I am withdrawing from SCR (w/ HIM Mallorca 2014 Race Report)

ddraver

It's no help Greg but I had a friend who was a superb cyclist who just rocked up and did a Marathon and did exactly the same thing to his hip joint...at least you re not alone...

itboffin

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Ouch.
We all keep trying to tell you that running is dangerous and that you should stop doing it, but do you listen?...

You know when they get to a certain age there's just no telling them

First.Aspect

Veronese68 wrote:

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

ETA: one thing that completely pisses me off about bones is that the "S" in "GWS" means 6-8 weeks with pretty much no exceptions. There seems to be no way to speed up bone repairs to any appreciable degree (although I may be quizzing the doc about an Exogen machine later today).

What about magical laser treatment? When watching motorcycle racing they often talk about someone coming back from a broken bone quickly and some sort of laser quackery is involved in speeding up the healing process. Presumably not a James Bond cut you in two type of laser.

Its nonsense. Even when in vouge in the physio world, back in the 90s, I was never able to find a physio with any idea why a visible laser, at a power level which is (eye) safe for them to use, would be any more or less effective than a red torch at the same frequency. Science. Inconvenient, eh?

Squawk

First Aspect wrote:

Science. Inconvenient, eh?

See, that's where you're going wrong. Empiricism schmiricism, blind faith is the way forwards. Anyone wanna buy some of my lucky beetroot? Works great on sore tendons.

rubertoe

itboffin wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Ouch.
We all keep trying to tell you that running is dangerous and that you should stop doing it, but do you listen?...

You know when they get to a certain age there's just no telling them

I refuse to condone what are clearly the actions of a lunatic.

Lock him (greg) up for his own saftey.


gws btw.

EKE_38BPM

First Aspect wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

ETA: one thing that completely pisses me off about bones is that the "S" in "GWS" means 6-8 weeks with pretty much no exceptions. There seems to be no way to speed up bone repairs to any appreciable degree (although I may be quizzing the doc about an Exogen machine later today).

What about magical laser treatment? When watching motorcycle racing they often talk about someone coming back from a broken bone quickly and some sort of laser quackery is involved in speeding up the healing process. Presumably not a James Bond cut you in two type of laser.

Its nonsense. Even when in vouge in the physio world, back in the 90s, I was never able to find a physio with any idea why a visible laser, at a power level which is (eye) safe for them to use, would be any more or less effective than a red torch at the same frequency. Science. Inconvenient, eh?

But a torch isn't a "laser".

veronese68

EKE_38BPM wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

ETA: one thing that completely pisses me off about bones is that the "S" in "GWS" means 6-8 weeks with pretty much no exceptions. There seems to be no way to speed up bone repairs to any appreciable degree (although I may be quizzing the doc about an Exogen machine later today).

What about magical laser treatment? When watching motorcycle racing they often talk about someone coming back from a broken bone quickly and some sort of laser quackery is involved in speeding up the healing process. Presumably not a James Bond cut you in two type of laser.

Its nonsense. Even when in vouge in the physio world, back in the 90s, I was never able to find a physio with any idea why a visible laser, at a power level which is (eye) safe for them to use, would be any more or less effective than a red torch at the same frequency. Science. Inconvenient, eh?

But a torch isn't a "laser".

The word laser is a bit like the word turbo. Either can be used by merchandising types to convey mystical powers to whatever bland object you are trying to sell to lift above the competition in the eyes of the gullible.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Sit yerselves down comfortably. Time for an update.

For the pics or it didn't happen crew:





You're looking for the dark line at the base of the outside long bone (go right from the T of RED DOT in the first pic). Seems pretty innocuous, right? You'd think so.

I saw the consultant on Friday evening. Apparently I have the second best (second least worst?) type of fracture of the fifth metatarsal. Whoopie.

We had the "I want to know what I can do, not what I can't" chat, and the "It doesn't hurt to cycle, so I want to carry on doing that" conversations.

