I had a short ride yesterday in wind and sprinkling rain. Twilight time is already around four PM now and the temperature is down at around 5-10 deg C (40-50 deg F). Summer is over 
Summer days are long here up north, but the winter days are short. Further up north they're going towards several month with no sunlight at all. That must be pretty depressing. I stopped letting the weather be in control for all my doings a long time ago. Of course I appreciate the summer heat and light, but winter's OK too. Just needs to add a little bit more of red wine and good food 
Daylight Saving Time's Over
Now We're Getting Somwhere
I started workout some time ago now, but wasn't really responding to it before until a couple a weeks ago. My left calf is not there yet, but the rest is really coming back to me. The belly's gone and the weight and strength is pretty much up where it belongs. I haven't done any running yet, except for jogging, and hope to start that in a couple of weeks. Of course we're not talking any serious sprinting but it's gonna be nice to do some interval training running instead of everything on the bike. I feel cardio on the bike is two times the time, two times the effort and half the pay.
It's Italian, It's red and It's made of Steel
My latest build. This one's a really nice ride. Made by Daccordi for a Norwegian brand (DBS) to be used by the Norwegian National Team.
I choosed to go for DT shifters and non aero brake levers to shave of some weight. The weight is in fact down just below 19lbs (8,5kg). Not bad for an all steel frame/fork. I could of course have made it lighter by adding some CF components and totally ruin the aestetics, but that's not what this bike's all about. This is not just an other WW project.
A new seas.......A follow up
What a great start. One week of work out and one week of flu. Not exactly according to planned, but it never is. Is it? In between the brakes of extreme headache I managed to do a little bike work. Here's how the latest Italian's looking like now. In fact now it also has a chrome headset installed so it's only the seat post missing. The one pictured has the wrong diameter. How do you like those pink cables and housings?
A new season's coming up
Had my second (real) work out today after many the month of nearly nothing due to injuries and severe lack of motivation. There want be much running the first couple of month. I still need to do most of the work on the (stationary) bike. There's hardly any power in my calve. The first month and a half's intervals three times a week and strength training in between. Need to teach the pump to squeeze blood around my body again. Man am I miles away from where I was! Basically. I suck right now.
Yet another Italian
This nice guy who a few weeks ago was willing to trade me a Daccordi frameset called me up about a frameset he knew about that might be for sale. The frame was a NOS crazy colored 58 Fondriest steel from late 80' early 90'. After being in my basement he knew there were some stuff he could use and offered him selves to by the frame, since he knew the guy, and make another trade. Course I was up for that.
It's nice isn't it? It will have red wheels with yellow tires. Perforated silver bar-tape and white hoods. 2*10 speed/downtube shifters. This one is not to keep though. Goes to my cousin. I know it'll be in good hands.
Another build is coming up
Some time ago I was contacted by a guy who had a few frames he was willing to give away for shipping cost only, witch is a good deal even though shipping unpacked, he didn't want to have any hassle about it, costs quite some money. (approx $120/bike). He was moving, wanted to travel light and was just gonna toss'em away. As time flies I realize that's a no deal. There's a limit of how aggressive I can be towards a person who's actually willing to give away two frames. The big downside is that I've already gotten all the parts needed to make the builds.
Anyways. Now, only a few blocks away, this frame turns out for sale. Me, with no money to spend on bikes for a looong time, or spend on anything else for that matters, ask this person if he's willing to trade it for a pair of wheels (Shimano 7800. Barely used). And that he is!! All the members of the house are exited over getting another bike in the house.
The frame is made by Daccordi for a Norwegan brand (DBS) using SLX tubing.
MIAMI VICE - The Bicycle
The Bicycle
Pictures updated 1 oct 2006. I now consider this build finnished.
Not finnished yet, but I'm getting there. Had a short ride today and it behaved great.
The crank will be swapped into a C-record. Just needs some polishing and a new bottom bracket. The saddle will be a Brooks Swift honey. Wheels?. I have a pair of 15-20 years old deep section polished alu rims. Rear wheel's done, but I'm waiting for the right length of spokes for the front wheel.
