee/leg made climbing even the short hills very painful and I completed only 135 miles.

After several x-rays, a sonogram and finally an MRI it became apparent that I had bone on bone arthritis in my right knee.  The only option was to undergo a total right knee replacement surgery on August 13th.  

Now, after almost a full year of very reduced training and two months after surgery I am training to increase stamina by ramping up duration and volume.  At this time `stamina' is the major training objective.  As well, in order to allow for the best healing after knee surgery I am avoiding lots of climbing.

I live in the mountains of central Arizona.  

• How can I avoid lots of climbing?  
• How can I get requisite duration and intensity in order to increase stamina?

The Plan:

• Train six (6) days per week.  
• Thirty minutes every day on the Concept 2 Indoor Rower
• Ninety minutes every day on the stationary bike (LeMond Revolution Direct Drive Trainer) at a modest aerobic pace.  Focus is on flexion of the right leg/knee.  
• Every other day on the open road doing 20 miles on one of the least hilly courses (20 Miles - 845 Ft of Climbing) in my area.  

As my stamina increases I plan to do more open road training.  I will use the 20 mile course to do this, completing multiple circuits on this route. 

I expect to be doing this training routine, with multiples of the 20 mile course, for about two months before I attempt more challenging (climbing) open road riding.

My first competitive ultra event will be the 24 Hour February 2019 Pace Bend Ultra Race near Austin, Texas.  

Assessing my performance after the PBUR I'll identify several more ultra events for 2019.