He explained patiently, as if to a fool, or a child, that pushing my luck was the worst thing I can do. The part of the bone on the short side of the crack has a tendon attached to it, that runs round the back of my ankle bone and up my calf. What I have to avoid is a repeat trauma to the injury, otherwise that tendon will pull the end of the bone away. Nice, eh? That would mean an op, a screw and six weeks of complete non weight bearing.

So we've compromised on an airboot (aka The Boot Of Shame) plus crutches whilst walking for three weeks, 3 (maybe 2) weeks of no biking (which means turbo; road riding is off the radar for now), and then re-X-ray. The idea is that by three weeks the bone will be "sticky" and if all has gone very well, I can start loading it a bit.

Bear in mind that the pro footballers who've broken this bone were all forecast 6-8 weeks out a the outset; actual recovery was anything from 6 to 21 weeks.

As with the best injuries, the real pain kicked in from T+24h onwards. So I wasn't too upset to keep it elevated over the weekend and watch bad TV (Olympus Has Fallen, if anyone wants to know. It's too shite to warrant an entry in the Film Review thread). This week I've been hopalong, but I'm beginning to notice that I can graze the ground with the airboot whilst on crutches without discomfort, and last night and this morning I was able to wobble around the house without crutches, keeping my weight on the heel and inside edge of the bad foot. Quite a big step (haha) forward.

So sort of optimistic right now that in three weeks it might be ready for some loading. Certainly right now when trying to move around first or last thing with nothing on it leaves me feeling v vulnerable and with no desire to put it on the ground, let alone lean on it.

Hey ho.

cjcp

Pics of the airboot or we don't believe you.

That's a bit of an @rse. Can you swim?

tgotb

cjcp wrote:

Pics of the airboot or we don't believe you.

That's a bit of an @rse. Can you swim?

He's a triantelope, which means he can't ride a bike. He's just demonstrated he can't run either. Swimming is harder than either running or cycling; was that really a sensible question to ask?

Greg - what a bummer! I'm not a habitual frequenter of gyms, but is there some sort of upper-body-only cardio machine you can use?

itboffin

Ice cream and lots of Greg special alone time

greg66_tri_v2.0

I am not posting an image of the Boot Of Shame.

I'm allowed to swim, but the trick is the logistics of getting from the changing room to the poolside, hopping on wet floor, without further injury. Crutches and budgie smugglers? Not a great look, really. Plus swimming sucks balls.

I thought about a turbo session this weekend. Then crie off on account of the epic chances of some heinous balls up whilst mounting or dismounting. Frankly, I think I'm a bit gun shy at the mo. I'd rather give it the prescribed three weeks of proper rest in the naive hope that my recovery [sic] will then be magically accelerated.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Today, I had my first completely crutchless day.

It was *so* liberating!

itboffin

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

I am not posting an image of the Boot Of Shame.

I'm allowed to swim, but the trick is the logistics of getting from the changing room to the poolside, hopping on wet floor, without further injury. Crutches and budgie smugglers? Not a great look, really. Plus swimming sucks balls.

I thought about a turbo session this weekend. Then crie off on account of the epic chances of some heinous balls up whilst mounting or dismounting. Frankly, I think I'm a bit gun shy at the mo. I'd rather give it the prescribed three weeks of proper rest in the naive hope that my recovery [sic] will then be magically accelerated.

would this be a blue NHS Boot of Shame (BoS)?

msmancunia

itboffin wrote:

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

I am not posting an image of the Boot Of Shame.

I'm allowed to swim, but the trick is the logistics of getting from the changing room to the poolside, hopping on wet floor, without further injury. Crutches and budgie smugglers? Not a great look, really. Plus swimming sucks balls.

