I guess I’ve been hooked by this cycling thing. In some respects it’s my way of fighting back. My doctors are doing everything they can do to keep me alive and I’m just along for the ride.
When I started getting my strength back (thank you Ian) with the testosterone treatments. I knew that I had to get back into some type of reasonable shape. I had gained almost 45 pounds during the 9 months leading up to the diagnosis and I was just bloated.
Once I got back on the bike and decided that I should have the goal of at least one day of the Pan Mass Challenge I knew I found a way to fight back. Cycling! I had to get in shape and the way I figure if I can take a load off my system by being healthier all the better. The added benefit is that if this bastardly disease goes out of control I’ll be in better shape to tolerate some of the other treatments.
I’ve got a long way to go. I figure that I have to lose the equivelant of one small person to be at a real healthy weight.
All that rational out of the way. I’m have a good time working at this. During the month of November I have pedaled 328 miles with 8 days off due to schedule problems. From the day I started being able to track mileage on the bike sometime in October I’ve logged a total of 434 miles.
With the bad weather I’ve been forced into the fitness club most days although I did get to do a few “real” miles on Thanksgiving. The weather was a bit cold by the roads were only damp and most of the leaves had been washed to sides of the road so I rode until my lungs started complaining from the cold air.
So I am a bit obsessed with this cycling thing. I’m even looking forward to the ability to do long rides in the spring once the weather turns back. The stationary cycling does have it’s benefits besides warm and dry. There is no interruption for traffic / intersections / etc. There is no coasting down a hill and I’m able to keep a steady pace for the entire length of the ride. I can also vary the intensity of the workout. I’m increasing one step a week right now.
My legs are coming back to the shape I expected. I’m not loosing weight as much as I’m loosing inches. My testosterone levels have increased markedly and I’m just reach the 3 month mark when I should see the beginning of the significant impact according to the doctors.
I’m still not a bear on the hills because I’m carrying a lot of weight but on average terrain I can hold my own. I can’t wait to see what it will be like this spring after a few steady months of work.
By the way, I’m not obsessive, I’m DRIVEN!
~Jerry
