Endurance Athletes Serving the Community by Giving the Gift of Life

I gave whole blood yesterday and three people will benefit from my gift!

Eight weeks ago I suffered adverse effects from giving platelets through a process called aphereses by no fault of the local blood bank or their top notch phlebotomy technicians, but by the ignorance of the athlete, namely me!

 I knew I had to take it easy the day of giving blood and work diligently to regain my fluids that day and that night!

But that's not all, unfortunately I did not know how long and involved the process really was and foolishly went ahead with training plans that had me straining at every spin! 

The scary one was the day after when I joined a local legend while he and a friend did the fourth installment of the five 100 mile attempts he was completing that week for Earn-a-Bike! I was working above my level which I wanted, but was unconsciously putting myself in harms way because soon I would be suffering gastric distress and some mild vertigo! So at the half-way mark I decided to dial it back (I had set a PR for 25 miles but at what cost?), but by the time we stopped at the 3/4 way stop and it still had not dissipated I decided to just subsistence ride it back home and bid my farewells to my friends and legend. Despite these symptoms I was still clueless, after-all, "I am Batman!" 

The next day was a regular Street Ratz Ride and I thought nothing and volunteered to do the traffic blocking since Rapha was at Earn-a-Bike! I thought, "no big deal! It's just a sprint here and a sprint there!" It took way more out of me than I anticipated! Good work Rapha! Thank you! That is some hard work!

On Sunday I arrived at the Boyz Ride spent, yet we decided to do Babcock and Scenic Loop! Spinning up hills, no problem! I had no get up and go for the OofSs (Out of Seat efforts)! Monday is regular day off although this year I have been riding almost every day and racked up seven thousand plus miles so far!

Tuesday is normally speed play and I went in to Hollywood Village to practice bikes, with nothing but poor results so after an hour and a half of torture I gave up and rolled home! That Strava post it finally dawned on me, "it must have been the blood donation!" Duh!

Yes it was the blood donation! But not just any blood donation! BTW the center's app can provide you with all the details of your donation! The blood draw was supposed to be a triple platelet, but we strated having issues and the draw was amended by asking me would you mind doing such and such and of course not thinking I said, "nah, go ahead and do whatever!" 

Well, whatever was a double platelet, a double RBC, and a plasma! 

One recovers from a plasma pretty quick, in 24 hours! Platelets are next with a 72 hour recovery! But the RBCs, or Red Blood Cells, the ones that carry oxygen to your muscles, take the longest with four to six weeks recovery! Although one can start checking the fires in the furnace at the end of three weeks according to Judd et al! The rest of this information comes to you from the Red Cross and the NASM and these guidelines are specifically tailored to Endurance Athletes and Performance!

So, yeah, I gave blood yesterday whole blood which puts me eligible to give again in January! No Prob! Today's ride less than twenty in less than two hours at a comfortable ten plus smiles per hour. Again, no prob! So now I have recovery rides through three weeks from now and then I can start checking and seeing if I am up to par to start building back!

This mistake cost me in pain and suffering! I overstressed my calve, my quad, and overworked my back and still uncertain if it was sciatica (which I have had and it did not feel like that this time), a disk issue, or an extra vertebrae in my back due to a vertebrae not fusing on my tail bone! This costly mistake was definitely not worth it and I have resolved to be more cautious until this is ironed out and possibly go back to giving platelets regularly. 

Red Rider Year One Done and Dusted

What did this year of immense change look like?! I know I have covered a lot of this in individual posts, but I need this and I appreciate you coming along for the ride!

This was just last week at the time of my one year anniversary of being diagnosed a Type 2 Diabetic!

If you'll look at the bottom right that picture was one month in and I was large and in charge! Then look up towards the top right with my yellow shirt on don't know when this was, but I remember it was at the Red Barn looking larger! Top right and top left pictures were when I was at my smallest and very fit! My friend Ralph (Rapha) Ximenes found a couple of old Red Rider jerseys for Bexar County and San Antonio (old because the ADA no longer does events in San Antonio! Don't ask me why!?). Rapha is part of The Street Ratz of San Antonio and I could not have succeeded on this journey without their support, help, and encouragement! Thank you David, Anna, Bella, Steve and Marc! I needed the help and you were there for me!