I thought about a turbo session this weekend. Then crie off on account of the epic chances of some heinous balls up whilst mounting or dismounting. Frankly, I think I'm a bit gun shy at the mo. I'd rather give it the prescribed three weeks of proper rest in the naive hope that my recovery [sic] will then be magically accelerated.

would this be a blue NHS Boot of Shame (BoS)?

Feeling your pain there Greg, re the Boot of Shame. I am now cast-less in order to type, apply make-up, cook, and be able to actually dress myself in clothes other than sweatpants and hoodies, but the downside is, I have one of those carpal tunnel type splints. And it's Flesh Coloured :shock: They may as well have given me a pair of those blue rimmed glasses.

I have a black one on order from that internet, but no guarantee that it will turn up in time for me to wear it to the British Cycling works Christmas do, therefore forcing me to wear the one that is the same colour as a pair of American Tan tights.

rubertoe

This may actually be the gheyest thread ever....

daviesee

Does my cast look big in this?

Clever Pun

got a broken sesamoid... no op just take it easy... I thought it was pretty much repaired after 6 months half arsing it... it went again, back to square one. Except I'm rounder now

EKE_38BPM

msmancunia wrote:

I have a black one on order from that internet

Internet dating, eh?

greg66_tri_v2.0

Bollocksing bollocks.

It seems that I do not have the healing powers of Wolverine after all. In fact, age takes it toll on me just like everyone else. Another two weeks in the boot - my Christmas present will be release from the boot. So it seems I have commuted by bike for the last time this year (a Boxing Day outside bike ride was offered to me by the consultant as something to look forward to).

I can, I think, turbo it between now and then. The difficulty I found at the weekend was the mount/dismount - at some point my bad foot has to bear all my weight, whether it's on the floor on in a bike shoe clipped in. Some scope for "ouch" there. Pedalling is fine though.

Running is currently scheduled for mid Jan. I can see that being my birthday present to myself - third week of Jan.

Oh well.

tgotb

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

I can, I think, turbo it between now and then. The difficulty I found at the weekend was the mount/dismount - at some point my bad foot has to bear all my weight, whether it's on the floor on in a bike shoe clipped in. Some scope for "ouch" there. Pedalling is fine though.

A cyclocross remount would do the job. Not suggesting now would be a good time to learn, but if you can lift your bad leg unaided you could consider the following, which is a sort of slow-motion easy-access version of the technique:
1. Approach the bike on the side which puts your bad foot closest to the bike (ie if your bad foot is the right one, left side of the bike).
2. Place good foot on ground, close to and roughly level with chainset
3. Place hands on handlebars (tops probably easiest)
4. Lift bad foot/leg over rear wheel
5. Bring upper thigh of bad leg to rest on saddle
6. Slide onto saddle
7. Place feet on pedals

With bike on turbo, might be easier if you can arrange to step off some sort of raised step rather than the ground.

UndercoverElephant

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

Running is currently scheduled for mid Jan. I can see that being my birthday present to myself - third week of Jan.

Narcotics Anonymous wrote:

Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.

Mr. T wrote:

I pity the foo'.

EKE_38BPM

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

Running is currently scheduled for mid Jan. I can see that being my birthday present to myself - third week of Jan.

Narcotics Anonymous wrote:

Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.

Mr. T wrote:

I pity the foo'.

+1

greg66_tri_v2.0

TGOTB wrote:

Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:

I can, I think, turbo it between now and then. The difficulty I found at the weekend was the mount/dismount - at some point my bad foot has to bear all my weight, whether it's on the floor on in a bike shoe clipped in. Some scope for "ouch" there. Pedalling is fine though.

A cyclocross remount would do the job. Not suggesting now would be a good time to learn, but if you can lift your bad leg unaided you could consider the following, which is a sort of slow-motion easy-access version of the technique:
1. Approach the bike on the side which puts your bad foot closest to the bike (ie if your bad foot is the right one, left side of the bike).
2. Place good foot on ground, close to and roughly level with chainset
3. Place hands on handlebars (tops probably easiest)
4. Lift bad foot/leg over rear wheel
5. Bring upper thigh of bad leg to rest on saddle
6. Slide onto saddle
7. Place feet on pedals

With bike on turbo, might be easier if you can arrange to step off some sort of raised step rather than the ground.

