Lyme Disease Sucks PT Deux

Well, quite a bit has been going on with me physically in the past 3+ months. Lets recap shall we? I have decided to give it one big long supercalifragi... kinda name-ConcusiRhabdoAppendiLymeasucks. After a series of MRI's and blood work, Lyme's is the winner; I unfortunately find myself on the short end again. I dont know what all of the numbers mean on the report, but more positives than negatives isnt good. The results also showed a low red blood cell count (limiting oxygen in the blood); which explains the whole feeling like I am gonna die when I put forth any hard efforts- kinda like anti-EPO

I was diagnosed with Lyme a few years back and was thought then that we caught it early on and all was good with the world. Needless to say ( envisioning a Jack Nicholson moment) Im baaack.

With the race season over-for me anyway-I find myself not even wanting to ride. I really have to force myself to get out and tell myself to saddle up pardner. Once I am out, all is good-mentally anyway. At least I know now what the heck is wrong now. It doesnt make my season go any smoother, but I know now what I am up against. The dizziness, fatigue, etc. now has a face; and I think it is rather ugly.

So, I am just going to go out and ride and maybe, just maybe see some things I missed before. I may try to race the last race at Fountainhead and do it for fun; for fun is a hard statement to make, but I will try.

What Race Season?

Well, this year has been a big fat ugly wash for me. What started out to be the most promising season for me has just taken a big dump in the toilet of cycling life. I have been off the bike since monday and eating crap food to boot; if I keep this up I will look like White Goodman at the end of Dodgeball.

I have decided to pull the plug on this years race season. It will be the first time I havent been in the Cranky Monkey series since 2006. CX season will be a no show either. My body just isnt responding to what my brain wants it to do...stupid body. I am going to try and do our bike shop ride tomorrow and see what happens. I havent done anything hard in over a week so this should be interesting.

My MRI results came back negative, so that is good; but the neurologist seems to be pointing to Lyme's...again. I had my blood drawn a few days ago and awaiting the results. I had that crap a few years back and was able to catch it in time with antibiotics so no harm done. I also have to go for an eye exam because of some blurriness in my left eye-should "eye" go on? That was bad. Anyway, I am thankful I can at least still ride; just not to the degree I was able to before.

Maybe with some time (steady rising horns with a touch of synth and tribal beat) I SHALL OVERCOME THESE TEMPORARY SETBACKS AND LIKE THE PHOENIX RISING FROM THE ASHES...DEFEAT THE ENEMY AND REGAIN MY RIGHTFUL POSITION AS THE SINGLESPEED MORON! Uh, what was that all about? So in a nutshell, I am coming back to ride more betterer than before.

Ah...Push it

Simply ravishing!

Oh baby baby...bababy baby... Hey, I am an 80's retro grouch and proud of it.  Some things get better with age and those two gorgeous ebony lovely's are it. They can season my turkey burgers anytime. Uh, ok...

Today I was determined to go out and hit some hills, push it a little and throw caution to the wind-like spitting but less messy and embarrassing in front of others. My power has been as consistent as a politician in office. I cant find any rhythm nor recovery after any hard efforts.

I was overall pleased with the results today and although the dizziness was there even with headwinds most of the ride; it was minimal or maybe I just decided to ignore it.  Wow, they are simply beautiful...(weird cartoon sound shaking my head-eyeyeyeyeye). Onward to the bike stuff. Most of the climbing today was relatively short, but averaged 4%-9% grades. I aended up in some places that I havent been before and found some very nice steep stuff to test the head. I was able to put down good power, but the recovery was still way too long; but I survived.

My legs are a bit rough afterwards, but I was glad that I went out and tried to hammer as best I could for now. I think the race season is done for me at this point. I may decide to go  to Fountainhead for the last race of the series, but I will wait to see how I feel.

Anyway, Salt n Pepa, you should change your names to Hot n Spicy, but they have nothing on my wife for sure.

Not hard to figure out

  

and darn tired of it!