If you look in the second column in from the right you will see the guys that motivated me day in and day out, our fearless leader Jason Mirault (who is my T2D example), Brad Cleaves, and Chuck Brooks! My sister and my wife for encouragement and daily or hourly reminders of what the goal was! In fact, Kay was my inspiration for walking that got me from over 300 to closer to my last weight check of 293 lbs. Gayle, Gayle I can't say enough about everything she has done and does regularly! She is my conscience and constant reminder when I lose my way! This is a huge thing, she is, I call her, my nutritionist! She is the Atkins (with some keto) expert that guided my eating to a nebulous T2D diet that is surprisingly satistying and still fuels my workouts and brought blood glucose numbers down to 5.8 A1c and lost a surprising 55 pounds in first three months! Then, I corrected some (meaning after denying all year some items came back in to my regime like bread, but it is Sam's Choice Keto Bread and the baby Mission Keto Tomato and Basil tortillas that we use for hamburger buns as an example! If I eat more than two of those baby tortillas, I spike which means my blood sugars go to the upper limit of the optimum range) and have gone up to 5.9 A1c and 43 pounds lost with a trend where my blood sugars were higher but still in range when I checked them regularly 2 to 3 times per day! Now, I'm trending down again and am still trying to figure why that is happening so I can continue this good trend! The other pictures or memes that you see there are the ones that really motivate me to do the right thing! I have set a long-term goal of 5.5 A1c and 200 pounds (fifty more to go). Dr. Gabe Mirkin of RoadBikeRider.com and Internet fame says, 5.6 A1c is still prediabetic and I want to go into remission so 5.5 it is. Now even when remission hits the work is not done because in order to stay in remission one has to maintain the strict diet with once a week excursions in to regular esting if your body can tolerate it. We have played around with this possibility and it is encouraging to have a 96 blood sugar morning after having burgers the night before! A word about the picture with me in the México polera, I would not have had initial success if it weren't for La Madeleine French Restaurant! Their menu includes many items that are diabetic friendly! The bread they use on the Croque Madame and the Nouveau Breakfast not to mention their great salads and soups. We still regularly frequent the store in Alamo Heights and the Northwoods location! 

Those gentlemen in my pictures inspired me and allowed me to see the possibilities! Later after losing 55 lbs. I find out that I was returning the favor! Yes! This meme speaks to this and even yesterday my Paved Trail Buddy Roland Gibson says while yelling as we ride by each other in opposite directions, "I want to be like you!" The addage, "You never know who is watching you and being inspired!" is true in real life and this keeps ne going past the current achievements! 

This also reminds me of BezzyT2D.com and the accompanying app. I went there as a newbie seeking even more information about T2D and found a home away from home, a group of Diabuddies (a term I stole off of a new friend in Glucose Guide a diabetic app. [no matter what type 1, 1.5, and of course 2] that is run by my friend and Colleague Mila Clarke! So excited about helping Mila at Glucose Guide!) The future's so bright! Paying it forward is critical for me because I know I need to be helping in order to feel accomplished as a human! 

We celebrated one year by going up to Carrolton and visiting with my sister Kay, she wined and dined us in great extravagance enjoying a ton of Brazillian food! What a treat, plus we manged a visit to Michael and Alli with antique gifts being brought! We swam at Kay's, walked, and compared blood sugar numbers! Tricks were traded and beautiful memories were made with Kay's friends!

Thanks to our paved trail system!

Here is my most current picture before my ride yesterday!

Recovered Training Effect

My first attempt at this didn't pan out so here we go again! Recovery didn't work either, but try, try again! Hope springs eternal!

Recent rides have raised my spirits and opened my eyes to the possibilities! I rode 45 with Action Bikes at 15 mph, then I rode with CRSA Puppy Pack for 57 miles at 15 and was still feeling good! So I tried the Cyclones All-Stars and stayed with them to New Berlin, but then faltered and got dropped and when I checked my  mileage I was at 17.1 so still encouraging! A couple of weeks later I tried CRSA big dogs and came up short because of all the hills. So, yeah, I gotta do hill-work! Took me a couple of hours to get a rhythm on the hills, but even then it wasn't right because it was still torture. The ride with the Puppy Pack taught me I have to do it my way! Still work to do and I'm game!

Sometime at the end of 2022 I made it as an ambassador for BezzyT2D and am still motivated to help people. There are feelings and politics so I deal with that but focus on helping folks! 

The flute is still incommunicado! We are certain we'll still find it. It's in a bin! We are slowly dealing with the amount of stuff we have stored which is good. The first to go will be bike storage.

As for church we have not made a move or gone back to in-person services. Online services still keep me going week in and week out!

The city and the trail steward job never got back to me and here I am after a huge 225 mile week still wanting to ride!

Last thing on my T2D is I'm very close to being in remission. I have been hanging out at 5.8 for a while now and remission is three months at 6.5 or less!

Next pic is a dream come true! I ride to improve not to just improve, but to ride with my friends. So I am back to riding with my old team and am getting a kick out of it and am not the slowest so I'm not holding anyone back!

