1 week later and WOW!

[JimmyC]

Please Felix, although I'm definitely not a doctor, but I would encourage you, to work with your doctors. You can't, even in the best of personal fitness, have as many years off, and then expect to make major progress in a few weeks. It may take you a couple of years to get into the shape you want to be in. May seem a long time but how long will it take if you continue to re-injure yourself? Ride easy for now. Take your time. Your body and your doctors will decide on how and when to pick up the pace. Even I know that no matter how badly you want to be crushing it down the road, you have to listen to your body, and pace yourself. Don't worry about getting dropped, or whatever. Focus on getting in shape, but only as your body can withstand it. Injure yourself again, and, although I hate to say it, you may never ride again. God Bless,

J.

 

[Starchivore]

Fantastic that you're back into cycling

try to build up steadily though!

I've got the 2011 CAAD8, love it.

 

[benrogers101]

Wow! Impressive and motivating. I'm glad to know that this is having a positive effect on you. Just try not to over-do it. Keep it slow and steady. Best wishes for the 29th. I hope everything goes well. Do update on your situation after the surgery.

 

[fimm]

I don't know if you've heard of the "Couch to 5K" programme? I'm not suggesting that you should take up running, but I thought the general shape of it might be helpful - it is basically 3 sessions a week, getting longer (and with more running over walking) over time.
This is the first link I found that had the sessions in writing rather than as a podcast!
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

(From somewhere nearer the other end of the fitness spectrum, I train reasonably seriously for triathlon, and I usually have at least one rest day a week, even if I do more than one training session on other days. One day off a week seems to be generally understood to be good practice, as I understand it.)

 

[Felix79]

I am sadly well aware it will take me until summer 2017-2018 before I'm able to really test myself on a bike again. If I didn't live so far away from the house I lived at when I was in my teens, I would do the journey to my old school and back again, as it's all nice cycletracks and a good measure for me!

I have just been out on my bike again this morning. I did the route around my little housing area and I'm noticing little improvements with my comfort on the bike and confidence. I think I need to put some wider bars on the bike after learning some more about correct bike fit, but for the short time I am on the bike atm it can wait.

 

[benrogers101]

I am sadly well aware it will take me until summer 2017-2018 before I'm able to really test myself on a bike again. If I didn't live so far away from the house I lived at when I was in my teens, I would do the journey to my old school and back again, as it's all nice cycletracks and a good measure for me!

I have just been out on my bike again this morning. I did the route around my little housing area and I'm noticing little improvements with my comfort on the bike and confidence. I think I need to put some wider bars on the bike after learning some more about correct bike fit, but for the short time I am on the bike atm it can wait.

I know riding is your passion but I would urge you to take it a bit easy on yourself and consult your doctors every time. It's always better to be safe than sorry. I'm glad you're noticing improvements. Don't give up and be safe.

 

[Felix79]

I do work a lot with the pain team who look after me. I guess you could say I "bonked out"? It was more me pushing myself too hard cardio wise, that the physical aspect in my body.

The loop I do is very short (it's nudging a mile) and it has a steady slope that I have to ride up before I'm on the part where I'm heading back in the direction of my home. I've been making sure my cadence is steady and I don't do anything stupid with my body.

 

[benrogers101]

I do work a lot with the pain team who look after me. I guess you could say I "bonked out"? It was more me pushing myself too hard cardio wise, that the physical aspect in my body.

The loop I do is very short (it's nudging a mile) and it has a steady slope that I have to ride up before I'm on the part where I'm heading back in the direction of my home. I've been making sure my cadence is steady and I don't do anything stupid with my body.

Well, you do sound like a smart guy - someone who is sensible enough to not do anything reckless. But yes, keep working with your pain team, go slow, have patience and you'll be a 100% in no time.

 

[Felix79]

Well had some really bad news over the weekend. The operation they are doing on the nerves in my lower back has been postponed until the 12th August. While it will seem to be "just" a couple of weeks to most people, the amount of pain I am putting up with is getting much worse in this heat, as it makes the damaged nerves inflame (swell) even more than normal, which heightens my sensation of pain. Also it just ruins my plans for next month, as I wanted to start working on some new physio rehab my pain physiotherapist has designed for me, so I can enjoy cycling more.

