DClog

A Gradual Return

Matt invited me out for a ride this afternoon and we got caught in a little bit of rain, but I was prepared it was no problem. This is the third day in a row of semi-normal workouts, it feels like there is a gradual improvement, but I've got to keep the intensity very low.

It must have been the cappuccino or something, but 2:00 AM came fast this morning as I was working on several website projects after the gig. There's no real content there yet, but the Tortillas La Guadalupana Cycling Team website is online now. I created it just like this weblog using MovableType so the team members can post stories, results and photos without me doing every entry by hand.

Chase The Burrito

Basically did the same loop today, but started off with a little cruise around Prospect Church, Old Fountain and Harris roads while waiting for Doug to get ready. We motored along at about 18.5 mph avg, Doug blew-up on the Flowery Branch Rd. climb and couldn't stay on my wheel after that. I suggested that he just focus on chasing the picture of the burrito on my new jersey. HRM data below.

Weekend Recap

Music Biz: The trio got a glowing report from the Saturday night job at the Ritz Carlton Lodge and they would like to book us back there again soon. Same thing at the Sunday afternoon concert in Brasstown, NC - that one was cool because they had a great audience, nice stage, good piano and overall comfortable room to perform in.

Health & Fitness: Did a decent workout riding around the Mt Moriah-Doc Hughes 25-mile loop. Form and fitness are not so important as finishing without suffering is top-priority. Click on HRM data below.

Team Tortilla La Gaudalupana

I finally went and picked up my 2004 cycling team uniform. This season our title sponsor is an old friend of mine who is originally from Columbia, South America, and his latest business venture is a tortilla factory located in Suwanee, Georgia, "Tortillas La Gaudalupana".

Health & Fitness: Although far from recovered and healthy, short and easy fitness activities are beginning to appear in my logs again. The 12-mile loop was on the agenda today prior to the chiropractor's appointment. HRM data below.

2-A-Day

The afternoon began with some warm-up aerobics, then rode an easy 12 mile spin (39 min) followed by a 1.5 mile jog (16 min) and some stretching. Just trying to ease back into fitness activities for now.

 

Steady As She Goes

Health & Fitness: Of all the doctors I've seen recently, my chiropractor, Dr. Elliott, does the most for my well-being. She is young, strong, well-educated in holistic medicine and has the intent of an old-fashioned "healer". To me she is worth more than all those specialist who will spend no more than a handful of minutes in a room with you and won't admit they "don't know" then prescribe something basically ineffectual hoping for the placebo-effect.

I rode again this afternoon and repeated the same course as Sunday. It was a solo ride so I maintained a steady tempo with an average heart rate that was less than Sunday's and completed the loop about 3 minutes faster. Here's the HRM data...

Closer Look

Take look at these trees. The one with the "helicopters" is in my side yard, the one with the flowers is across the street. (Click on the thumbnail to see a pop-up of the full image)

 

Moxie - Demo CD

Here's some MP3's of our new demo CD for the band "Moxie". This is one of the best party & wedding bands around Atlanta. Find out more at www.axtellproductions.com.

Shaggin'/50's
Dance
Motown
Swing
50's/60's/70's
Ballads
Instrumentals

Collecting Dues

Health & Fitness: OK, I am about 10-15 pounds overweight now and no longer feel lean and fast. In fact, I feel slightly awkward on the bike, but that's relative to the level of expertise I was at several months ago. It's a perfect spring day here in Georgia and Dean & Doug called me out for a ride. I tried to take it easy, sit-in and not take any long pulls at the front - those guys owe me anyway for all the times I've pulled them around that loop. Feeling out-of-shape doesn't really bother me but the aching shoulder and chest causes some worry. Here's the HRM data from the ride...

Blooming

It's Friday eve and the girls are going out... except for Samantha, she has to stay at home with the old man tonight. I took this photo about an hour ago and you can see that the trees around here are blooming.

Health & Fitness: Although that normal heart rate yesterday morning didn't last long, I am feeling slightly improved. The follow-up appointment with the cardiologist on Wednesday resulted in more head-scratching and shoulder-shrugging. With no signs of heart problems the doctor suggested that the residual chest pain is probably an internal injury from the crash. Bev was at our chiropractor's office today and told her about what the cardiologist said. The chiropractor wants to examine me closer and told Bev it might be something with the ribs, the technical details were lost somewhere in the passing along of info. Anyway the cardiologist gave me the green light [Dean said it's probably more yellow] to resume fitness activities.

Empty Nest

Lifestyle: Ruth is packing and planning for her move into the new apartment on Monday. Rachel is graduating from high school in about 2 months and then going to UGA in Athens. Bev is working 5-6 days a week plus going to exercise classes 5-6 times per week. It looks like that will leave just me and the dog at home most of the time.

Health & Fitness: A pleasant surprise this morning, after a good night's sleep, my resting heart rate had dropped to normal level. Hopefully this indicates a turnaround and recovery is on the horizon.

Web Search

While playing around with two of my favorite search engines, Google and Yahoo, I typed in my name and discovered several things online I didn't know existed. My favorite discovery was this photo from the 2000 Tennessee State Time Trial Championships.