Smileage: Trail Steward Letdown

I've been out on the paved trails of the SCG and LCG most days including yesterday where I took this picture in an all gender restroom that was spotless and had modern amenities!

While out riding the Howard Peak Trail System, I came to the realization that I still haven't heard from the folks at Parks and Rec and the trail steward program. So today, I went looking for the email I received from them citing my acceptance and being listed as Eligible. At the end it mentioned that being on the list doesn't guarantee being chosen and contacted further! That one can check their application. 

I went to the website and had not not had any action on my status since 10/26! 

Now that I've wrapped my head around it I'm not so dejected. Now that I think of it, one of the fellas I spoke to out on the trail said it took him three tries to get a spot as a trail steward! 

I sent an email inquiring about my application.

I am ready to apply again!

BTW in the picture, I have lost 33 pounds and inches have moved from here to there!

Miles of Smiles

So after a mind-f**king trip back down to the Medina River and all the glory of the switchbacks and the death stench at Cassin and Mitchell lakes, I decided to hang up my speed spurs! Yeah, I'll still try a Zone 2 workout here and there and go do a fartlek in hidden valley ranch, but now it's miles of smiles for me! Along with this decision comes the fact that no one rides at 10 mph and and no one feels like they're flying like I do when I hit 11 mph!😂🤣😂I'm still training for distance and time due to Trail Steward duties, but personally not caring about Strava in real-time and only filling things out manually for my followers and friends that give a flying f**k! No more group rides unless it's happenstance! Yeah, my feelings are hurt, but I'm good with me! I know stuff and can share my knowledge along the way with others that need my help! Thanks for coming to my personal ted talk! 

Here's my new team and its motto:

Rolling Spikes & Time In Range (TIR)

So, summary, 13 days at less than 127 and then 10 days of what I'm calling Rolling Spikes around thanksgiving and the holidays; then hope 2 days of TIR from 104 to 126 (Optimum range 70 to 130) dashed with today's mid-morning reading of 140! Four hours ago I was feeling good and proud of my numbers because it worked I was at 110! Now, unfortunately, I feel like a poser on BezzyT2D.com! Why would they want a person that does not have control of their sugars on there sharing with others on how to maintain healthy blood sugar numbers?!? Yes, I know a lot about exercise and nutrition and am able to share that with others respectfully and with compassion! No one has everything figured out and it is a process of communal learning! It's not about being perfect and we're all an experiment of one sharing our journey!

What if I hadn't taken the mid morning reading? What if the early norning reading is the one to hang your hat on? What if the 13 days of excellent readings was based on when I was taking the readings? What if taking a reading in the middle if the night lends a good result (FBS)? What if I was avoiding the mid morning reading because I was out riding during that time (Mm)? What if the best times to take a reading are in the middle of the night (FBS at least 9 hrs.)? After my rest after coming back from my ride (Post XK)? And before dinner (BDnr)? And before bed (Bb)? What if for me the randomness of when I take a reading when my schedule is off is what is causing me to lose confidence?!

I have a lot to think about while I ride and it is time to ride! These and other existential questions are answered by a fartlek, random speed play!

Crash the Course and My Bandit Days

When I was a runner without means I would crash the courses or bandit, but then I volunteered and worked the race to have the right to run the course after my volunteer duties were finished! Then moved on to course marshalling run events. Haven't done any of those things till the other night! 

I was late to the start and when I got there there were no roadies to be had so I went and did a 26 mile out and back on the marathon course I remember running in 2007. There were times when I was on the course and times when I was just doing my ride. It was happenstance that ZBC was finishing up as I came back up from the Southside. I'm fine with what I ended up doing. I did not end up posting excellent times or anything. My PRs are ten years old now and the only things I can hang my hat on are Local Legend Strava awards! 😂 But it was fun for me! I wish I had connected with Walter Koch Jr. and I'm sorry about that Brotha and said hello to Billy Busby! 

I honestly didn't know any of the hipsters fixie fiends but there is a hipster fixie in my future. My old Dave Scott signature Centurion is currently being transformed by another fixie lover on the Northeast Side and eventually I'll take it out with my Buddy and we'll bandit with our fixies on the 'thon course! 

I actually was surprised my wife said go for it. She is a night owl and we binged some netflix and I must have sold it just right, she said, "Go, hurry, be safe! Show me your shoe covers (early Christmas present) when you get back!" I showed her right then since I was already gonna be late! I came back home to a light sprinkle and slept till 4 yesterday and we didn't have dinner (steaks) till 11 pm. Today back on schedule as much as I can with a two hour recovery spin!

