Today, I set out with the best of intentions. I wanted to go further and longer than before, and I covered new routes.
By the numbers: 40 minutes, 4.7 avg speed, 15.9 mph max, 3.2 miles total.
I set out to go across town, and this meant getting out of the neighbourhood, and travel on a busy city street. But the terrain was much more hilly than I was used to riding, so my energy was consumed rather quickly.
In the good news section, I was able to pull a taller gear going up some hills, and got up to sixth gear on a flat with a slight descent.
I made it over the Craig Avenue, a familiar road when I lived on McAlway, and did my first bicycle riding back in 1988. The 'huge' hill that I thought would be impossible to climb, didn't seem quite as daunting on the Silver Rover.
At 3:43, my blood sugar is 127, it was 139 at 2 pm when I started. It was 178 at 11:50 am.
I am feeling weary, but not exhausted right now. I feel like I accomplished something today.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Sixth ride--felt like the first ride
Today, my body just didn't want to exercise. But I forced it to work-out.
By the numbers: 1.73 miles, at an average of 3.7 mph, ride time 27.4 minutes and maxed out at 22.5 mph. I have put 12.9 miles on this computer, by the way.
I didn't ride yesterday, which would have been three days in a row. I thought my muscles needed a rest. Today, it was like the first time riding. Ascents were difficult.
One thing that popped into my head today, worth sharing. Human powered vehicles--recumbent trikes in this case, are the rewards-based exercise machines. You start out very heavy, with weak muscles, and plenty of body fat. As you ride, you lose weight, you lighten the load, you make it easier to ride longer and harder. As your muscles work out, they burn more calories, even after the work out. And then the reward cycle begins anew.
I have done this before, but with two good legs. The strength of my real leg is in sharp contrast to just having thigh and a small calf on the residual limb. My cadence is off- balance, but since I in a padded wide seat, I have no fear of falling over.
Austin is going bonkers because there are dogs on his TV. He doesn't like unwelcome visitors of the television canine variety. And his barking is affecting my tired brain....
At 5:22pm my blood sugar is 123. At 3:16 pm, it was 286. BAM!
By the numbers: 1.73 miles, at an average of 3.7 mph, ride time 27.4 minutes and maxed out at 22.5 mph. I have put 12.9 miles on this computer, by the way.
I didn't ride yesterday, which would have been three days in a row. I thought my muscles needed a rest. Today, it was like the first time riding. Ascents were difficult.
One thing that popped into my head today, worth sharing. Human powered vehicles--recumbent trikes in this case, are the rewards-based exercise machines. You start out very heavy, with weak muscles, and plenty of body fat. As you ride, you lose weight, you lighten the load, you make it easier to ride longer and harder. As your muscles work out, they burn more calories, even after the work out. And then the reward cycle begins anew.
I have done this before, but with two good legs. The strength of my real leg is in sharp contrast to just having thigh and a small calf on the residual limb. My cadence is off- balance, but since I in a padded wide seat, I have no fear of falling over.
Austin is going bonkers because there are dogs on his TV. He doesn't like unwelcome visitors of the television canine variety. And his barking is affecting my tired brain....
At 5:22pm my blood sugar is 123. At 3:16 pm, it was 286. BAM!
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Fifth ride--longer, and faster.
Today, I went further, and faster than ever before on the Silver Rover.
I achieved 26 mph as my max speed. I rode for 46 minutes, with an average speed of 4.5 mph over a distance of 3.6 miles.
My blood glucose level at 2:47 pm was 133. My blood sugar was 220 at 9:26 am, before I ate a bowl of oatmeal and drank a cup of coffee for breakfast.
Again, today was a perfect day for my daily workout. The sky was crystal blue, clear and crisp. It is a good sweatshirt kind of day, and I did break a sweat.
I needed 17 ply of stocking on my residual limb to prevent the pistoning effect, as I pull back and push forward in the cycle of pedalling. Two centimetres really isn't much, about 3/4 of an inch. But when you lose that much diameter, your artificial leg is loose in the socket. Skin breakdown has been the thorn in my side since 2010, and the six surgeries, I hope were the last. I have run out of tibia to be trimmed.