That's not a bad idea. The bottle cage mounts will stop me swinging my leg over the rear wheel/saddle rear though. with a step, I can probably swing the bad foot forward over the top tube/handlebars, then mount the saddle, then place both feet into the shoes (it's easier ATM leaving the shoes clipped in).

I have no shame when it comes to using a stepladder to get on my bike in the comfort and privacy of my own home.

As for you other two, I'm detecting a disturbing lack of support!

rubertoe

Get a trampoline and mount it like a Cowboy mounts a horse when fleeing some Injuns.

veronese68

Please don't forget to set up a video camera and share any subsequent unintentional rapid dismounts with us.
Good luck, and I hope it heals by Christmas.
Can I also make a suggestion for a new year's resolution? NO RUNNING!

EKE_38BPM

In a different time, I could imagine Peg Leg Greg66 as an officer in the Forces and as the signature of former forumite, NGale, said:

NGale wrote:

Officers don't run, it's undignified and panics the men"

greg66_tri_v2.0

Yesterday I was in Mallorca doing a half Ironman. 1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1 km (half marathon) run for those not aware of but interested in the distances. Due to embarrassment and humiliation, there will be no race report.

The Commuting Chat Forum wrote:

Aaawww! Go on!

All right then, if you insist.

Two things about Mallorca: it is hot and (as others have observed) it is lumpy. Coming from Blighty in Spring, it's easy to forget how intense the sun is down in southern parts. I won't be forgetting that factoid again.

With 3500 competitors, there's no mass start. The organisers make up for this by firing age groups down a 10m wide chute into the sea. With 500+ in our age group, this made for absolute carnage. The first 800m out to the turn point was like being in a pub fight that had been chucked in a washing machine. Only a bit worse.

Past the second corner and into the return straight, things mellowed a bit, and I found some space in which to swim - which is, after all, the point of the swim leg.

Out of the water spitting briny Mediterranean seawater we had a short 500m run to the entrance of transition, which was itself a kilometre long. FFS! A quick fight with my wetsuit and off I clacked in bike shoes to find my bike. I didn't bother with sun cream, because (a) I wasn't planning on sunbathing, but (b) I had put some waterproof factor 50 on earlier, which should be fine, right?

Out on the bike course I found out quickly that my shoulders were aching too much to hold an aero position - the first of many consequences of inadequate preparation shining through. This wasn't all bad though, as the second consequence was not being able to hold my head up from my aero tuck for very long at a time. So I was up, then down, then up, then down...

For those that know the area, the bike route leaves Alcudia and heads north on the coast road (=crosswind from the right) to Pollensa. Then we turn inland and head on a consistent 1-2% incline for the climb that takes us up to Lluc. This isn't a bad climb by roadie standards - 7km averaging 5.5%, with a max of maybe 10% on short sections. It's just not what you want when you're trying to go flat out on a TT bike.

It also has a twin peak: you get to the top, then you drop, then you round a sharp corner losing all speed and continue up again to the real top. Lovely.

Now, at some point between the peaks my adductors started whining. By the second peak they were properly screaming. That meant that pedalling was exquisitely painful (not such a problem, as the next part of the route was a fast hairpinned descent) and that I couldn't put any weight on my sit bones without more exquisite pain (that *was* a problem). So there I sat like an uncomfortable and unwilling passenger "enjoying" the descent. Still, I was better off than the rider who'd had an off at the final of the top hairpins. The ambulance guys had a rope hanging over the barrier and were peering into a drop which, on a recce the following day, we reckoned was roughly like falling off the roof of a house.