Project Lugged Steel
My first real road bike was a lugged steel frame with Shimano 600 group. Now I'm back where I started. Building up a lugged steel with equipment from more and less that same time era. Some newer parts though. I'll rebuild the rear wheel to accept 8-9-10 speed and I'm going for Suntour friction shifters. I could of course make this a Vintage-All-Original-Parts-Build, but that would cost a lot of money and take a lot of time. Now I'm mostly making use of spare parts found in my basement. I even found a Tiso Altore rear derailleur. That's not bad for a spare part. The only cost attached to this project is the paint and decals. Yes GF, that's right. I know you read this. 
The frame was original yellow, painted blue, but will end up red with white decals. It'll have a very special crank and some deep section alu rims. I already love this bike, and the build hasn't even started yet. I know GF's gonna be thrilled over having another bike in the house.
Yes of course I'll post some pictures, but at this time I don't have the frame.
A Big Improvement !
As some of you already know I'm walking around with this 'moonwalker' witch provides a protected range-of-motion for my ankle. I'm now given an dorsi flexion increment of 7.5 deg. That's about my natural ankle angle in top pedal position. It has of course also made walking a lot easier. I have just over one week left with this contraption around my leg and I am very optimistic for the next stage of my rehabilitation.
GF bike build part III
Yes yes, I know. Just how many posts can one make over a bike build? I think I'm even more enthusiastic over this than GF. Anyways. Parts are starting to come in through the door now and here's some of my own shots.
Looking Good!
GF bike build part II
Wheels are done! (already? I'll be damned! 
)
The wheels are done. Mavic CXP33 rims laced to Ultegra hubs with DT Revolution spokes (Comp drive side) and alloy nipples. 32-2X front and 36-3X rear. Everything locked tight with DT spoke freeze after a real good wheel massage. One of my favourite all round wheels! Not too heavy either.
Tires of choice are Nokian Ravagozzi Cross.
I can't remember having that kind of wheel quality on my first bike, but I know she's gonna appreciate it and that makes it worth it. They will stay true and can take all kind of beating. Also the ball/cup/cone bearings makes them very service friendly. It rains A LOT around here so that's really a good thing.
GF bike build part I
Here's the components for my girlfriends new bike.
Hoping to have them all in the house within ten days.
Miracles........They Do Happen!!
After our car broke down, we decided to give car free living a chance. For me, not even owning a drivers licence, that wouldn't mean much of a change. But for my G.F. who's used to take the car just for picking up groceries from 200m down the street that would mean a big change.
Earlier we haven't exactly shared the same passion for bicycling, and I'm not saying we do now, but it's getting closer. She has , not ridden a bike for fifteen years, now agreed to purchase a bicycle that I have gladly agreed to build.
The build will be a small trekking bike with fenders and rear rack. It'll be a 33 single front and a 11-34 cass. That will give her a speed interval of 5.9 mph - 18.2mph @ 75 rpm.
It'll be H.Q. components only, and she'll end up with a very nice bike indeed. Everything's ordered, and I'll post some pics when it's done.
I'm Walking (like a drunk!)
I can now walk without the use of crutches. Not fast. Not even close. It does in fact look like I have a serous damage to my cerebellum (small brain), but still. I'm walking! Yahoo!!.
I'm now able to control the contraction of my leg muscles, and much of the swelling in my ankle is down probably due to extended use of the muscles and their positive effect to the circulation. The muscle it selves has also regained much of it's original volume.
This is good! With this kind of progression I think I'll be able to start some careful biking pretty soon.
There's three bikes and fourteen left shoes just dying to be used, and I've also found the perfect candidate for my fourth bike. Three wheels and a helping motor!
Yes. This is So Much Better!!
Looking at some pictures from the Constitution Day, I realized that the color of my crutches does not at all go with my suit.
Also. I've been bothered by the weight. By all means. They're not heavy, but being a weight weenie everything heavier than the lightest thing around is too heavy. Since my girlfriend is also reading this blog, I'm not gonna go into any details, but the weight saving was 270 grams and $/gram factor was quite good too. Especially in bike terms.
They're looking quite good. All black. Not telescopic, but cut to my length. That way you also avoid that 'clicking' sound. Recommended to every W.W. that for some reason should be in need of a pair crutches.
Got a New Shoe!!
The New DonJoy MaxTrax™ ROM Walking Boot
The cast is off and the stitches are out. The scar was somehow bigger than I expected. I guess, after several years with ruptures and tendinitis, they had to open this one up a bit more than they would have with a less degenerated tendon.