Bad news aside, I've done a few rides since I over did things last Tuesday. I've been sticking to the lap around my little housing area and it's actually now become too easy for me. I went out earlier this morning, so I could avoid the heat and I was really pleased that my legs are not screaming when I am riding up the slope and when I get back to my house, my breathing is not too laboured now. Even going up my stairs is really easy, when I use to get puffed out before.

There is now a really clear improvement in my cardio and physical levels of fitness, which I am so happy about. When I didn't ride for a couple of days, my lower back was so painful, but when I got out on the bike, it made the pain drop so much and I really felt better for it. I've decided it might be better if I do a day on and a day off. My recovery is proving to be good enough to do something like this and it means I'm not going to over work myself trying to do three days in a row before taking one off. Luckily, because I live next door to a hospital, I can cycle around it's access road which is really smooth tarmac and it loops back onto the road that leads into my housing area (there is only one road that leads in/out to my housing area). It's also has very low traffic for the most part and I won't have to feel too self conscious wearing my cycling top when I ride it.

 

[Felix79]

A really good bike day today. Over the weekend, my folks picked up a special bike toolkit from Aldi and the got me a decent quality bike stand so I can do work on my bike much easier.

I've had these parts arrive over the weekend, NOS Shimano Ultegra 6500 brake calipers, a 105 front mech, Fizik white handlebar tape.

I've managed to agree on an amazing deal for a set of genuine Dura Ace 7800 2 x 10 STI's in total mint condition, with carbon fiber name plates (these are normally in a bad way on most of the early to mid 2000's STI's) , if this deal falls through I have managed to source a pair of Dura Ace 7700 STI's in better than average condition to go on my bike and the best bit is these are 2 x 9 which means I wouldn't need to get myself a new cassette.

I really love the look of the Dura Ace 7700 / Ultegra 6500 groupset and I plan on getting the rear mech. I am very much looking forward to doing the working on my bike, either sat in the sun in my back garden or sat in my half of our double garage tinkering about with the bike.

I've been keeping up with getting out on my bike about 4+ times a week. The route that I do is now much easier on my legs and I'm able to get my breath back after about 5-10 mins now. I almost went out and attempt to either lap my route twice or ride around an access road that the hospital my housing area is next to. So much happier riding the bike these days and only my neck was giving me a little dull ache from me looking forward, but still being able to see through my glasses lol!

My operation has been put back to the 12th August, so I've had more time to get use to the bike and get bitten by the bug. Cycling has really had a very positive impact on the pain I feel and also I am feeling better physically due to me getting some proper cardio exercise, while keeping things low impact on my spine.

 

[Felix79]

After my really busy (for me) day, where I did some errands in the morning, cycled my usual mile, had a meeting that last 75 mins which was pure agony being sat for that long, then doing a 1.7 mile walk in the evening as I was so loaded up on my painkillers I needed to calm down, I left the bike well alone yesterday.

I got on the bike just after a very light lunch and it was really hard on my legs. It felt like I had to really put more effort in to get up the "uphill" section of the loop I do. I'm really spent lol!

I'm just hunting through lots of adverts for the remaining parts I want for my groupset upgrade. Because I've landed myself a set of mint genuine Dura Ace 7800 "Brifters" I am going over to a full 10 speed config. I've been going through a lot of different sites that go into some crazy details about Shimano products and Cannondale products and I've learnt that there is no problem with putting a 10 speed cassette onto a 9 speed (hub-pin?), as the 10 is slimmer and you have to use a 1mm spacer for it to all work correctly?

I will admit I really liked the idea of getting Ultegra 6500 or Dura Ace 7700 STI's as they look really nice and old school but modern. I found out that the FSA Vero crank+chainrings was a standard feature on the 2012 CAAD8 Sora, which makes me wonder if it is worth getting a matching Dura Ace / Ultegra crank and chainrings? It's an FSA BB30 bottom bracket, so I don't know if I just need to make sure I get a Shimano BB30 bottom bracket with the replacement Dura Ace or Ultegra chainrings?

If I end up basically installing Dura Ace 7700/7800 plus Ultegra 6600+ components for my gearset but keep using the stock Cannondale branded hubs or swap them over to NOS Dura Ace / Ultegra ones instead?

