You know what's nice? A bike shop that endevours to keep you on the road and safe, but isn't trying to put its profit margin first. The shop on 96th & Broadway is a fairly busy place, but they were able to take my bike today and I'll pick it up about 4:30. I said I thought I needed a new chain, since mine got all rusty for a while, and the head honcho took one look and said I don't need a new chain; he asked me what my specific complaint was and I said basically it felt like the bike had slowed down, like I'm getting more friction than I should. He took a look at the bike and pointed out that the rear wheel is out of true and is rubbing the brake pad on every rotation and mentioned the hub probably needs some attention, too. "Basically," he said, "on these older bikes, until a part dies, don't replace it. Lubricate regularly and keep going." Good advice and I appreciated he didn't try to sell me a chain for one that didn't need replacing.
Had a good bike ride in to work today; great weather. I overdressed. I could use a rack, but my bike doesn't have the mounting holes for a proper rack and I can only use one of the racks that carries maybe a wadded up jacket or a notebook, but no more. I'll think about it. I'm beginning to understand the need for bike gloves and bike shorts.
I bought a better pump yesterday and was able to fully inflate the tires this morning. That alone made the ride much better (though much harder on my butt). My legs felt stronger and only on two uphills did I shift into the lowest gear. I was able to keep my speed up better today and even shifted the front derailleur into the higher gear for cruising up the west side. I was actually passing people for once!
March 30, 2006
March 29, 2006
new route
Until I stopped and stretched, my legs were killing me. And that is ALL GOOD.
I had a good run today. Not particularly fast, but I wasn't trying for fast. I was trying for continuous. Didn't manage that, but only because I had pauses for stretching, traffic, and buying some water halfway.
Took a new route I'd plotted out last week. Went up 4th ave (NY Marathon route) for about a mile and a half, cut over on 3rd across Gowanus Canal to Smith, turned left until I hit the BQE, then followed it around and down 3rd ave to my house. Good route, a little lonely, very urban; about 3.5 miles.
The legs hurt until I really stopped and stretched and then they were fine. I have interesting new aches and pains which I'm sure I'll get used to. More importantly, I had no lung issues. Minor coughing, not enough to stop me, and zero asthma problems. ZERO. It felt really good to be able to depend on my lungs to where I could work my legs, which is what everybody ELSE gets to do all the time, but is a little novel for me right now.
Ran the last 1/4 mile as a stride, at 5K speed. It felt supremely satisfying to be able to open up like that and not take it as a shot to the chest.
Tomorrow, I'm planning on bicycling to work again. I got a new air pump that will let me get the tires to their recommended inflation and will be stopping along the way to see about a rack and a new chain at the bicycle place on 96th. Maybe better headlight, too.
I had a good run today. Not particularly fast, but I wasn't trying for fast. I was trying for continuous. Didn't manage that, but only because I had pauses for stretching, traffic, and buying some water halfway.
Took a new route I'd plotted out last week. Went up 4th ave (NY Marathon route) for about a mile and a half, cut over on 3rd across Gowanus Canal to Smith, turned left until I hit the BQE, then followed it around and down 3rd ave to my house. Good route, a little lonely, very urban; about 3.5 miles.
The legs hurt until I really stopped and stretched and then they were fine. I have interesting new aches and pains which I'm sure I'll get used to. More importantly, I had no lung issues. Minor coughing, not enough to stop me, and zero asthma problems. ZERO. It felt really good to be able to depend on my lungs to where I could work my legs, which is what everybody ELSE gets to do all the time, but is a little novel for me right now.
Ran the last 1/4 mile as a stride, at 5K speed. It felt supremely satisfying to be able to open up like that and not take it as a shot to the chest.
Tomorrow, I'm planning on bicycling to work again. I got a new air pump that will let me get the tires to their recommended inflation and will be stopping along the way to see about a rack and a new chain at the bicycle place on 96th. Maybe better headlight, too.
March 23, 2006
Indomethacin Haze
I swear to God, if I knew who to talk to, I'd invest in a black market to street Indie. This shit is awesome.
So the bicycling, while being a great workout for my legs and lungs, only staved off the gout attack. I went to bed before 11 last night and about 12:45 was awoken when the pain of my gout got much worse. The whole area is swollen and tender and is just what gout is. So I tracked down my Indomethacin and in my sleep-induced fogginess, was very careful to distinguish between it and my Azithromycin - the names are too similar and the bottles are identical. Not that it would've mattered getting the Zithro doese 12 hours early, but I really needed the Indie pain killer. It took awhile to kick in and I finally got some relief about 2 a.m.