My decision to get a Recumbent Tricycle was the proper way to get back into shape and regain my health. It may be the perfect exercise device for an amputee. I can just stop in my tracks, rest and catch my breath, get a sip of water, and pedal some more. I am under no illusion that I am an endurance athlete, and I know it must seem like a turtle's crawl to anyone watching me struggle to get up a hill.
What a thrill it was to go 26 mph, with the wind in my face. That was the big drop on my neighbourhood route, and it is FUN! The momentum of 400 pounds, going that fast, rolls a good distance up the other side.
This is the first two-days in a row for me. I still keep enough energy to pedal up my ramp into my parking space.
To say, everything is perfect, just the way it is means I accept that we are on a journey. That journey has a destination, and for me that is getting under 300 lbs., and having sufficient cardiovascular fitness to be able to walk, without doing damage to my residual limb.
I have good doctors, and I have an excellent prostheticist in Claiborne Prosthetics. I have plenty of time--setting my goal for February 9, 2017--to get under 300 lbs., but I somehow think we will be there sooner, rather than later.
My friends came together, and bought me this Silver Rover out of their love and concern for me. I am truly blessed, and grateful to all involved.
I achieved 26 mph as my max speed. I rode for 46 minutes, with an average speed of 4.5 mph over a distance of 3.6 miles.
My blood glucose level at 2:47 pm was 133. My blood sugar was 220 at 9:26 am, before I ate a bowl of oatmeal and drank a cup of coffee for breakfast.
Again, today was a perfect day for my daily workout. The sky was crystal blue, clear and crisp. It is a good sweatshirt kind of day, and I did break a sweat.
I needed 17 ply of stocking on my residual limb to prevent the pistoning effect, as I pull back and push forward in the cycle of pedalling. Two centimetres really isn't much, about 3/4 of an inch. But when you lose that much diameter, your artificial leg is loose in the socket. Skin breakdown has been the thorn in my side since 2010, and the six surgeries, I hope were the last. I have run out of tibia to be trimmed.
My decision to get a Recumbent Tricycle was the proper way to get back into shape and regain my health. It may be the perfect exercise device for an amputee. I can just stop in my tracks, rest and catch my breath, get a sip of water, and pedal some more. I am under no illusion that I am an endurance athlete, and I know it must seem like a turtle's crawl to anyone watching me struggle to get up a hill.
What a thrill it was to go 26 mph, with the wind in my face. That was the big drop on my neighbourhood route, and it is FUN! The momentum of 400 pounds, going that fast, rolls a good distance up the other side.
This is the first two-days in a row for me. I still keep enough energy to pedal up my ramp into my parking space.
To say, everything is perfect, just the way it is means I accept that we are on a journey. That journey has a destination, and for me that is getting under 300 lbs., and having sufficient cardiovascular fitness to be able to walk, without doing damage to my residual limb.
I have good doctors, and I have an excellent prostheticist in Claiborne Prosthetics. I have plenty of time--setting my goal for February 9, 2017--to get under 300 lbs., but I somehow think we will be there sooner, rather than later.
My friends came together, and bought me this Silver Rover out of their love and concern for me. I am truly blessed, and grateful to all involved.
Monday, October 19, 2015
Fourth ride, expanding my route.
Again, a picture perfect day for a trike ride. Crystal clear blue skies, a nip in the air, but I still worked up a sweat in a sweating shirt.
I feel so comfortable on the Silver Rover, I started to pull some larger gears on downhill, and achieved 18 mph. I am still dropping back to first gear on the up hills, and today I felt some discomfort in my socket. I think the new socket will solve those problems. My residual limb has shrunk 2 cm. since this socket was cast over 6 months ago. I have to wear additional ply of socks to avoid rubbing a skin breakdown. We are waiting on Medicaid to process the approval.
I did a longer route today, still feeling out the rising and falling elevations, just in my protected little playground. There is one huge steep hill that will be fun to go down, but too steep for me to go up, so I am using other streets, with a more gentle grade.
I am feeling a wee bit tired, more than exhilarated like my last ride. I challenged the status quo, and my muscles feel the burn.
I know after the first 8 minutes, while the lactic acids burn off, I can count on some pain. After that phase, then the quads are just eating glycogen and chugging right along.
