The only way to know if you're progressing is to push your limits...

While in "Phase 2" of rehab post-surgery I can't run but I CAN ride "to pain". Well, if that the case I need to find out where hat threshold is.

Using the team time trial coverage from the Tour de France a few years ago for motivation, I got on the bike tonight to see how hard I cold push. The goal was to hammer a rolling hills course for 90 minutes while keeping at or above 90rpms to really give me a mark on the wall to see where I'm at with leg fitness and cardiovascular fitness. 

There was no doubt I pushed hard because I was soaking wet, my quads/flutes/hams are already killing me and while I could only muster 26 miles total I had NO pain the in hip joint/socket. So...win! Now I need to eat and maybe take a quick nap.

At it again...

Nice to be back on the bike...pushing harder than I did before my surgery. 

I always like to watch cycling to give me motivation so I found Mirinda "Rinny" Carfrae video from her kicking butt at an Ironman World Championships a few years ago. I decided to try a 65min time trial/sweatfest to get an idea of how the hip would hold up now that I'm in "Phase 2" of recovery. And the verdict? I'm good. I'm feel really good. Sure I'm sore...but it's my butt, lower back, abs and quads from the effort...not the repaired hip!

Ya, I'm seem to be getting better everyday. This feels promising.

What better way to spend time in a snow storm...than in the pool?!

Oh the weather outside is indeed frightful, but the pool was so delightful.

Well, I don't know about delightful but it's a whole lot warmer! I have to admit I'm really starting to dig that "rehab" pool. A total of 1600m of just pulling plus another 600m of aqua jogging and 600m of side straddle walks. Now that's a workout. The one good thing about only being able to pull means I have no choice but to focus on form, hand entry and  breathing. Too often the "complete" mechanics of swimming gets lost while I'm trying to integrate strong kicking, log distance...and trying not to drown.  Maybe I can get the mechanics down pat by the time the doc clears me to be able to start kicking.

 

A month since my surgery? Already?!

Because when you realize it's been a month since your surgery...you just wanna crush it in the gym. 

An hour on the bike followed by an upper body lift session that already has me barely able to raise my arms. My hip is sore from the first day back at work (I stand most of the day) but no pain...first time that's been the case in a couple years. Finally starting to feel a bit like "me". I'm thinking I'm gonna love me some 2017. I can't wait to see what the doc thinks about my rehab and his thoughts on my recovery at my follow up appointment in a couple weeks!

I just realized it's been a month since my surgery!

It's hard to believe that it's already been a month since my surgery. I guess that's a great indicator that I'm doing well and recovering quickly.


Mon Dieu, je suis fatigue! Waiting to get into a lane because people were fiddlefarting in the water...means I had to get in a good swim on a compressed time schedule. 200m pull opener with alternating sets of 100m pull, 50m aquajog, 50m sidestraddle walk for 1200m total (the rehab meters don't count) with no rest between sets. Talk about bang for your buck. Wowza! I'm already sore but to be honest it's REALLY nice to be sore from workouts again. Although I can only "pull" it feels like I haven't missed a beat in the water. My form is still good and my fitness level is already coming back. I'll work in kicking when the doc clears me.  Oh ya 2017...I'm coming for you.