By the time I left for work this morning, I needed another dose. (I can stand a lot of pain without resorting to anything stronger than ibuprofen, but not a full gout attack. It pays to be able to walk, you know? Besides, I think Indie also helps clear out the urea crystals that are the cause of the problem.) It struck me that my medicine cabinet is getting rather full these days, so I counted it up: I'm on 9 current prescription drugs. In another couple of weeks, when I go back on TOBI, I'll be up to 10. Had this been a week ago, I'd be looking at 12. Geez. I'm becoming one of THOSE people. Makes me wonder what would happen if I stopped everything cold turkey for a week.
So now I'm at work, doing what I do through quite a pleasant indomethacin haze. The pain isn't gone, it's just more remote and doesn't bother me as much. Of course, nothing is bothering me as much at the moment. I hope this gout is done by the time I go to Charleston tomorrow; I'd like to get a run in while down there in the warm air.
So the bicycling, while being a great workout for my legs and lungs, only staved off the gout attack. I went to bed before 11 last night and about 12:45 was awoken when the pain of my gout got much worse. The whole area is swollen and tender and is just what gout is. So I tracked down my Indomethacin and in my sleep-induced fogginess, was very careful to distinguish between it and my Azithromycin - the names are too similar and the bottles are identical. Not that it would've mattered getting the Zithro doese 12 hours early, but I really needed the Indie pain killer. It took awhile to kick in and I finally got some relief about 2 a.m.
By the time I left for work this morning, I needed another dose. (I can stand a lot of pain without resorting to anything stronger than ibuprofen, but not a full gout attack. It pays to be able to walk, you know? Besides, I think Indie also helps clear out the urea crystals that are the cause of the problem.) It struck me that my medicine cabinet is getting rather full these days, so I counted it up: I'm on 9 current prescription drugs. In another couple of weeks, when I go back on TOBI, I'll be up to 10. Had this been a week ago, I'd be looking at 12. Geez. I'm becoming one of THOSE people. Makes me wonder what would happen if I stopped everything cold turkey for a week.
So now I'm at work, doing what I do through quite a pleasant indomethacin haze. The pain isn't gone, it's just more remote and doesn't bother me as much. Of course, nothing is bothering me as much at the moment. I hope this gout is done by the time I go to Charleston tomorrow; I'd like to get a run in while down there in the warm air.
March 22, 2006
Athelte one, defenseless chicken zip.
I just wolfed down an entire 4-piece KFC meal, including the biscuit*, in just under 15 minutes. Now I'm on to a bottle of Recoverite and a half bag of jelly beans. I am HONGRY.
How do you stave off an attack of the gout? You choose the bike over walking to the subway. Believe me, jamming ones toes into clips over and over again is actually better than walking, when the gout is coming on.
A little under four hours riding, total, today. Didn't have the speed I've had in the past, partly due to headwinds going to work and underinflated tires coming home, but mostly I'm not in the same shape as I was. Got about 27 miles in today, maybe 28, as my route to work took me across the park to the east side to pick up some Advair first, then back across the park. Arrived at work two hours after I left home, heavier by two Advair packs.
Left work heavier by about three pounds of salt water. Can you believe I have to have a prescription for salt water??? Well, I'm going to be breathing it in via nebulizer, so this is very official salt water. I am two types: 3% and 10% and am supposed to mix to 7%. You do the algebra. Me, I'll settle for 6.5%. I have a feeling that might be too irritating to the lungs and I'll be cutting back within a week to 3% and building up from there.
Oh, the saline is supposed to help mucous move up and out. We'll see. Aside from asthma issues, I'm feeling pretty good lately. Coughed up some stuff while on the bike, but not much.
The hills damn near killed me. Still didn't make me stop, though, just had to pedal very slowly in the lowest gear for a lot of the hills. I've got to get a better bike, one that's not working against me. I've also got to remember to sip from my sports bottle more often. My piss was, like, R12 yellow when I got home.
don't know if I'll run tomorrow; depends how my legs feel. They feel like rubber right now, so we'll see.
* KFC biscuits. I mean, what's the point? Really. Who eats these things, normally? Bland, tasteless, doughy; they seem to exist only to round out the four food groups in a KFC meal. Gimme Popeye's biscuits ANYTIME.
How do you stave off an attack of the gout? You choose the bike over walking to the subway. Believe me, jamming ones toes into clips over and over again is actually better than walking, when the gout is coming on.
A little under four hours riding, total, today. Didn't have the speed I've had in the past, partly due to headwinds going to work and underinflated tires coming home, but mostly I'm not in the same shape as I was. Got about 27 miles in today, maybe 28, as my route to work took me across the park to the east side to pick up some Advair first, then back across the park. Arrived at work two hours after I left home, heavier by two Advair packs.
