Back in the Saddle
14.5 mi, 949 ft
Today is special. An entire year after the left hip started hurting, finally back in the saddle for a hill ride.
Rewind. 2018, a summer of pain and limping, of physiotherapy and rehabilitation. And the pain goes on, and on. January 2019, switch to the zero-deductible mega super platinum health insurance plan with both fewer tax benefits and many fewer disincentives to stay away from medical treatment. X-rays, MRI scans, and a terrifying visit the the "musculo-skeletal oncologist" later, led finally to a (mercifully benign) diagnosis. The pain transpired to have been in no respect psychosomatic, and probably not aided by the months of vigorous hip flexor massage. Myositis ossificans: the rectus femoris hip muscle sort of got mangled and damaged, presumably from all the biking, then instead of healing back into muscle... turned into bone. An odd decision on the part of the rectus femoris, but would explain quite neatly why sitting cross-legged is now nigh impossible.
The musculo-skeletal oncologist, who apparently actually deals mainly with benign conditions, and is furthermore a surgeon, is extraordinarily enthusiastic to chop the errant bone right out. Unfortunately for Dr Fang, the hip pain has finally receded to negligible over the course of H1'19.
Nonetheless, a lingering fear to get back on the bike. Will the hip pain flare up? Will I be... slow? These anxieties led to a most unreasonable turn of events - the adoption of running in the spring. Compulsively. Incredibly, despite half a year of inactivity, the lingering benefits from a wild amount of prior biking included a truly mighty cardiovascular system and ever powerful thighs. 5 km on the treadmill rapidly escalated to hours on mountainous trails. The overwhelming urge to keep going and going and extend and extend, invincible, with almost no pain in the left hip. Then of course, a nagging sensation in the right achilles tendon and a bit of pain on the bottom of the foot. Google suggests that the self-diagnosed beginnings of achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis can go chronic at the snap of a finger. Running needs to stop for now, but where to get the cardio fix?
Today is special. After a few short test rides the preceding weeks, out for a proper ride in the hills with a loop of Alpine, Portola and Sandhill. Solo, for the unexecuted option of quitting. Pushing hard to engage the core and the glutes and take the strain off the hip flexors; feeling strong. Overtaken by a few riders, and overtook a few of the more antiquated specimens on the road. Average speed a match for the historic. Fought off the urge to take the turning to old friend Old La Honda or extend the ride beyond an hour to climb Page Mill. Plan the ride and ride the plan. Ease back in, do not push too hard. Focus on rehabilitation and injury mitigation, not on competing and personal bests.
Today is special. An entire year after the left hip started hurting, finally back in the saddle for a hill ride.
Rewind. 2018, a summer of pain and limping, of physiotherapy and rehabilitation. And the pain goes on, and on. January 2019, switch to the zero-deductible mega super platinum health insurance plan with both fewer tax benefits and many fewer disincentives to stay away from medical treatment. X-rays, MRI scans, and a terrifying visit the the "musculo-skeletal oncologist" later, led finally to a (mercifully benign) diagnosis. The pain transpired to have been in no respect psychosomatic, and probably not aided by the months of vigorous hip flexor massage. Myositis ossificans: the rectus femoris hip muscle sort of got mangled and damaged, presumably from all the biking, then instead of healing back into muscle... turned into bone. An odd decision on the part of the rectus femoris, but would explain quite neatly why sitting cross-legged is now nigh impossible.
The musculo-skeletal oncologist, who apparently actually deals mainly with benign conditions, and is furthermore a surgeon, is extraordinarily enthusiastic to chop the errant bone right out. Unfortunately for Dr Fang, the hip pain has finally receded to negligible over the course of H1'19.
Nonetheless, a lingering fear to get back on the bike. Will the hip pain flare up? Will I be... slow? These anxieties led to a most unreasonable turn of events - the adoption of running in the spring. Compulsively. Incredibly, despite half a year of inactivity, the lingering benefits from a wild amount of prior biking included a truly mighty cardiovascular system and ever powerful thighs. 5 km on the treadmill rapidly escalated to hours on mountainous trails. The overwhelming urge to keep going and going and extend and extend, invincible, with almost no pain in the left hip. Then of course, a nagging sensation in the right achilles tendon and a bit of pain on the bottom of the foot. Google suggests that the self-diagnosed beginnings of achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis can go chronic at the snap of a finger. Running needs to stop for now, but where to get the cardio fix?
Today is special. After a few short test rides the preceding weeks, out for a proper ride in the hills with a loop of Alpine, Portola and Sandhill. Solo, for the unexecuted option of quitting. Pushing hard to engage the core and the glutes and take the strain off the hip flexors; feeling strong. Overtaken by a few riders, and overtook a few of the more antiquated specimens on the road. Average speed a match for the historic. Fought off the urge to take the turning to old friend Old La Honda or extend the ride beyond an hour to climb Page Mill. Plan the ride and ride the plan. Ease back in, do not push too hard. Focus on rehabilitation and injury mitigation, not on competing and personal bests.
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