Things I've Learned

For the past month, as many of you know, I've been off the bike. I've been off the elliptical. I've been off running and riding and everything in between. I've been activity less.

For one. whole. month.

During this time, I grappled with my diagnosis of a long term syndrome of the patella femoral kind. Something that would never go away. Something I would always have to work around and with. The thought of never being able to do anything physical without dealing in some way with pain was horrifying, and my mother got the brunt of my meltdowns. What would life be without riding my bike OR running OR pushing myself in any way? Who would I "be", if not an "active person"?

MOST fortunately, one actual professional fit, done several days ago, lifted the gloomy veil of PFS, and enlightened me to the fact that I had been riding with a poor fit from day one. Thus, my friends' attempts to transfer over my measurements and get me riding safely again were, thanks to me, ineffectual. Thus, the conglomoration of braces that I purchased from various sources and had been attempting to ride with last week are no longer needed.

Thus, I am, finally, 100%, back on the bike pain free. Officially, back offn'riding, though at a slow and steady wins the race clip.

In my month off, I anticipated some sort of earthshattering breakthrough. A divine moment of clarity that would crystalize my philosophy of athletics, if not life in general.

No such luck. In fact, my month off was so mundane as to be a non event. However, not all is completely lost, and to that end, here are a few things I've learned from the whole experience, from the time it occurred on June 29th to now:

1) It's extremely easy to get used to doing nothing.

2) Doing nothing for a short period of time will not cause you to balloon up to a size 25.

3) Don't be a know it all. Get help and listen to people who are more experienced.

4) STOPSTOPSTOP RIDDING OR RUNNING WHEN YOU FEEL A SHARP SUDDEN PAIN.

6) Doctors don't know everything.

7) Few things in life are as awesome as riding a bike.

8) I have a wonderful, supportive group of friends in GSO.

9) Few things in life are as awesome as maple bacon icecream.

10) My mother's endurance for listening to my meltdowns is endless. Thank god.

Hopefully, I won't forget numbers 1-8. #9 is simply a fact. #10 is simply a matter of good fortune.

Next steps?

I've met with my coach, Ashley Powell (www.catup.com), and we're on a gameplan to get me back up2speed. Step 1: Increase my mileage/endurance with the goal of putting the injury in the past in one month. Step 2: Gear up for the Gran Fondo, a century in October with a decent amount of climbing. Step 3: Cyclocross season!

So no huge life lessons learned, accept maybe that life does go on, and things do get better.