Let me add a bit of my RideRedRider issues with the rain! I've been spiking since Thanksgiving since the rain has kept me inside! I finally set up the Cyclops old school trainer and am enjoying getting some spins done inside! Now if I can figure out something to do while spinning that doesn't use a ton of bandwidth!

Bound to happen when you go out to eat!

So, yesterday on a mall walk, we stopped in at Cheesecake Factory, thinking they have such a varied and extensive menu, but alas what we tried did a number on my blood sugars! I talked about what I had on facebook on my latest post, so I won't repeat myself! 

The number continued today, oh by the way my FBS was 133 that knocked me out of my 13 day streak of blood sugar readings below 127! Now, today, like I said the isht storm continued. My lowest number was 108 not bad, but then we ate out twice and then my numbers really shot up to almost 150! I had not been this high since my diagnosis two months ago! Quelle merd!

So, I promptly turned to my best source of info, the internet! Ended up at no place else other than Healthline. If you don't know Healthline and BezzyT2D.com are connected and regularly give support to T2D people. Bezzy, I read is a UK slang term for bestie and T2D is short for Type 2 Diabetes. Well, I found info on Healthline from a doctor suggesting a walk when your number is sky high! Sky high for me! I had been on a 7 day streak at less than 110! Then I was on a thirteen day streak at less than 127! Now I'm on half a day at 133! Haha! And I thought I had this isht licked and locked-up! 

To complicate things, our weather has been ishtty all week! I was lucky just now, but I'm getting ahead of myself!

Anyway, Healthline has really good information! The doctor suggested I get a walk in before bed. The fact that bed came at 2 AM doesn't change the fact that my blood sugar was high. If I had gone to bed it would just have gotten higher! This way at least I give myself a chance to get an ok nunber in the morning! Sheesh, T2D is not easy to deal with on a daily basis!

I was remiss on telling you about my walk, other than having to pee the whole time I was out there, I did my best, I finished my walk in less than one hour, maybe it was because I had to goo! I wore all my reflective isht, my new gloves, and my old vest! I wore my warmest cold weather sleeveless vest, I already had my knickers on and I threw on my warmest long sleeve tog, I also had my bandito mask on! Past one mile, the cold was no longer an issue! The gloves did their duty! At one point a couple of cars were coming up from behind me at a high rate of speed and when I made my hand face their headlights, I could hear them let off on the gas!

Remember: BezzyT2D.com for Type 2 Diabetes Support! I'll be there too!

Joe Friel: This just in...

So I recently bumped up mileage or kilometraje and I decided to give my body a break. 

For two months almost, I have been working out everyday! One stress. Then last week I bumped up my mileage. Stress number two. Yesterday, on a ride that I was supposed to be lollygagging on I managed to get the same time I had done on the previous day when I was doing multiple ladders, my guess more than five! In other words I was working my ass off! Stress number three! 

Today, crack of dawn, my resting heart rate that had been on a steady decline, jumped up twelve points! Translation, I was beginning to get overtrained! Overtraining is when the body doesn't get enough down time to recover from my daily exercise bouts!

Why Joe Friel, well, I just caught up on a lot of his recent articles yesterday and had it drummed in to me, you slow down to speed up! One has to rest! Working out everyday has a fatigue compounding effect!

In this picture, one I forgot to smile, so my true expression made it to social media. Two, I believe I look tired! When in doubt leave it out. So todays steady state workout is not going to happen!

So, it happened again...Bike Bank

So, it happened again, I passed on the 12th bike in 2 years to my friend Jesus thanks to the generosity of Shari and Larry O'Brien who donated two mountain bikes on Sunday, here a week later Jesus has a bike for his son N. I met Jesus online and then at the BGDB Pink-Out Ride for breast cancer last year! He got a mountain bike, a Trek 6500SLR with quite a few upgrades! 

The Bike Bank, getting friends and family back on their bikes. Give away your bike and give your bike new life! Thank you all for donating one of the twelve bikes in the last two years!

Today I gave away my 11th bike in 2 years! St. Jimmy, famous for sagging for years for the Tuesday Worlds that was more like a crit race than a training ride! He got a mountain bike racer that got a second place at the collegiate level!

