Garage time

Now that I am permitted, by the orthopedic surgeon and The Wife, to ride on the trainer I am spending some time each day in the garage.  I am not a big fan of the trainer; if I cannot get out where the wind can blow through the helmet vents then I prefer to use the rollers.  But for now that is not an option.

The first task was figuring how to get on the bike, since I cannot just ‘throw’ a leg over the top tube.  The first couple of days were tricky, but I have picked up enough flexibility that I can stand on the left pedal and slip the right leg around the back and over the saddle to mount.  The first session was 15 minutes, and I was not sure I would last.  A lot of tightness and pain behind the right knee and some slight pain at the hip as the right knee is lifted in the stroke.  At first it was all sitting straight up, no bending forward.

I have increased the time on trainer by 5 minutes per session.   A couple more days and  I will hit the one hour mark.  Phew!  There is less pain now, and there is more flexibility each day.  I can now rest my hands on the top of the bars for the most part.  I am nowhere near ready to get to the hoods yet, much less the drops.  And I cannot stand and pedal.  Baby steps, but there are signs of progress.   One of the issues after reaching 30 minutes is that the neighbors do not provide sufficient entertainment to overcome the mind (and butt) numbing effects of the trainer.  I now use the iPod, but that might not be enough once I go past an hour.  Perhaps I will need to mount a TV on the garage wall(?).