Riding seems okay...

Sunday, May 24, 2012
It was hot and getting hotter.  As everyone knows, whether they exercise regularly or not, you should avoid the hours between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on such days.  Everyone.

So…I climbed aboard the bike at 11 a.m. and headed out for my first ride in over a week on a knee with a torn meniscus.  My plan…if you’d call it that…was to start riding my Gates Mills course and if it hurt like hell, I’d turn around a go home.  Pretty simple.

I hit Wilson Mills, a half mile from my house, and began to push hard.  I figured I may as well find out quickly.  I reached the Metroparks in less than13 minutes, which meant I was well above 20 mph, and the knee felt strong.  I suppose this didn’t surprise me entirely since last summer I’d been able to ride even when I could hardly walk.  Apparently, I could push down hard and move my knee in a piston motion…side to side or under full body weight was another story, though. 

I rode on pace with my pr for the course through the first hour when the heat began to set in and take its toll.  I could feel the tingling sensation I get whenever working too hard in the heat and with the sun beating down on bike and rider as it reached noon, I knew it was time to back off or die.  I backed off.
I slipped into the park after flying down Wilson Mills hill over 50 mph and began slowly climbing the all-purpose trail.  I was half way up when I noticed a long, black stick moving across the road…which of course, made it something other than a long, black stick.  It was a beautiful, five-foot black snake and it didn’t like sticking around for me to take its picture.  Good thing.  I think the spot it had chosen to sun itself would have gotten it run over by a cyclist if it hadn’t beaten a retreat as I pulled my phone from my saddle bag.

I remounted and finished the ride at a moderate rate, allowing myself to cool somewhat.  I made it home and as soon as I dismounted, noticed the pain returning with my first steps.  I’d ridden close to two hours without pain, though.  I had that much going for me, at least.

Bike Duration:  2 hours.
Training Heart Rate: 120 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 1700.