 This is the Bike Bank, this bike was donated on Sunday and here on Wednesday the bike has been given to a good home! Give your bike away so that it goes to a good home! (501C3 status in process)

How the Pandemic Saved My Life with Bike Clubs and Speed Appendix

First year of the pandemic I lost 36 pounds when we were home bound! I even won the weight loss competition on my campus! Once we went back to campus so did my bad habits! I had an 8 month plateau that I had no idea what to do to break it. Before that year my heart doctor had suggested I was diabetic! That year I escaped the guillotine! FF to this year, I took 3 months off the bike to move from a 5 bdrm house to a 2 bdrm apartment (still in process but oh so close) and my health went to hell. Mid September the guillotine caught up with me and was diagnosed type 2 diabetic. I was just like everyone else in my family! About this time our current health provider decided I was not to be seen, still working on that one! I, with the help of my bride, have cut all that is bad out and kept all that is good in a new to me strict lifestyle change! Recently I had a 36 hour period where all my blood sugar readings were below 100, I now know that this is exceptionally good! My new low blood sugar reading is 83. Yeehaw! Thx for letting me share!

Large and in charge, still not on diabetic medication, but doing what I can to get to better health with the bike! My scale is packed away I don't know where! My cycling clothes are packed away! This kit is one I found in my bugout bag. I know this one kit is my largest and most versatile! I don't know what I'll do when it gets cold this weekend! I guess I'll freeze my ass like Ralphie does on our group rides with The Street Ratz of San Antonio! 

Appendix

BTW the speed tree for groups in San Antonio are: for beginners: Action Bikes their Sunday Ride the 7 am section from Alamo Heights to the Alamodome and back. The Street Ratz of San Antonio Saturday 7 am ride, and the Greenway Trail Riders. All other groups start at speeds of 14 or 15 mph up. With the Cyclones there is a C group (14 to 16), I wish there were a D group. With Chain Reaction there is a Puppy Pack (15 to 17) and I wish there were another group slower than the Puppy! What's smaller than a puppy?! Fastest group is the Tuesday Night worlds. Speeds up to 25 mph and faster! Then it's a toss up between Action Bikes the 4 am group, the Cyclones, Chainreaction

MTCCSA-Major Taylor, Bike Heaven, and The Wheelmen! All these groups regularly clock rides at 20 mph and faster! Don't go if you can't hang or you'll be riding alone and you'll wake up in a ditch four hours later not knowing what the hell happened! Sorry wheelmen, but your stay together rides are not! I personally have gotten dropped on three occasions. No one's perfect! The Grennway Trail Riders, the Street Ratz, Team Taco, 210 Riders, the 700c Group (famous for city to city rides on the weekends), The SouthSide Wild Boars, the Lobster Crew, the Air Force Cycling Club, the Bike Ninjas, the Crackles, plus some more are truly no rider left behind. Just for fun groups exist as well like the Social Ride (now SAs longest comtinuously running ride since the Bike Mojo succumbed to the Pandemic), the Beers and Gears group and the Low and Slow Riders. Some groups I don't know about, but know they exist: Cannibal Racing, and the San Antonio Mountain Bike group, etc.

There are individuals that will coax you through an Imperial Century like Mark Nobblitt, and Danny Vega.

Red Rider: Preparations and Machinations

Now that I see providence with which group I am riding, I realize that the preparations and machinations for this very moment started over six years ago when I was happily coaching soccer with the Krueger Kiddos and cemented by my actions on the pitch! God is in charge of the long-game! God invented the long-game!

Today after my ride it became vividly apparent that my riding with the San Antonio Street Ratz is providential! God knew way back when what I would need at this time and worked His/Her way! God knew that I would need to ride with Steve, an accomplished Red Rider, so I could learn from him on Saturday! He knew how hard-headed I tended to be and simple solutions would just prolong what I was doing and would not prepare me for what I needed personally! He knew that there were only a couple of groups that would accommodate the build up I would need after six years of trying to recover from what happened on the pitch with my soccer kiddos where my desire and enthusiasm got the better of me and put me on the path of recovery. He knew how hard it would be to overcome the imjuries sustained.

Red Rider: One month in, almost.

Dealing with Type ll Diabetes

So after two weeks walking I went and pulled my bike out of storage! I walked to the storage place and rode my bike back home then went for a ride on the Salado Creek Greenway (SCG) with an ultimate plan to ride regularly for an hour and a half. The last few rides have been two hours long and I could go longer. This morning's Sunday Ride, normally a relatively fast ride with Howard and his friends and followers of Action Bikes, I totally expected to lose it, blow-up, hit a wall, but that never happened! Right at the end the guy behind me came up and immediately got in my head! I was trying not to be the caboose! He managed to demoralize and conquer with truthful words! Now, he was not being mallicious at all. He was trying to be helpful! Surprise, I was a little defensive and then I was thankful! I know surprised me also that 55 years of cycling experience did not rear its ugly head yet I took his suggestions to heart and to the bike! So before I got home I made the adjustments he suggested of things that I knew, but alas had forgotten! Immediately, the pain in the front of my knees was gone. My ass still hurt, but my knees were nimble. Ha, ha! This is a miracle because I blew out my knees two and a half months ago.