I'm not putting these parts on because I am after performance gains or because I'm wanting to be all competitive and do some local sportifs, I'm just enjoying the process up upgrading (blinging up) the bikes weak points. The only real things I wanted to change because of a more "practical" reasons were my saddle (I've got a Fizik Arione) , the brake calipers ( have Ultegra 6500s to go on) and finally the horrid Sora STI's. I utterly loath them as they are just dreadful for my needs. I find the button is in the worst place and the feel on the hoods is really uncomfortable to boot!

 

[MarquisMatsugae]

I've got the 2011 CAAD8, love it.

Can't go wrong with that 'Dale

 

[Felix79]

After a day resting after I had really pushed myself by cycling and walking in the same day, I found myself unable to sleep and with very restless legs.

I got on my bike just before 6.30am this morning and went out for a ride around the hospital near my house. Much nicer smooth tarmac and no traffic. I don't know how far I rode, but once I had gotten up to an access road to the hospital I turned around and went round part of my housing area and back home. It was the furthest I've done on my bike and I was actually really comfortable on the bike. I might go out again today depending on how achy my legs (and sadly my bloody back) are, but I'm wanting to explore further than my housing area and just ride. Lungs and heart are doing pretty well.

One thing I have never mentioned was at xmas 2010 I was taken into intensive care and put into a coma due to my lungs being 100% full with pneumonia. I had a manner of tubes and machines hooked up to me for 3 weeks, while the drugs fought off the virus/infection brought on from me catching swine flu. I lost about 37% of my lungs due to really heavy scarring. So with me finally doing cardio and trying to improve my lungs has been pretty scary, but the desire to explore and ride more has kept me wanting to get on my bike and get stronger.

I've got some more bits arriving next week, Ultegra 6700 10 speed cassette and chain, new cables, Dura Ace 7800 10 speed STI's. I plan on fitting them plus my Ultegra 6500 calipers and Fizik bar tape next weekend with a bit of luck. I've got a Dura Ace 7800 rear mech inbound in a few weeks and I am trying to learn if I can just put a Dura Ace 7800 crank/chain wheel on the bike with no problems, or if it's going to be a pain in the backside and I just leave the FSA one in there.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@Felix79 keep up the great work, I suffer from lower back pain (or rather did in years gone past) in the last 4 years only once has it been painful for days and like you on the bike was no issue.
Cardio/Vascular will improve I am 52 and smoke but I can blow better than many 20+ year olds who don't.
Muscles will tone up helping support you better, I had a compression injury in my right leg from about 2006, it was a problem when I started at some point I could hardly spin the pedals, however over time its all but gone.
I am not comparing my injuries with yours as they are no where near close but if my experience is anything to go by the improvements you will make will be amazing, my Docs look at me when I say my max HR can be excess of 180bpm, I know I am up there when it is and I still think from how I feel I could go a bit higher, but not a good idea on my own nor is there really anything long/steep enough to push me for any length around here. You will also find your recover times improve, even to the extent you can recover going up hill, the power that cycling has on your overall health is incredible, just do what you can with in your current restraint's (health) and just see where it takes you, recover from any illness can be long, I suffer a multitude of mental health issues and cycling has to some degree given me a lot of benefits so much so that whilst I have not ridden as much these last 12 months its helped give me the mental strength to try and change other aspects of my life, all that shitty weather over the years I guess and saying I did that whats next.

 

[Felix79]

Thank you for that message. I have been blown away with the many kind words people have been giving me on here. It really gives me a lot of spirit to keep on trying and because I keep posting my progress, means I'm not going to wimp out or give up. So please forgive me if the posts seem a tad dull and meaningless each time I post.

I guess it is about 7/8 weeks since I first got on my bike and nearly died going just a few hundred feet up the road. I do like the feeling of my legs starting to work and have the nice type of ache from building up the muscles once again. Once I get this op done on my back where they burn back most of my damaged nerves so the pain drops off, I will be able to push/press on much harder and start to build up much more stamina.

The one other cool thing is how I've been getting in lots of nice bits (Ultegra/Dura Ace) to put on my bike, as I enjoy doing this. I did this with my Impreza P1 and it's just ended up happening with my bike. The plus side is I've got enough spare parts to thrown on a basic frame for my old man, so he can join me when I am building up my body over the next 12 months.