So. Now I have this moon walker for additional four weeks which provides a protected range-of-motion. Right now I don't seem to have any motion at all, but it'll come. I have plenty of time. The tendon wont take a maximum load before january.
Here a nice shot of what it looks like now. The whole calve looks a kind of withered and I measured it to be more than an inch (!) smaller (circumference) than it used to be before the rupture. But OK. That's just a muscle and will be back pretty fast.
My Daughter's first Work Out
My girlfriend discovered this video clip of my daughter and my brother. The clip is from August -05, making her 22 month old. She takes great joy in many of my toys like the gym mat, gym ball, balance pad......... witch she has more or less claimed to her possession, but I never expected her to take over my running weights. I believe she'll turn in to be a great athlete! Hopefully she'll never be big enough for a 59cm bicycle!!
FlowerPower
Some of you've already caught wind of the fact that this blog is about to change subject for an uncertain period of time.
I will of course write about bicycling and track&field, it's just that.........It's kind of not much to write home about right now.
So. How about gardening? Here's some shots taken from my garden.
Enjoy.
'Jogging' with crutches
I figured it's about time to do some cardio work, but there's really not much I can do now that I have three legs. Cycling won't work. Yet. And of course running's out of the question. The plastered leg won't fit in a rowing machine. So I decided to do an one hour limp with crutches in rugged terrain.
Man that was tough! My arms and shoulders weren't set up for that kind of activity. Cycling and running is not among those activities that gives you a great upper body. That's for sure.
It was OK though. I broke some sweat and got some pulse. These first walks will be more muscular kind work than cardio, but when the muscles there and I can give a little more speed I'd guess it'll be as good as anything.
Maybe some Nordic Walking would have me more prepared for this.
Aaaargg
Not being able to walk properly is really a pain in the ass. Especially for the rest of the family. I promise you. My mood is not at it's best now and my mind has not yet 'tuned in' to a long restitution time. Hey. I can't even carry a cup of coffee!!
I'm starting to work out again again tomorrow, then of course with a totally different training program. Obviously there's also been a few adjustments to what track meets and races I'll participate in this season.
Yesterdays mail brought me some drugs that's suppose to promote healthy joint tissue and cartilage, lubricate joints and remove inflammation; permit muscles and joints to heal more rapidly.
This was ordered before the rupture, but I guess it won't come in any less handy now. How much I believe in these things I don't know, but GLUCOSAMINE, CHONDROITIN & MSM has proved to be quite effective on me. Now I'm adding some HYALURONIC ACID to see if I can boost it up even more.
This might sound desperate but I've been on glucosamine for quite some time now, and for those of you who think the effect has to be pure psychological? Well that's some huge psychological effect and far cheaper than a therapist.
This calls for a small break (I guess)
Complete Achillis Rupture
First, there's a pop or a snap. Then an immediate sharp pain in the back of your ankle and lower leg that makes it impossible to walk properly. It almost feels like you've been kicked, or even shot.These are the sensations typical of an Achilles tendon rupture. The Achilles tendon is a large, strong fibrous cord that connects the muscles in the back of your lower leg to your heel bone (calcaneus). Your Achilles tendon — also called your heel cord — helps you point your foot downward, rise on your toes and push off your foot as you walk. You rely on it virtually every time you move your foot.
Well. That's what happened to me during a relay race Tuesday, just some 10m before the next stage it snapped of. I guess I won't be writing about bicycling and running for a while now.
The good part is that my tendon's now all cleaned up and will probably heal to a far better condition than it was before the rupture.
Funny thing is. Yesterday I had a doctors appointment where I was gonna discuss getting an X-ray of the tendon to evaluate the possibility of an operation to 'clean it up'. If I were to do that, that would mean financing everything from out of my own pocket. That's of course not an issue anymore, and also. It didn't cost me anything except for some pain relief an a pair of crutches. Only thing is. I wish they could do the right side while they were at it. That wouldn't take them more than 20 minutes extra.
Relay race
Did a relay race yesterday. SKJALG started with three teams, and I had the the third stage for the youth team. Wasn't too exited running for the youth team since that meant doing a 470m sprint stage totally alone. The other seniors where already leading by at least 350m. One thing is I didn't show my back to anyone, another thing is I didn't even see anyone's back! I did OK though. Doing another one Tuesday, and hoping for some better composed teams then. It's pretty tough to do your best when your body hurts and you're only racing against yourselves.