I have to say something about speed because speed is relative! Many of the guys on this "fast ride" when they do our section of the ride are taking a breather in a way! They are still cooking with gas, but it's only on warm as they complete an Imperial Century having started at four AM at lightning pace. Haha! The most I do is 12 mph. I have used this group to bridge from 10 mph to 14 mph! I am extremely thankful for Action Bikes, again one of two groups citywide that one can use to improve your skills at this speed the other are The Street Ratz! It's not about the speed! One friend today said, "Ride Slow, Look Pro!" Love it, and it has been a joy to pick my cycling back up!

Picked up my walking for two weeks with 2 to 4 miles, my feet suffered, but the work was done. The exercise helps me burn the sugar out of my system. It is all such a mystery! I have managed to totally revolutionize my eating habits! I thrive on high protein mostly cold food. My oatmeal in the morning is piping hot. Gayle found a sugar I can use made from palm, an organic product. That is the only sweet in my diet! I eat nuts, cheese, and cold cuts. Roast Chicken and salads with chicken are welcomed and I look forward to them. I have a legume salad with pieces of meat that I go to when I am feeling peckish! Water and fizzy water with flavoring have taken the place of everything else that I used to drink! On the bike, I have gone back to Nuun products that are perfect for short distances!

 We are still having trouble getting in to see a provider! None of my providers can see me! WTH! Since there are new challenges with the Type ll Diabetes (T2D) we may use this opportunity to shop around or push the coverage once we are in the appartment! 

We are becoming very aware of the Dawn Phenomena, where a T2 Diabetic awakes with high blood sugar levels likely due to the inactivity of the last 8 hours. Today was the second time since this started that my blood sugar was below 100! Now if I could do this everyday that would be something special!

So, after a hard bout yesterday, not fully recovered, but feeling the pressure to get something substantial done today, I was able to knock out one mile, barely! I ran across one street and pop the recovery work of the past two and a half months, gone! Cold and heat therapy done and wrapped with my Cho-Pat! Ready to go do my early voting duty at the library.

Red Rider 1 Week In

So today, 9/28/2022 late eveening something scary happened. My leg went numb for no reason. I was sitting up in bed, relaxed, and watching Merlin! My right lower leg was feeling like it was asleep! I raised the foot of the bed for a while to try to get the feeling to go away. Waited, and it still felt like it was asleep! So, then I changed my whole position to a more lying down position with my head still slightly raised and that did the trick! Sensation came back, but without the feeling of ants in my leg when the leg or other limb falls asleep. 

One of the things I forgot to mention to Gayle in the middle of the night was that I had the feeling of pins and needles in the soles of my feet. This has been going on for a while, but I thought it had to do with my heart issues.

So there it is, it is now Thursday, and on Saturday, the 24 th, I went to see a doctor Vance with what I thought was an infection in my unrinary track and came out with a diabetes type 2 diagnosis that literally rocked my world. I had already given up sodas the weeks before because of the article about fake sugars affecting heart patients. I was already off breads because I was trying to get rid of my panza! Then it was a matter of changing the rest of my diet. I am eating chicken and eggs amd a lot of lettuce. Yesterday at the store I did buy some cheese and cold cut turkey for wraps. My cereal is protein based and we're playing with that. I am eating nuts as a snack. Still drinkin' a ton of water because I'm trying to stay hydrated for the UTI thing. Evidently UTIs in men, not common, that's why immediately we were talking about diabetes! Here I am the Red Rider!

Dreamin'

So, I woke up with a startle this morning! I'm 60+ and I've always known that you shouldn't pee in your dreans because you'll pee for real while sleeping! This morning, in my dream, I was peeing on a piece of carpet in an area where there was also dirt and grass nearby! In real life I got up startled and checked the bed to see if it was wet and nothing there! Now, I'm reconsidering all the things I know to be true!

Obligatory Bike Note or OBN (OBN): So, I rode my bike on Saturday and on Sunday I was sore! GAS was not happy I rode and pushed me to do more on the move. 

Where I Find Myself

Today: I find myself, as I try to regain past speed and fitness, in a group unlike any other I have been in since 83 here in SA. The Street Ratz of SA are welcoming slow and fast and do short rides and long rides welcome svelte people and welcome big people. It feels really good to know "Once a Rat always a Rat!" One can come and go without issues. 

