Rockin' the Bike...

One of the exercises I've been encouraged to take up is biking. Not only does my therapist support it, but also my doctor. In fact, he's an avid cyclist.

Biking to me over the past 7 or 8 years has been on the trails - I really like mountain biking. However, jumping logs and rocks and going up and down dirt hills isn't really in the cards for me at this point.

Throughout my therapy, I've enjoyed getting on the stationary bike. The progress has been very tangible to me - I can see and feel the results!

Now, I'm ready for a new challenge - biking outdoors.

In order to accomplish this, I had to purchase road tires for my mountain bike. The new tires, called "slicks," replace the knobby "dirt" tires so one could ride smoother on pavement. I'm all about the smoother ride...

If you know anything about Dallas, you know it's VERY hot these days. In fact, it's the hottest August on record... EVER. I think it was 105 degrees Saturday and Sunday, and today it hit 107. Incredible!

So instead of slaving over a bike in a hot garage, I spent most of the day Saturday putting the new tires on my bike... in the living room! Let's just say it's good I'm single...

Which led to Sunday morning. I put on my Garmin Forerunner (wrist GPS), turned on my iPod, and out I went around 8:30 AM.

I had no idea how it would go. I've only been biking for 3 weeks. How would the knee respond? How long could I ride?

One thing I quickly discovered was I needed to raise up my seat... like WAY up. The higher the seat is, the less bending you have to do with the knee. You have a longer reach, and it made it a lot more comfortable.

I decided to focus on the rotation - the constant motion I was making with my leg/knee. It definitely felt different compared to the stationary bike. Outside, you deal with inclines... wind... and variations in speed.

My chosen course was one I was familiar with - my neighborhood. I used it during all of my marathon training days, so I know the obstacles.

Do you realize the last time I ran this route was April 22, 2009? One thing that has changed is the neighborhood. I used to run in a subdivision that was about 2/3 built. Now, it's fully developed. I was shocked to see all of the houses.

Being outside was "freeing" - that's probably the best word I can describe. I felt extremely independent, excited that I was outside in the morning air, and that I was actually an athlete again... or trying to be one!

If you were to see me riding past your house, you'd probably think, "That is one slow dude."

Yep, I wasn't breaking any records. I discovered my average speed was 8.3 mph and that my maximum speed was 11.9 mph (probably coming down a hill!).

For comparison: When I last ran this course, I was averaging a 6 mph pace. So, I'm biking now just a little faster than a jog.

Halfway through, I knew I was feeling the pain. My knee was very sore - probably from all of the normal therapy and then this little bonus activity. After about 3.5 miles, I started heading towards home. I decided I wanted to end with 5 miles.

So, what you see in the image above is me riding around and heading back to my house. The little blue mark is the halfway point.

It took me 37 minutes, but I achieved the 5 mile goal. I honestly felt great... and hope to do it at least once or twice a weekend (early!).

So, for those locally that don't mind a slow pace, I'm up for a ride!