orcanova

May 12th...



May 15th...



Today, July 29th...first ride since the broken ankle. Did 25 miles at about 18.5 mph pace. Liberating. I think I have a really good surgeon.



















Doc didn't want me on the road until August 1st, in case I crashed or something, but I went out today on the W&OD since I am at Redskins Park all week, it being all quiet out there and no cars on the trail...

I'm still walking with a bit of a limp but I can turn the pedals without a problem so far.

shoerhino

Awesome news! I bet it felt strange to get back on a bike after being off for so long.

How did you break your ankle in the first place?

orcanova

Thank You. Well, I had been doing some trainer work, but very low intensity spinning. But it did get the muscles and tendons use to it. Getting on the bike outside was amazing. I just became alive and standing on the pedals to sprint was no longer a challenge like it was on the trainer. It felt strange but in a totally cool way.

I broke it by slipping on the wet tile floor in my basement. We took on some water during the night from the several days of rain. I didn't see the water, and when I stepped of the stairs onto the tile floor (which was probably covered in some mop-and-glo or whatever the maids use) I slipped sideways and crashed to the floor. Didn't know what was happening into I felt the splash as I hit the floor.

ericcox

Glad to hear you're back on the bike. Here's to a continued successful recovery.

big john

Glad to hear it! What a relief, huh?

whiteoakcanyon

Hope the recovery goes great and the riding even better!

ridethecliche

Congrats on getting out there again!

I'm finally starting to ride outside a bit again after 3 months of indoor riding/not riding due to an accident and follow up surgeries. It feels good doesn't it

TeddyKGB

Congrats! Good to see you back on the bike again!

On a side note, you look exactly like Jeremy Piven in that close up photo with your helmet on.

aham23

nice.

later.

ripperj 

D@#$ Maids!

"which was probably covered in some mop-and-glo or whatever the maids use)"

Flash

congratulations. broken bones are no fun. I fractured my collar bone ("he's crashed out of the Tour with a suspected broken collar bone!") and cheated to get on the bike earlier than forecast. I can only imagine the frustration with the ankle, such a major part of the motor. collarbone small potatoes in comparison.

I'd bag that camera if I were you. I'm imagining a youtube video entitled, "first time on bike after broken ankle, I break the other ankle"

nice gangsta bike helmet tilt btw



cheers

orcanova

Umm...the helmet is fine....its the head that's a tad askew. And yes, I am going to email that second vid to my orthopedist to to get a reaction out of him...

mollusk

Awesome!

tubescreamerx

Fascinating that you needed 6 screws in your ankle from a fall...

maddyfish

Any chance of a side pic of your bike?

acarlton

That's awesome man. Congrats. I was on the WOD yesterday too, but between miles 4 and 9. Went for a cool down ride after some hills.

I actually sprained my ankle a week and a half ago and was surprised that even though I walked with a limp, I could pedal just fine. I guess the ankle just doesn't move that much when riding a bike properly.

orcanova

It feels beyond good. It feels like total freedom, like I got my life back. The psychological addiction to the sound of the rubber whirring on the road, being able to throw the bike around underneath you, stand on the pedals and sprint, point the bike where you want it to go (unlike being on a trainer), getting into a strong rhythm and keeping it there, hearing the clicks and clunks of D/A shifting on a carbon frame, etc.

It completely sucked seeing my bike hanging there untouched for so long. It sucked to see people on road bikes on my drive home when there was nothing I could do but wait to get back on the bike.

Congrats to you on your rehab as well. Let the bike be the most important tool for your recovery, getting back your strength and your range of motion. Unclipping from my Speedplay pedals is actually a great physical therapy exercise to get my side to side motion back in the ankle. I couldn't do it on my trainer, but I moved me cleat inward towards the arch to shorten the throw, and now I can just barely do it, so it takes me to the very end of my current range of motion. It feels good when I get it to that point.

orcanova

with different wheels...

maddyfish

Same color as mine, beautiful. Amazing your back on the bike so quickly and still able to ride so pretty fast.

orcanova

I felt under-conditioned aerobically, but surprisingly fresh in the legs. Mostly pain free in the injured leg, just limited side-to-side rotation, which I should get all back. I expected to be fresher aerobically but much more weakened in the legs, but it was the opposite, so far. Now I have to drop a little midriff poundage. Towards the end I was hammering and the hardware started to hurt so I backed off and spun at the end. The discomfort in the hardware was gone by the time I was driving home.

C_Heath

cool, now go ride.

jimbud

Back in the saddle! I remember the day you posted your injury. Looks like you stayed in great shape.

Hammertoe

Great to hear you are healing well and will be able to get some riding time in this season...



I grew up in Rockville, MD and am a HUGE 'Skins fan...

I get to one home game a year...

What are you doing at Redskins park???

How is The Zorn doing???

I am wishing for good things, but since the Danny bought the Team has been in shambles...

asmallsol

It looks like to me, your helmet is too big for you or its not adjusted properly. Head injuryes are alot harder to fix then broken ankels.


But besides that, congrats on a good recovery. Keep it up, but start slow. It will take along time to get back to post injury shape, but don't rush it.

kingsteve233

Nice job. So you say the W&OD goes nearby Redskins park? I usually get on right near mile 13 and go for as far as I feel like riding in each direction before I turn around and come back. I'll have to make a longer ride out of it one day if it is not too far.