At 2:08 pm, my blood sugar was 280, and at 3:43pm my blood sugar is 131 !
It is not the miles, nor is it the speed I crave. It is resolution of my type II Diabetes that is my ultimate goal.
I want to keep eating well, in proper portions, and ride at least every other day. I know there is a time when I will ride two-a-days--a early morning ride and an afternoon ride. I have been down the road before.
I will soon look back upon these short entries, and see from where I came.
One thing is for certain, I am no longer 400 lbs. and challenging the weight limit of the Silver Rover (type-E8). And that is a good thing. I don't own a scale, I am too OCD to have such a device. If I am losing weight, it will show when I go to get my finger stick for the warfarin. If it is the same, I know I am trading fat for muscle.
I don't know about water. I know I take a diuretic and I have started drinking coffee. I am limited by my bladder. I think it would be a good idea to carry a urinal bottle. If I need to make a pit stop, it is a lot of trouble getting my feet unhooked and finding a bush to step behind. In the recumbent seat, it is much easier to drain my radiator and pour in in the grass.
Well with that visual to keep simmering in your head, I sign off for today.
http://www.velozone.com/activity/view/2387032 to see "By the numbers"
I feel so comfortable on the Silver Rover, I started to pull some larger gears on downhill, and achieved 18 mph. I am still dropping back to first gear on the up hills, and today I felt some discomfort in my socket. I think the new socket will solve those problems. My residual limb has shrunk 2 cm. since this socket was cast over 6 months ago. I have to wear additional ply of socks to avoid rubbing a skin breakdown. We are waiting on Medicaid to process the approval.
I did a longer route today, still feeling out the rising and falling elevations, just in my protected little playground. There is one huge steep hill that will be fun to go down, but too steep for me to go up, so I am using other streets, with a more gentle grade.
I am feeling a wee bit tired, more than exhilarated like my last ride. I challenged the status quo, and my muscles feel the burn.
I know after the first 8 minutes, while the lactic acids burn off, I can count on some pain. After that phase, then the quads are just eating glycogen and chugging right along.
At 2:08 pm, my blood sugar was 280, and at 3:43pm my blood sugar is 131 !
It is not the miles, nor is it the speed I crave. It is resolution of my type II Diabetes that is my ultimate goal.
I want to keep eating well, in proper portions, and ride at least every other day. I know there is a time when I will ride two-a-days--a early morning ride and an afternoon ride. I have been down the road before.
I will soon look back upon these short entries, and see from where I came.
One thing is for certain, I am no longer 400 lbs. and challenging the weight limit of the Silver Rover (type-E8). And that is a good thing. I don't own a scale, I am too OCD to have such a device. If I am losing weight, it will show when I go to get my finger stick for the warfarin. If it is the same, I know I am trading fat for muscle.
I don't know about water. I know I take a diuretic and I have started drinking coffee. I am limited by my bladder. I think it would be a good idea to carry a urinal bottle. If I need to make a pit stop, it is a lot of trouble getting my feet unhooked and finding a bush to step behind. In the recumbent seat, it is much easier to drain my radiator and pour in in the grass.
Well with that visual to keep simmering in your head, I sign off for today.
http://www.velozone.com/activity/view/2387032 to see "By the numbers"
Friday, October 16, 2015
Euphoria...tales of the third good ride
Today, I took advantage of nearly perfect weather to ride a trike, to zoom to the highest heights.
By the numbers: 2.2 miles, 16.1 max mph, 26 minutes, 4.6 mph average.
I feel exhilarated. I have found the magic number of minutes till my brain floods with endorphins and I feel very high and happy. It was easier today to pull up hills in one gear higher, and even though I know I should pedal a regular cadence on the down side, I sometimes just coast, very quickly and catch my breath.
My little neighborhood has plenty of elevations to train myself on. I don't need to be out on busy streets, when cars are few and far between here on the side streets. I moved the computer to the opposite side, and when I programmed it, I may have put in wrong numbers the first time. That explains why my downhill max speed was 16 mph, instead of a meagre 12 mph.
Most importantly, my confidence is building. I can see how easily it will become a habit to ride daily and really start shedding poundage. I am still convinced that I am in a marathon till February, 2017 to reach my goal of being under 300 lbs. If it happens sooner, I will reset my goal--maybe to have ridden 1,000 miles by that date.