Off the descent and it was pedal time again - Ye Gods it hurt. A lot. Really really a lot. Enough to make me contemplate DNF'ing. But I vaguely remembered the horror of the Marmotte, and how my legs can sometimes come back to me after a while. So I plugged away, spun when I could (didn't help) and stood out of the saddle when I could (did help). My training buddy swept past me during this part of the race, and provided a bit of incentive to push on (as he vanished into the distance). After about another 10k, things seemed to be a bit looser, and I was pedalling more freely again.

Now we were on either flat or 1-2% in our favour in a long run to the coast. So after a few "test bursts" I decided all was well enough to crack on. By which I mean "crack on hard enough to make up all the lost time and some more". I managed to catch and repass my training buddy, then get passed again, repass, and so on. Now, despite having some absolutely flying moments, and occasionally being that guy who flies by on the trick TT rig (instead of the person flown by), this "crack on" tactic had wholly expected consequences: after 40k of "whump, whump, whump" balls-to-the-wall riding I rocked up at T2 with legs utterly cooked. Well done me!

So in T2 I glugged a gel and the remainder of my bottle, forgetting that I'd had a big chunk of Clif bar and drink 10 mins earlier. I exited T2, into the searing heat of the early afternoon, with a belly fuller of food and liquid than if I'd been on a beer and curry extravaganza. Not good.

By coincidence I'd hit T2 at the same time as my training buddy. We left T2 stride for stride. Our pace over the first two km was waaay too fast, leaving me feeling like I was going to vomit with enough force to flatten a barn. We got to the first aid station and I pulled out the white flag - of sorts - I walked the aid station while my buddy ran on. And so that became the pattern of my day - CBA'd-itis set in and I walked every aid station for almost the first half of the run. This was doubly dispiriting: seeing your training buddy disappear into the distance when you can do nothing in response hurts, but also I'd run 10 miles the previous weekend at a faster pace than the first two km of this run, and yet those 2km had crushed me.

By about 2/3s of the way round the second lap - so maybe the 12km mark - my stomach seemed to have emptied and I had my temperature under control through repeated dousings with cold water at the aid stations. I started to find a rhythm to my running again, and with only a couple more pauses managed to run out the balance of the race at reasonable pace. Little did I know when I crossed the line that my training buddy, who at one point on an out and back section I reckoned to be at least a km ahead of me, had exploded on the third lap of the run and come in only two minutes ahead of me.

All in all, a frustrating race. There's little point devoting a reasonable amount of time and the required money to enter these things: you're better off devoting the necessary amount of time, or not bothering (at least, in my view). Hot temps and me don't agree (see posts passim about the Marmotte last year). And despite having much better run fitness that I had last year, it remains All About The Bike. If you can't dismount the bike leg with fresh legs, your run fitness will be crushed. I've been, I now realise, far too complacent about the bike and need to pull my finger out.

Oh, and a postscript: the absence of sun cream means that my shoulder and calves are now proper blood red. Glowing, if you will, but not in a good way.

Until next time...

msmancunia

Well if City had lost today I would have found this a mildly amusing tale to cheer me up, but seeing that they won, I actually feel able to give you genuine bona fide sympathy. I am dermatalogically challenged at the best of times (I don't have ginger hair but I do have ginger skin). I also completely overheated on a puny hill called the Col de Pontis on hols last year, burst into incoherent tears and had to be prised off a bike when I got to the top.

Prescription: lots of fanta and crisps to get your tummy/salts/sugars back to normal.
Burns cream like Acriflex for the sunburn. It's better than calamine or aftersun.
Sleep on your tummy when you blister or a loved one will have to literally peel you off the sheets.
If you are mad enough to do one of these events in the summer, do it on the last day, so you'll acclimatise.
And well done for even attempting it.

veronese68

Oh dear. You didn't take my recommendation for a new years resolution then. The good thing about reading these is they make me feel a lot better about my exercise avoidance regime.