Slow progress

Things are getting better, it's just taking a long, long, long time.

I've decided that I need to stop thinking about where I used to be or what I was capable of and focus on accepting where I am now.  This is my baseline, I need to work on improving from here.

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda, Used to don't have a place in my vocab anymore.

I've been doing my 15 min rides every second day.  Helen took me up to the velodrome last week and taught me how to ride around on the blue line.  I've been riding up there whenever I can.  I've also done my own little Brunswick-Roibax on the cobbled lane ways around my house.

Pilates is very challenging.  I feel like I'm improving and I am enjoying the classes.  I need to find a way to keep this in the schedule even when I'm back to full gas.

I've also done a little running.  The first couple of times it really hurt, buy my body quickly remembered how to do it. 

I love running.  Just love it.

Fatigue continues to be an issue but that also is improving.  It's all upside from here.

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Hi.

Remember me?

The last month has been rough to put it mildly.  Turns out concussion can knock you around a bit.

I've had memory loss and continue to have concentration issues.  I can't remember much about the first few weeks after the crash, so if you contacted me, thank you for your well wishes and concerns.  I really appreciate it even if I can't remember it.

My memory has improved some, but I've still got poor concentration and incredible fatigue.  However, in an exciting development I'm now approved for 15 minutes of riding on non consecutive roads as long as I stick to bike paths.  I can't process multiple pieces of information so the road is out of bounds for a while. 

So, 15 minutes on the mtb day before yesterday and 15 mins on the cx bike today.

Balance isn't great, so it's a little bit hairy, I'm scared of other people on the path and I need to sleep afterwards.

BEST FUN EVER. 

Car vs Bike

So I was finally feeling good and getting some consistency into my training.

After a gorgeous ride on the Boulevard on Tues morning I was headed home to shower before work.

A car unfortunately didn't notice I was riding in front of them and they hit me from behind as they turned left into me.

Luckily I just have concussion and some bruises.  Big muscles kept my bones safe.

No riding for a month, but I can get in the pool and on the trainer in a couple of weeks.

Could have been much worse, I feel very lucky.  My helmet smashed so bad you can see the frame inside the foam.  Thank goodness for helmets.

Pool

First time in the pool for a long time.

45 min session
Gentle pool running and one 25m underwater swim

Jeff knows me

So that one little comment yesterday has been excellent motivation.  I've had a brilliant day.

After a late night watching Neil at the Austral, I woke early and commuted down to Port Melb for a cornering lesson coached by one of the racing team. 
I'm confident enough on my own, but in the drops in a bunch around a tight corner has been problematic. 
The coach was able to break things down for me and I feel a whole lot more confident now.

I raced the crit to try and put the training into practise.  Being able to go around a corner fast and safely is awesome!

I chased some breaks, did some work, held some pace and then blew up 5 mins before the finish and didn't finish in the bunch.  It's all practise.   First you get droped, then your pack fodder, then....

Gavin and Helen missed yesterday and they both were able to come around for a session.

I styled something similar to Jeff yesterday and yowsers I'm sore now.


15 deck squats

5 times through
20 box jumps
old school barbell run to shop
16kg kbell
50 OA swing
20 snatch each hand
5 LCCJ each hand

'You used to be an athlete'

That sentence will motivate me for a very long time.  Thanks Jeff for today's session, I needed it.  Thanks also for the motivation.  I'm very lucky to have you on my side.

AM
4.5km run to Smith St to get my car.   Glutes and quads cramped, felt super heavy and slow.  Actually turned my garmin off because I was disappointed with the 6+ min k's. 
So, in the spirit of accepting where I am right now,  I kept going, relaxed my face and enjoyed the familiar sensation of running on a crisp morning.  It was fantastic, I loved it.  I feel inspired to keep trying.

PM
Jeff in the park.

Aqua bag run 1.5km
20 x 16kg kb resistance band run uphill walk recovery downhill (50m)
2 x 16kg kb farmer walk 1.5km - that was a good mental test.   I found it really difficult, but again used gratitude for the fact that I was doing something I love to get me through
forearms and grips were now well and truly gone so
100 snatches each hand 10kg kb were really difficult.

Perfect session.

Kaboom and Kinglake

Sun

SKCC crit.  Not sure what happened today but I felt less than ordinary.   I started and felt fine, fast bunch this week.  I was 5th wheel and quite happy and comfortable sitting there.   All of a sudden I went to pedal, no faster, just pedalling and I went from 5th wheel to off the back and not able to get back on.
I rolled around to the finish and called it quits.  I haven't felt like that before, something was NQR.

Kinglake
Jen and I drove to St Andrews and rode the climb at Kinglake.  I felt ok doing this but something is wrong with either my glute, my bike fit or both.  My back hurt way too much, not just usual muscle fatigue and soreness either. 
I'll go back and see Skinny this week.