The Silver Rover is truly a "No Excuses, Fatass" kind of machine. When I get my feet strapped in, my riding gloves and helmet in place, and I roll out from my ramp-- I can do this thing!
I am not so vain, as to not pull over to the side of the street, set the parking brake and sip some cool water. My heart rate is governed by the pacemaker in my chest. It is going to beat 70 beats a minute, unless I am exercising. I have an appointment next week for my annual interrogation, and at that time we can review the upper level limits. If I sustain fast heart beats for a period of time the computer chip assumes I am in tachycardia, and will administer a shock treatment.
My easy does it, slow and steady method of getting back into shape should not cause a problem, and my fitness level is always good news when you see my cardiologist.
It is day two of no cable TV and I am OK. I watch local news and PBS, and my TV picture is beautiful. Free TV is so very kool.
By the numbers: 2.2 miles, 16.1 max mph, 26 minutes, 4.6 mph average.
I feel exhilarated. I have found the magic number of minutes till my brain floods with endorphins and I feel very high and happy. It was easier today to pull up hills in one gear higher, and even though I know I should pedal a regular cadence on the down side, I sometimes just coast, very quickly and catch my breath.
My little neighborhood has plenty of elevations to train myself on. I don't need to be out on busy streets, when cars are few and far between here on the side streets. I moved the computer to the opposite side, and when I programmed it, I may have put in wrong numbers the first time. That explains why my downhill max speed was 16 mph, instead of a meagre 12 mph.
Most importantly, my confidence is building. I can see how easily it will become a habit to ride daily and really start shedding poundage. I am still convinced that I am in a marathon till February, 2017 to reach my goal of being under 300 lbs. If it happens sooner, I will reset my goal--maybe to have ridden 1,000 miles by that date.
The Silver Rover is truly a "No Excuses, Fatass" kind of machine. When I get my feet strapped in, my riding gloves and helmet in place, and I roll out from my ramp-- I can do this thing!
I am not so vain, as to not pull over to the side of the street, set the parking brake and sip some cool water. My heart rate is governed by the pacemaker in my chest. It is going to beat 70 beats a minute, unless I am exercising. I have an appointment next week for my annual interrogation, and at that time we can review the upper level limits. If I sustain fast heart beats for a period of time the computer chip assumes I am in tachycardia, and will administer a shock treatment.
My easy does it, slow and steady method of getting back into shape should not cause a problem, and my fitness level is always good news when you see my cardiologist.
It is day two of no cable TV and I am OK. I watch local news and PBS, and my TV picture is beautiful. Free TV is so very kool.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
More thoughts as the endorphines are starting to fade...makes me want to go for another ride
Newton's First Law of Motion states that a body at rest will remain at rest unless an outside force acts on it, and a body in motion at a constant velocity will remain in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an outside force.
What was the external force that caused this body at rest to become a body in motion?
Six years, in and out of hospitals, and my leg for only short periods of time made me consign myself to a wheelchair, with the hope of eventually riding my bicycle, sometime in the future.
Mark Englander got me thinking about a recumbent, and the trike part came from my balance issues. We created the idea, and brought the idea into existence. Mark is now a Terra Trike dealer, and has sold another trike, other than mine.
Today I really felt comfortable on the Rover, and I finally realize that this is the is the solution. I have never thought it would happen, but the invisible hand came on the scene, and the money was raised, the trike was ordered, and I feel comfortable.
If it is comfortable, then there are no excuses for not doing it, until it becomes a habit, until you feel compelled to do it, even if it's raining.
Second Ride--First Blog Post
October 13, 2015
This is the first blog post from my second decent ride on the street. I may get around to transferring the data from the first ride.
Today, I decided to get in a 'good ride'. This would be my second trip on the streets, and I am glad I worked out on the training stand. Already it is getting easier. Today's ride was just way cool.
By the numbers: Distance 1.8 miles,12.9 mph top speed, Total ride time 27 minutes @ 3.8 average mph.
I was able to ride right up the gravel parking lot, across the yard to the side walk and up my ramp to the parking spot on my ramp's landing. The hand rails help me get up out of the Rover. and I am steps away from my front door.