 I can only manage 13 mph on average speed these days at my very best effort and the Street Ratz do anything from 10 mph to 14 mph. Cyclones has a C group that goes as low as 14 mph. I was going to stop riding with groups until I found Las Ratas as I call them, but they were so friendly and welcoming I had to persist. I know I'm a social rider, I can do long solo rides, but I have to be able to look forward to a group ride on Saturdays. The Pandemic and its variants have made this difficult as well, but we pretty well know through Science that droplets lose their umph when outside and we only need to mask up when we're in closer contact than what we do in cycling. Belonging is also critical; it goes to identity and the larger context of life.  

Action Bikes Sunday 7 am ride from Bike World AH is also accepting and attainable if you're riding at slow speeds! The group and Howard the manager/owner at Action Bikes makes sure slow riders stay in contact on a set course. This group does a 100 miler most Sundays by starting at the buttcrack of dawn and going until they knockout 100 to 130 miles at a time with various stops to regroup. The 7 am portion of the ride is a slow piece the other times from Four to Six are faster paced and the portion from 9 to the end are faster paced as well covering a good portion of San Antonio in the process!

I can see myself graduating to the cyclones slow group someday. I can also see myself leading a slow group as part of one of the other groups. I have lots of experience and people say I don't show that I'm struggling to maintain speed or stay connected to the group. 

I have had lots of invitations of late to join their groups TEAM TACO ('22), MTCCSA ('21), CYCLONES ('20), CYCLE LOGIC ('19), but I know I can't keep up and I like to hold my own! 

It hurts my independent streak when someone pushes me from behind (actually pushes me hand on my back and such)! Plus, groups with sags, they would prefer you to take the sag than to have you try to finish on your own! Cycle Logic was my team for whom I raced, but nowadays the slow guys are fast and us used to be fast guys can't keep up and that makes the rides difficult because we lose contact and regrouping is a challenge. When I ride with them, I know I'm keeping the fast guys back and that hurts too! 

I have a long way to go to get back to where I was, my weight-loss journey is on hold (see below in the postscript), but I know a lot and can help with no drop rides for groups that are looking for a 'D' group.  

PS (Currently our family is in the midst of a slow move, meaning we need to vacate soon, but not until we're in a place where we can move in to knowing we're in a place that will keep us comfortable for the long run! While packing is still going on and have yet to pack the bike room and biggest factor is my weight-loss achieved by the fall of 2021 has all but disappeared. Finding a balance between carbs and no carbs to fuel my rides has proved to be more difficult than I can fathom. I know I can't do it in a ketogenic state. Those of you who are achieving great success with Keto and going sugar-less power to you! I will have to revisit this at a later date! Perhaps doing more through walking, running, and swimming is the solution for me. Currently, the move has given me enough to handle and think about without worrying about every little thing I eat!)

Early November Update: Success Lasted Less than One Year

 

Eight months long plateau that turned in to a backslide!

During the early part of the pandemic I was able to drop 36 pounds as seen in the pictures posted on the previous articles! Unfortunately what began as a short plateau turned in to a yo-yo, became a backslide, and now I am at 23 pounds lost. Still feeling physically healthy, but the photos do not lie! 7 month plateau turned in to a yo-yo where I went from 258 to 264 pretty regularly therefore the doubt expressed in the previous post! In the eighth month my weight firmly remained at 270. The picture above is 274.

During the process I had to increase carb intake to fuel big efforts and long distance while tweaking my intake of electrolyte with a sugarless source. I was not successful in using the sugarless source in fact ended up in a hyponatremic state for over an hour on a recent long bout. As a result I have stopped speed and endurance training and relegated weight-loss to my efforts in walking.

Maintaining the balance between ketogenic and glycogenic states proved to be my downfall for the backslide. As our efforts in our walking regime increase hopefully the scale numbers will head back down. It has proved to be slower because of tissue tares from the hyponatremic melt-down ride where Gayle had to come rescue me at 281 and  410 South.

“I would not be a backslider, No!, I’ll tell you the reason why, Yes!, ‘cuz if my Lord done call on me, I wouldn’t be ready to die!” Sung with the Lackland African American Community Church! Oh what a Joy!

If you arrived here from my Facebook Page: Healthy Food, Steady Cardio, Thinner Athlete; thank you for your help and support of my efforts! If you are following the donations of ten bikes in ten months; thanks again, but most of that work is outlined in the sub-page: Bike Donations R Us please request approval for entry in to that private group. Ride On!

The Picture is Lying!

The picture I took two weeks ago (the most recent one with the same outfit) that makes me feel really skinny and seems to impress others as well based on the response it's getting on Facebook. The pic is lying because it's not showing weight that I have gained. I know, not official until I weigh in on Saturday and Tuesday! I also know this is an early reaction like most of these where I am claiming gained weight. Again, I wish I had done all the measuring you're supposed to do! I am using the picture as a gauge, but the picture doesn't show the reality of higher numbers!