Frustration Test

The stress test revealed that I still have a superior level of strength and stamina, but other than that, nothing.

I watched from the hallway as they "exercised" the man prior to me. He lasted about 8 minutes and they increased the incline and speed on the treadmill only one time. As I entered the room, the doctor tells me they plan to get my heart rate up to 170 bpm and it might take 10 or 12 minutes. Twenty minutes later after 5 increases in incline and speed my heart rate is humming along at about 160 and I feel like I am at a pace similar to a "brisk jog". They are baffled and give up the test.

Bottom line: They are unfamiliar with athletes and can't find anything wrong. I've now agitated an already bad condition and dread the painful consequences. And, of course, I must now finance their mistakes and look for someone else to diagnose the problem.

Reasons

Later this afternoon I will go to the cardiologist for a stress test on the treadmill. Several months ago I would have looked forward to max-ing out their equipment, today, not so. I hope there are some revealing results, because otherwise it seems counter-productive to further agitate the condition.

The prescriptions from 10 days ago have had no noticeable positive effect. It's still uncomfortable to lie on my back and I don't sleep well. Fatigue, congestion and chest discomfort continues. My wounds from the December bike crash have stopped healing, probably as a result of the medications which were intended to lower the body's immune systems.

The resting heart rate hovers in the low to mid 50's instead of low 40's or high 30's, partly because there has been no physical activity at all for weeks now.

I am praying for a return to my usual radiant health or at the very least an accurate diagnosis and understanding of what is happening.

Good Race

Archives: I finally have some time to go through the stuff stacked up around my desk and came upon a disc of photos someone sent to me that I had never looked at. I was surprised to find a couple images from the Union City 2003 - Masters 45+ Criterium. This race was really one of the most exciting and memorable local events I did last year. Current reigning 45+ US Masters National Road Race Champion, Randy Parker, came down from NC with friend Dean Lyons to kick our butts here in GA. The two of them launched an early breakaway with Kent Williams (Cane Creek - also from NC) right on their wheel. I was able to bridge up to them but Robert Rivers (Cane Creek - Athens, GA) was on my wheel. The now 5-man breakaway consisted of two teams of 2 and myself. I had to work really hard that day to help make that break stick while 25-30 guys chased hard from behind. Randy Parker easily won and Dean Lyons just nipped Robert Rivers at the line for second while Kent had sacrificed himself for Robert in the finish. I finished in 4th place, but was really proud to have bridged to that break, caused Randy Parker concern (I overheard him ask Dean, "can that guy sprint too?"), and then powered it to the point of nearly lapping the field. It was great to discover these photos today and remember a good race.

Hospital Tests

After many hours in the hospital today we completed several blood tests, electrocardiogram (ECG), x-rays, echocardiogram (sonogram) and a physical examination. The cardiologist said that my heart looks pretty good and there currently are no fluids built up around it, but it sounds likely that I may have, or recently had, pericarditis or myocarditis. He suspects also that the crash may have done something like bruised the abdominal wall. Apparently pericarditis or myocarditis is hard to diagnose and it's easier just to treat for that and see how I respond. So I have some steroids (methylpredisolone 4mg dospak) and anti-inflammatory (naproxen) to take for a while. I am scheduled to go back to the cardiologist in about 11 days for a stress test and re-evaluation. In the mean time "no physical activity".

Seeking Perspective

Health & Fitness: (lack thereof) I keep coming back to this as the culprit: Viral Myocarditis: Coxsackie Virus Infections

There is no denying that I was training very near the top of my potential throughout the 2003 racing season and as cyclocross season drew near, in late October, I tried to really push for a big peak. A viral infection ended my cyclocross season before it started in November. Calculate in the stresses of the holiday season throughout December. Finally in January it started to look like the problems were subsiding when the crash resulted in a dislocated shoulder, fractured elbow, and some unusually deep road rash. The compound effects of the physical trauma, the inability to sleep well and mental anguish of having to curtail my athletic lifestyle, all contributed to the return of the symptoms of myocarditis.

Revisited

Health & Fitness: The chiropractor's x-rays confirmed the separated left shoulder. She tried to relocate it but, along with some other bones, it didn't want to budge, probably as a result of damaged and swollen muscles and tendons. I'll go back Wednesday and try again.

Music Stuff: I happened to record some of the sounds at that little wedding reception yesterday. The room had terrible acoustics and Mack was using an electronic keyboard instead of a piano, but here's a few MP3's if you care to listen.

• Night And Day A jazz standard from Cole Porter. We played this as a warm-up before the party arrived.
  
• Don't Get Around Much Anymore As the old folks mosey into the room we turn down and try to play politely, but during the guitar solo a stunning redheaded woman enters and concentration drifts.
  
• Can't Buy Me Love The redhead is on the arm of an old gray-haired man who is clearly not her father, so I started playing this song. I suspect the sugar-daddy disagrees with my song selection.
  
• Mack's Announcement The happy couple arrive and Mack introduces them.
  
• My Girl Just some music to cut cake by.