The Hybrid

This really should have an explanation, but I think the pics are all that is needed.
The funkiest hybrid ever to grace the streets of middle river. It is missing bar ends pointed at the sky and an adjustable stem... all in good time... all in good time.

Today was the first time that this here bike has touched asphalt in over 2 years; it has been my indoor trainer bike for that time. I have to say, this is the twitchiest frame ever. Even when it had drop bars, it felt as if the bike was always going into spasms. The original flexible flyer. Just one reason that it is relegated to the trainer.

This was a hand me down from my friend Phil. So get a laugh or two from it and move on wit your bad self and dream of only having a cooler hybrid than this.

Just a Lousy Day

Ugly...just plain ugly

Well, it was bound to happen. The dreaded DNF. I havent even seen those 3 letters in quite some time. Never thought I would see them again either. Unfortunately, yesterday at the first Cranky Monkey race of the year, it came back to bite me in the... Temperatures were close to 100° and I thought I was feeling ok. 15 looney singlespeeders lined up to beat each other up to get into the singletrack first. Off we went and the pain began. Dust flying, heavy breathing and...wait a minute, that was on the Nat Geo channel last night on the mating rituals of the Rhino. BAck to reality here...focus man. Anyway, Jon took off and I was much obliged to answer his first attack. First dizzy spell. We were out in front with about a 20 second gap from 3rd. I could tell Jon was feeling the effects of the heat as I was as well. Around mile 7 I felt the dreaded feeling of passing out and dizziness again. I thought, I will get through this, I am in 2nd place right now and I will prevail...uh I didnt. I decided to call it quits at the start of the 2nd lap and still 2nd place.

I tell you what, nothing is more painful than putting out an effort only to not finish; it sucks big time. I thought about going back out, but I just didnt want to end up on the side of the trail passed out or worse yet, falling and hitting my noggin on a rock and having everyone running over my lifeless body and laughing as they did. Visions of Tom Hanks in the Money Pit as the tub fell through the floor.

So today I went for an MRI and wont know anything until wednesday. In an odd way, I hope they find something so at least I know what the heck is going on.

Now I have to decide whether or not to pull the plug on the rest of the race season.

It might be time to slow down a bit

Well, it took me 12 months to do what I have done in 8 so far this year. This is just a comparison and what can be done with a family and 3 kids.

To race or not to race...that is the question

3k in 14.4 miles

Today I hit the trails trying to get a hard ride in before Schaeffer Farm this weekend. At 9am, it was already 86° and super humid. The goal was to get as much climbing as I possibly could in a short amount of time. Merrymans is the best place for mountain bike intervals-if you are akin for that sort of thing I suppose. The first climb, which incidentally starts immediately, is a rocky, steep grinder. Now, as you may already know, I am "suffering" from a case of dizziness-no not old age, AARP dizziness-and a bit of vertigo. Everytime I put in some hard efforts, my body seems to not listen to my brain. Anyway, the heat was suppressing which didnt make todays goals any easier. Funny how some of your technical skills seem to diminish the more time spent on the road bike. It was sketchy at times trying to navigate some areas, mainly due to the fact I hadnt ridden some of the section at all or it has been a very long time.

I decided to gear down to a 16 to make the climbing that much tougher. I was pleasantly surprised at the results I got despite struggling a bit at times with the feeling of blacking out. Cant imagine having narcolepsy.

I never go out to take KOM's on purpose. If I did, my whole training...wait did I say training? Hmmm-ok, I am back. If they come as a result of my training, so be it. It does feel good though. The thing about Merrymans is that there are no "easy" climbs; you have to really work hard. Lots of rocks, roots and steep grades, some as much as 15-20%.

So back to my title. Though the results show a good ride, my body is just not recovering well right now. Not that it wasnt difficult before, but it seems I am working alot harder than I should be. I have an appointment with the neurologist on the 22nd to see if there is something going on. My vision has been taking a hit as well. Seems the left eye-which is the side I hit my noggin at Bakers-is getting blurry. Maybe he will see that I am really a moron or at least a little on the insane side.

Eh, so I will have to see how I feel the morning of the race and decide from there. Stay single and ride hard.