I noticed one of the front disc brakes needs adjustment, it is dragging a bit. Not a significant drag, more an annoying rubbing noise. Nothing major.
The Silver Rover is a perfect trike for me. I know I am no longer 400 lbs., so that capacity translates to 'bullet-proof' for a lesser man, and that's a good thing.
It rolls so smoothly, I can not imagine riding anything else. I don't have a care as far as balance, and my thighs are starting to get nice and pumped up. Those large muscle groups keep burning calories long after the ride. Twenty-seven minutes is a good ride.
By blood sugar was 158 at 3:54 pre ride, post meal. My blood sugar at 5:31 in 95.
Now, for me, that is more important than my weight. My weight will fluctuate, based on water retention, but controlling blood sugar, with diet and exercise means resolving my Type 2 diabetes. And that would be the best thing for me.
My calves are howling, as are my quads and hamstrings but I ain't complaining.
The cable gets disconnected tomorrow. That's OK I can see my obsession is shifting from Sedentary to Body in Motion mode, and I can get all the news and important stuff from the internet.
Newton's First Law of Motion states that a body at rest will remain at rest unless an outside force acts on it, and a body in motion at a constant velocity will remain in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an outside force.
This is the first blog post from my second decent ride on the street. I may get around to transferring the data from the first ride.
Today, I decided to get in a 'good ride'. This would be my second trip on the streets, and I am glad I worked out on the training stand. Already it is getting easier. Today's ride was just way cool.
By the numbers: Distance 1.8 miles,12.9 mph top speed, Total ride time 27 minutes @ 3.8 average mph.
I was able to ride right up the gravel parking lot, across the yard to the side walk and up my ramp to the parking spot on my ramp's landing. The hand rails help me get up out of the Rover. and I am steps away from my front door.
I noticed one of the front disc brakes needs adjustment, it is dragging a bit. Not a significant drag, more an annoying rubbing noise. Nothing major.
The Silver Rover is a perfect trike for me. I know I am no longer 400 lbs., so that capacity translates to 'bullet-proof' for a lesser man, and that's a good thing.
By blood sugar was 158 at 3:54 pre ride, post meal. My blood sugar at 5:31 in 95.
Now, for me, that is more important than my weight. My weight will fluctuate, based on water retention, but controlling blood sugar, with diet and exercise means resolving my Type 2 diabetes. And that would be the best thing for me.
My calves are howling, as are my quads and hamstrings but I ain't complaining.
The cable gets disconnected tomorrow. That's OK I can see my obsession is shifting from Sedentary to Body in Motion mode, and I can get all the news and important stuff from the internet.
Newton's First Law of Motion states that a body at rest will remain at rest unless an outside force acts on it, and a body in motion at a constant velocity will remain in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an outside force.
Philosophiae Naturalis Principla Mathematica
Source: Boundless. “The First Law: Inertia.” Boundless Physics. Boundless, 21 Jul. 2015. Retrieved 13 Oct. 2015 from https://www.boundless.com/physics/textbooks/boundless-physics-textbook/the-laws-of-motion-4/newton-s-laws-46/the-first-law-inertia-236-10947/
Source: Boundless. “The First Law: Inertia.” Boundless Physics. Boundless, 21 Jul. 2015. Retrieved 13 Oct. 2015 from https://www.boundless.com/physics/textbooks/boundless-physics-textbook/the-laws-of-motion-4/newton-s-laws-46/the-first-law-inertia-236-10947/
Philosophiae Naturalis Principla Mathematica
Source: Boundless. “The First Law: Inertia.” Boundless Physics. Boundless, 21 Jul. 2015. Retrieved 13 Oct. 2015 from https://www.boundless.com/physics/textbooks/boundless-physics-textbook/the-laws-of-motion-4/newton-s-laws-46/the-first-law-inertia-236-10947/
Source: Boundless. “The First Law: Inertia.” Boundless Physics. Boundless, 21 Jul. 2015. Retrieved 13 Oct. 2015 from https://www.boundless.com/physics/textbooks/boundless-physics-textbook/the-laws-of-motion-4/newton-s-laws-46/the-first-law-inertia-236-10947/
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