100 MILES (non of this sissy metric century stuff)

Yeah, that's right - I knocked out 100 miles today. This metric stuff is for wimps - Imperial system is where it's at - long live the King!

100 miles - not bad, but even better was that my average speed was 17.7mph - even better than that is that the total ascent was over 10,000 feet. Ok, my average heart rate was 144, a bit high for a ride that long, but it was friggin' cold when I started - and that adds added at least 10bpm for the first hour or so.

So the deal was this, I would ride from my house to a metric century ride, do the ride, then come home. I was trying to do around 100, the only problem was that if I did the whole enchilada, it would have been 115+. My longest ride this year has been around 60, so that was definitely pushing it.

So, I cut a chunk out of the metric century and headed home early - not sure that my fellow riders understood all of this, but that's too bad - not to mention, I was tired of riding in a pack after 50 miles with them or so - I really like some alone time when I ride, so this was a good time to break off.

Anyway, aside from the cold start and a bit of wind, the weather was fabulous. The course was awesome - particularly the new route I came up with getting to the park. No pics. My pockets were overflowing with cold weather gear after a couple of hours in, so really no room for a camera.

I felt a little queasy and realized I was getting a bit dehydrated. Had to stop by a Wawa for some water only 10 miles from home, but felt much better after I took in some fluid.

So, my first century ride in early this year. Cool.

foot plan

I've take 10 days off and have been thinking about the advice I've been given and the research I've done. I've already tried quite a few things to address my plantar fasciitus, but thought it would be good get it all down on paper. Here is what I think the priority should be to address Plantar Fasciitus. This assumes you already have it and it has moved from acute to chronic.

1. Rest (no running - but you must do 2-7 if you stop running or it will just get worse)
2. Stretching - calf and hamstring
3. Ice
4. Self Message
5. Orthodics - check
6. Strenghening Exercise
7. Night Splint
===================
8. Deep Tissue Massage
9 Cordizone shot
10. Accupuncture
11. Alcohol shot (still investigating this one)
12. Topaz (minimally invasive treatment)
13. ESWT (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy)

Step 12 and 13 could be reversed if your insurance pays for 11.

Spectatorship

I'm not a good spectator - never have been.

I like to be out there doing stuff. Training or racing - I don't care, just want to be in the mix of things.

I went to the BVD sprint race this week to support my club. It was nice. I learned a bit. But I just wanted to be out there racing.

Sucks... sucks, sucks, sucks that my foot is messed up.

So I'm planning my life for that day when my damn foot is better. I decided to shave over 3 minutes off my BVD time. That is a lofty goal - I think I can do it if I can ramp up my running again.

riding strong

Tuesday night is pirate ride. Fast and furious, take no prisoners, last man standing kind of ride. We pushed really hard. I finished with two other guys, a forth not far behind. We dropped about 10 guys. My legs nearly fell off at the end - yes I cracked on the last climb. That is my idea of fun!

If that wasn't enough, I decided to go for the Thursday night hill ride. My left knee was a bit sore, so I decided to try to take it easy. I started off easy, but once I met the group at the top of Alerton hill, things started getting out of control. We just hammered. One of the Tuesday night guys showed up and we just pushed each other on each hill. We were jammin' - it was great having someone to ride with that could keep up. Knee feels fine today (Friday).

Foot is toast

So I went to the podiatrist yesterday with my MRI films of my left foot in hand.

He concluded that I should stop running for at least the next 18 weeks... 4 weeks off, then either get ESWT (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy) or TOPAZ (minimally invasive Treatment for Tendon and Fascia Symptons)... either will require 14 weeks of recovery.

I am so bummed.

I'm going to get a second opinion. I think he skipped some steps. I never got an alcohol shot into my foot (some friends say they have done this after cortezone). I haven't tried acupuncture.

So I rode hard on Tuesday and Thursday nights. I'm thinking about a mountain bike race tomorrow. Fortunately I can still ride.

I guess all of that stretching and icing isn't paying off.

We will see how it goes.