Achilles Tendonitis Advice
I signed up for a bicycle tour in France this July (will beheld in conjunction with the Tour de France), which is a huge bucketlist dreamof mine since I started riding. Unfortunately, I developed quadriceps tendonitis earlier this year. Idid months of PT, rested for a couple of weeks, reduced the volume of my riding,etc.A couple of weeks I ago I finallyraised my seat a bit and the quad felt better, but then I started to develop amild case of plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis.I lowered my seat a bit and the plantar fasciitiswent away, but the achillies tendonitis stayed.I put a heel wedged in my cycling shoe and that has helped, but sometimesI get a bit of pain in my Achilles. Ican’t push a big gear without getting pain in both my quad and my Achilles.Normally, I would take it easy with theriding until all my tendonitis werebetter, but that isn’t an option with the tour coming up in about 6weeks.
My question is how much should I train? I reduced the volume of my training a greatdeal. I use to ride 2-3 times a week with a 19 mile hilly ride after work duringthe week, 50-60 mile ride on theweekend, and a 8 mile mtn bike ride or 5-8 mile hike the other day of theweekend, and a 45 min hill repeat on astationary bike during the week.Rightnow, I am only riding 2/week.I did upmy after work ride to 24 miles and I am still doing 50-60 miles on the weekend,but that is it.No weekend mtn biking orhiking.I will do a 36 mile ride with 3mountains this weekend, but I had hope to increase that mileage.I feel like I am so behind the power curvefor this ride.I don’t’ feel like I havelost too much fitness and my endurance feels about the same.
Should I try to increase the volume or stick with the 2/week. Maybe I should stick with the 2/week andincrease the distances or intensities of those rides and then rest/stretchbetween rides.
I want to increase the volume so I will enjoy the rides, butI don’t want to risk further injury. Thetour guide did say that I could modify the rides based on my injury.I really want to make it up alp d’huez, but Iwant to also enjoy it as well.