So who do I believe? Do I believe the pictures and continue feeling good or do I slow down on feeding the engine to get some pound savings! The mileage is not going to be out of this world, so feeding the engine is less critical! Still gotta do what I gotta do! Consistency in everything!!!       

Nagging Back Pain was Back!

I wrote this in February 2018

Over Christmas vacation, I found myself with lots of pain in my back, so I stopped riding and did my old stand-by when faced with pain in my back, namely Yoga! After three days of reduced activity and lots of yoga, I was no better! WTHeck! 

I took to spinning a huge gear to get my back to feel better because the above fact became apparent. So now I regularly/daily spin a huge gear dirt slow 30 RPM (Gospel music like Kirk Franklin and others works great).

To take this even further, I have recently as in the last three days added HIIT sessions to what I was doing and slowly even out of the saddle efforts are becoming doable without pain and without pain afterwards!

Yes, spin like a twelve year old, but also mash a big ole gear for the yin-yang, balance of what we love to do! 

Back to this week and last week:

My mantra right now is, “Pulling out all the stops!” 

Reading above I am reminded that two years ago yoga didn’t help! But if I'm pulling out all the stops then yoga and core work has to be part of the build-up!

Last week I did a couple of yoga sessions to try to knock out the pain I’m having in my lower back. And the pain in places where I didn’t know about continued.

I talked about using the MTB as well. It has helped keep my body warm and diminishing the pain, but did not knock it out! 

The core work continues as well as the stretching! The yoga is still there tightening places I’m not even aware they exist!

The thing that is making the biggest difference is spinning the big gear on the Position Fixe rides in the basement on the trainer! Even on days that I’m not exercising outside I am doing fifteen to thirty minutes in a big gear downstairs!

For those that don’t know these big gear workouts, they are very hard on the joints! My knees have been a problem these past five years as well! Today, I have good news! All the bike work, coming up on 1300 miles so far for the year has strengthened my knees to such an extent that today on a tough and taxing ride on the trainer my knees had no complaints even after thirty minutes in the big gear with standing accelerations (activity that used to cause pain in my knees)! That is very encouraging!

 

April fools, but not April Fool's 2021 update on my back! So I'm taking lots of days off before I retire at the end of May! It has been fun, but being unleashed to ride all kinds of mileage is not conducive to my sketchy back! I've done some big gear workouts and some time trials. Not a whole lot of difference there! I hae a new set of Ultegra Wheels because I busted up my Mavic Open Pro that we got a few years ago! As a big guy the best solution is to get down to 200 lbs. so the 32 spoke wheels can handle the weight and no buckle under my weight! I replaced the bad spokes that were stressed by the derailleur derailing into my back wheel! I trued that wheel very carefully so now both set of wheels on the Litespeed and the Caloi Time Trial are nice solid wheels! New curve ball has been puctures of the front wheel. I rode a little today with a 15K trying not to tempt fate with more mileage. So if I can keep the mileage reasonable I might be ok!

Wow, what a short memory I have!

Both of the following articles are from 2018 and it’s the exact same thing that is currently happening!

SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2018

My New Miracle Drug - A Minha Droga Nova

Full-blown Atkins! Yup, I said it! No more sugar, no more carbs other than the ones we get naturally in legumes and such!

It was a desperate move, but a necessary one! Last week, I worked my butt off on the bike and the results? There were no results! Zilch, nada, niente! My rides were strong and as fast as I could do them, yet no results! My weight, ta da dam! Ballooned to 293!!! That's almost 300 lbs! Holy tish! Batman! So the only course was to quit sugar, including my beloved cereal and my drinks and to quit my love 'em/hate 'em carbs!

The result? Ta da dam! 13 pounds gone (actually: 13.25 and I broke 280 lbs! Poof! WTH?

I had always opted to do South Beach because I would still get some carbs! But my body cannot function with carbs and it can't function without carbs (I said that last thing because yesterday's attempt to go long was sabotaged by not having enough glycogen in my system to complete the task!) Sucked so bad! My only solution for this is either to go ride with the Cool Cats or with the Hill Country Touring and Adventure Club. Once I get fast enough, perhaps the Cyclones! Right now I can't even muster their lowest speed range for their slowest group.

I never did full-blown Atkins, because it was too much! I assumed as an athlete I had to maintain a higher level of glycogen in my system.

So, I am going to continue to work on my swimming, and my cycling without carbs until I reach a weight management level. That would be 200 lbs! Honestly, I do not know if I have what it takes to go that far, but I have to do something! Or a Heart Attack! No thanks, I don't want to be part of the zipper club!