Left work heavier by about three pounds of salt water. Can you believe I have to have a prescription for salt water??? Well, I'm going to be breathing it in via nebulizer, so this is very official salt water. I am two types: 3% and 10% and am supposed to mix to 7%. You do the algebra. Me, I'll settle for 6.5%. I have a feeling that might be too irritating to the lungs and I'll be cutting back within a week to 3% and building up from there.
Oh, the saline is supposed to help mucous move up and out. We'll see. Aside from asthma issues, I'm feeling pretty good lately. Coughed up some stuff while on the bike, but not much.
The hills damn near killed me. Still didn't make me stop, though, just had to pedal very slowly in the lowest gear for a lot of the hills. I've got to get a better bike, one that's not working against me. I've also got to remember to sip from my sports bottle more often. My piss was, like, R12 yellow when I got home.
don't know if I'll run tomorrow; depends how my legs feel. They feel like rubber right now, so we'll see.
* KFC biscuits. I mean, what's the point? Really. Who eats these things, normally? Bland, tasteless, doughy; they seem to exist only to round out the four food groups in a KFC meal. Gimme Popeye's biscuits ANYTIME.
March 21, 2006
the pull of the future
So soon it begins already; that lazy putting off 'til tomorrow what should have been done today. I had the morning free, I should have gone for a run; didn't even have to be that long. But instead I slept in (oh the pull of my PerfectSleeper matress is so strong these days!) and then farted around filing old papers and generally trying to get my shit together to get my taxes done. Then I thought I'd bicycle to work, but again, left the house to late to chance it, had to take the subway. (I can't wait to get my motorcycle back. The work on it is almost done.)
Tomorrow will either be a new 3 to 4 mile route incorporating some of my older Gowanus canal route, or I will bicycle in to work; either way, I'll get a good workout and my legs will train up a little bit more. Formal training has gone to hell for now and my only goal before Nashville is to get to a 10 or 11 mile long run on a weekend, a goal I think is in easy reach, given that six wasn't too bad Saturday.
I find myself looking forward more and more to not only running nonstop again, but also running faster. I know I have it in me to break a two-hour half-marathon, even to get it down to 1:45 someday, if I remain dedicated enough in my training. I KNOW I can break a five-hour marathon and possibly even 4:30 - again if my training remains dedicated, reasonable, and my lungs don't betray me again.
Now, some time ago I got the email from NYRR that confirms I can have a guaranteed entry into this year's NY marathon. It gave me a thrill to get it, but I've been sitting on it, wanting first to confirm that I can run again before actually entering. Well, if two weekends of decent runs aren't a clear sign, I don't know what is. So tonight, I put in my entry!
The application process is easy enough, hardly more than confirming who I am and affirming my intention to run the marathon....and giving my credit card info. (Seriously, for all that happens before, during, after, and around the Marathon, I'm surprised entry fees are as low as they are. Huge praise to all the volunteers.) When I completed the process, my receipt popped up on screen with "confirmed spot" written in large letters. I have to admit to doing the happy dance. Just a little bit.
Special to you-know-who: lottery entry deadline is July 1. *hint* *hint*
Tomorrow will either be a new 3 to 4 mile route incorporating some of my older Gowanus canal route, or I will bicycle in to work; either way, I'll get a good workout and my legs will train up a little bit more. Formal training has gone to hell for now and my only goal before Nashville is to get to a 10 or 11 mile long run on a weekend, a goal I think is in easy reach, given that six wasn't too bad Saturday.
I find myself looking forward more and more to not only running nonstop again, but also running faster. I know I have it in me to break a two-hour half-marathon, even to get it down to 1:45 someday, if I remain dedicated enough in my training. I KNOW I can break a five-hour marathon and possibly even 4:30 - again if my training remains dedicated, reasonable, and my lungs don't betray me again.
Now, some time ago I got the email from NYRR that confirms I can have a guaranteed entry into this year's NY marathon. It gave me a thrill to get it, but I've been sitting on it, wanting first to confirm that I can run again before actually entering. Well, if two weekends of decent runs aren't a clear sign, I don't know what is. So tonight, I put in my entry!
The application process is easy enough, hardly more than confirming who I am and affirming my intention to run the marathon....and giving my credit card info. (Seriously, for all that happens before, during, after, and around the Marathon, I'm surprised entry fees are as low as they are. Huge praise to all the volunteers.) When I completed the process, my receipt popped up on screen with "confirmed spot" written in large letters. I have to admit to doing the happy dance. Just a little bit.
Special to you-know-who: lottery entry deadline is July 1. *hint* *hint*
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