Great to hear you are getting back AZTR! We all know your strength will return quickly as it's not like you took a few seasons off. I'll offer this tip- there are lots of great seasonal craft beers. Get some and pour it into one of those extra big assed heavy glass mugs, only use the weak arm to drink and take frequent but small sips.

AJ - Awesome tip, worth trying for general use too!

AzTR - Great to hear you're getting back into the groove. :beer: <<That's two of the heavy-ass beer mugs - alternate arms.

Amen!

But...try this instead of the beer:

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...psfqnegzbq.jpg

Whoa... never tried that one, Sara, but I do love single malts, maybe because I'm a MacConnell (Ulster Scott) on my mom's side.

A full glass is about the most I can lift with that arm. I've tried a 5# dumbbell and can't move it all, but I can get a rep or two with something in the 1-2# range, and maybe 15 reps with no weight at all. So I can get a couple of sips, then I need to wait just a touch before continuing on... or switch hands. It's been a weird experience, having a major goal of "flexing your bicep".. having it come back has really been uplifting. I was hesitant about racing in an 'impaired' state.

AZTR :beer: Glad to see you are making progress.

AzTR - I think the lady has found the solution to your dilemma.

Keep up the good work, AZT, and don't get fixated by the numbers. I know how it feels, though. I recently started doing upper body weight work after letting my shoulder heal for six months. I can only manage half the weight I used to lift in the past, but I get a little stronger each time. I may never be able to lift as much as before, but I keep on trying. Serious injury is just that, serious injury, and I know it can be hard to accept it at times.

Yesterday, was cold and windy with rain overnight. I did 3x20 on the trainer. I split my music between iTunes radio top 50 and my cycling trainer play list.

AzT, I am a fan of the smokey single malts. Caol Ila is my fav, but Talisker 10 and 25 are right up there, as is Laphroag.

1 hour at Pace on the trainer this AM. NOT in the Cold Garage, I moved the bike and trainer to my laundry room. Much warmer! I worked on keeping my cadence above 85 RPM, and that made the session seem harder than the numbers showed. My hips are sore, too.

Two years ago I had a high cadence, 85 to 100 RPM. Then, a gal who was mentoring me told me it was too high, leaving me no room to cover a jump or sprint. I lowered it. What did I know? Now I'm fighting to get it higher, especially on climbs.

Well, my base period is done. This morning I got dressed and got the bike ready, then did a last minute check of the radar...and it was raining on all the available routes. The temps are still in the 30s, so I pulled the plug. I wanted to finish the build out to the end, but I didn't see probable sickness being worth doing it.

Since October 14, I've ridden 1797 miles and have a total TSS of 5530. Included in that time are a medically-required 12 days off the bike. I'm glad I did it, but I'm also glad it's over. :)

Next goal - break 8,000 miles in a year's riding. I'm 305 miles short, and have three weekends left in the year. Barring consistently nasty weather, I ought to make this one with no trouble.

Good on ya, Chuck!

Great results Chuck!

I also pulled the plug on riding this AM. It is 22 degrees and going up to 26 degrees with 15 mph wind. I was supposed to get two hrs of fixie riding in. I still might go out after the football games and ride some night time MTB on the local trails.

Velopromo sent me their schedule for 2014, and I have the PSG dates, NCNCA (incomplete) dates...all I need is the NCNCA Women's Series dates. I've been populating spreadsheets and bombarding Ex with them. I've targeted three races, considering others, all though three is likely all I can peak for. The others will be fun or frustration or both!

Well done Chuck

7" snow on the ground so 1hr 45 on the trainer middle of Z2

IF 0.71
TSS 88

then 2 hours of shoveling the 'sunshine'

Progress... Glad to hear it
My shoulder is perhaps as good as it gets. I'll probably never shoot competitively again.

I *** with Ridley today. She's turning into a rock star on the local running trail.

Congratulations on a monster year, Chuck. Next year you probably won't need to put in as many miles to maintain that base.

I'm like a scatter chart as far as my own racing motivation and discipline goes these days. Last year had similar moments. I think it's a combo platter of a lot of success meeting continued hard work and not be motivated by simply accumulating results. Medical issues aren't helping. Kinda look back fondly on being a Cat3 trying to challenge the big dogs.

Cat1 problems.

Second day in a row off the bike. I'm thinking that I should feel guilty, but...nah. :) Second day in a row of rainy weather and temps in the 30s as well; walk out the door and get immediately chilled to the bone. One hour at recovery pace tomorrow, sunny and 40s - about time.

I napped for an hour Saturday and Sunday in the afternoon and had a massage today.

After flatting in the TT and having lunch at Chipotle with my teammates (and inadvertently getting briefly stuck in Paul Walker memorial traffic), I went for a 22 mile ride on my TT bike. I was freezing in my SoCal way and I had no motivation to ride fast but I was motivated to ride after driving all that way to race and doing so little. I did confirm that my position change on my TT bike was positive and I may change it a bit more in the same direction.

test.

USADA knocking at your door? That kind of test?

I test Saturday... definitely not USADA for me. And Gary? Please don't tell me your results.

Another wonderful workout today. 50' of pace, part at normal cadence and part at low rpm, plus warmup and down. Part way through I realized that, for the first time, I was neither thinking about nor favoring my arm. Woohoooooo!