Since being cleared to ride a bike I've gotten back into some training which feels great. I started with bike one day/off the next, then I decided to bike 2 days in a row but eventually just went 3 days in a row because it felt fine.

Monday 7/14
AM Physical therapy
     Did some more active exercises this time including some quick stepping up and down and balancing and lunging and some more balancing, started doing balancing/strengthening exercises for lower legs, twice a day.
     No biking; scheduled day off.

Tuesday 7/15
AM Bike 7mi, walk half mile
     This is the standard workout. I bike 7 miles because theres's a conveniant (unlike the spelling of that word) turnaround point and end point that amazingly comes out to an exact mile marker. I walk the last half mile due to a physical therapist's advice, it serves as a bridge to running.

Wednesday 7/16
Nothing. Scheduled day off.

Thursday 7/17
AM Bike 7mi (29:07), walk half mile.

Friday 7/18
AM Bike 7mi (30:11), walk half mile.
     Was actually faster on the way out but considerably slower going back. Didn't feel any different than Thursday, the body just didn't go as fast.

Saturday 7/19
AM Bike 9mi easy, Lift
     Actually planned on taking the day off but I figured the legs could handle going out so I did, went fast out and back, but instead of going the uphill mile to the finish I caught my dad a half mile into his 3 mile run and pedaled alongside him talking for about a half mile before the sidewalk disappeared. Then there was only room for a single file so I rode behind him which can give a hell of a push. He had some knee pain with a half mile to go (too bad, he was having a good run). It's probably due to him cold turkey-ing bike riding once he got his car working again. When you suddenly drop an entire element of your training, you can't expect the body to react healthfully. After the easy ride I did my first lift in over a week. (More below).

Sunday 7/20
Nothing; scheduled rest day.

Week Totals Bike 30miles, 1 Lift.

That's probably the most bike riding I've done in a week since back in middle school when I rode between 3-5mi everyday around the neighborhood with my friend or just riding hard by myself. If I ride 40mi in a week then I'll call that my all-time high. I never kept track of it but I can't imagine I ever broke 40mi.

Now about lifting, I hadn't done it in about a week because, at first the wrists were hurting from just the lifting alone which is a normal problem for me. Then, they started hurting from the bike riding (leaning forward on them for 30mins each ride). So then I got the idea to use my dad's old Everlast boxing wrap and wrapped up the hand/wrist/forearm and was finally able to get a lift in. No problems with the wrists, the boxing wrap really helps and I'm going to use it every lift, and I will do 2 lifts each week now. As a runner I don't need more than that and as a person with weak wrists, 2 a week might be all I should be trying to handle.

The Excellent News is that after today's ass-o'clock (7am) PT appointment, I was cleared to start running again. While it is just a "1 mile jog" each day, it's excellent. Think of an alcoholic. Well, that's not me but think of someone who goes through a 6 pack or more every day. Imagine how shitty that person feels if he doesn't drink alcohol for a month. Then, imagine at the end of that month, the person being given a can of some cheap no-name light beer. While it's nothing close to the 6 packs of Corona and Budweiser he was having before, it's still beer so he savors every sip.
Now read that story again but replace drinking with running and beers with miles, and you have the story of my physical activity since April.

It feels great to be back running again. I'm including an appropriate quote from Batman Begins, which applies pretty well to what occured today; I saw The Dark Knight (superb movie, btw.), and was cleared to start running. It's said to Batman by Alfred.

"Why do we fall, sir? So that we might learn to pick ourselves up."

My drop is done, now I've begun to pick myself up.