Great customer service
I recently published a story regarding a bad experience with some tights purchased from an online store.
The store just agreed to give me a total refund of the amount without me sending the tights back.
That's not bad!
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy
ESWT - Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy . Having a shock wave of four bars to an already acking achilles tendon (tendonitis) does not neceserally strike you as a very good idea, but I mean to tell you. It works! (And hurts a little)
The discovery of the beneficial effects of ESWT came as German researchers were trying to determine what type of high-pressure pulses could be sent through the body to disintegrate kidney stones without causing harm to surrounding tissue. In laboratory animals and humans, it was discovered (with some surprise) that surrounding tissue would often heal back stronger.
If you have a chronic achilles tendonitis, tennis elbow etc. you should defiantly give this a shot. I feel much better after only one session.
It's a small world indeed!
Some time ago, I'd say around September last year, I caught wind of the fact that filtersweep and his wife were moving to Stavanger. I contacted them while they where still living in the U.S. and we e-mailed each other maybe a few times before they moved. And what do you know? They ended up living just a block away from my place. What's the odds of that? It's a small world
Well. Just minutes ago. My cousin called me to say he'd visited some friends he met in the States who just recently moved to my neighborhood. They came to talk about bicycling, my name came up. and............
It's a small world indeed
'Vomit training' has started
....and so also the risks of injuries. It's always been the same. When I start doing track and spikes early season. A lot of those timed 85% intervals would probably do just as good with sneakers instead of spikes causing Achilles tendinitis, like yesterdays work out did. This period is, for me, the most important period and any kind of injuries' a bit of a draw back.
Seems to me I'll have to step over Wednesday's track meet and rather focus on some later events instead. Let's see what my two trusted friends Voltaren Emulgel and Felden (Piroxicam) together with some eccentric exercise can do first.
What a bargain!
I recently purchased two discounted lycra tights from an online store. They where of a decent brand from which I’ve already have a lot of other clothes. When they showed up they didn’t look quite as good as I expected, but there again. They where cheap and they would probably hold up OK despite the look.
Man was I wrong! I’ve used one of the tights ONCE!, and this is how it looks like after a warm up and 200m, 300m, 200m run. Guess witch one that's the used one?
I e-mailed the shop, and the claimed they haven’t had any problems with that article. If that’s the case, they can’t have sold any more than the two I’ve got.
Now they want me to send them back so they can send them to the producer. The total shipping/custom/foreign exchange fee will be more than these tights are sold for, and a heck of a lot more than they’re worth, ‘cause that’s next to nothing.
Hopefully the photo evidence will make them reconsider and give me a refund or a gift certificate for my total expense. 
Finally !!!
The time has come when my daughter is old enough for me to introduce her to the turntable. You know. That device capable of playing 12" discs made of vinyl. It has for the last two years been stored safely away from her reach. I didn't put on a too expensive cartridge though.
I have a few meters of vinyl, a lot of them good, and I've been dying to play them again.
What about Miles Davis Kind of blue on 180gram vinyl. Or all those great oprea recordings from the -50 and -60. Not to mention Furtwängler/Beethovens 3. The double fuge from the funeral march. Mahler, Wagner............
Asthma Suck
Went to the doctor today, Yesterday it was the physiotherapist.
We're trying to work out some asthma medicine that works, and of course at the same time accepted by WADA. Taking care of both criteria is not easy, but I was given a second medicine to take before any physical exertion. Hopefully that will do the trick and I'll be stuck with one problem less.
Oh man. That's just great!!!
I have a two year and a half old daughter, and like every other two year and a half's, she likes to go around without her diaper.
So. While writing the last post she managed to lay a poo on her bedroom floor, as a punishment for me not giving her the quality time. And as if that wasn't enough. She actually pees on the window-sill while I'm washing poo away from the floor. On the window-sill?
I Can Really Feel My Legs !!
I can still remember the day when I could feel no pain in my legs or back. I remember thinking. A-ha. This is what it's like being paralyzed. There's no pain. Oh. I'm never gonna start any serious sports again. At least I'm gonna stay away from any kind of competition.
So why I started track & field again, I don't know. Walking down the stairs backwards in the morning is now just a normal thing and you've stopped caring about why your legs hurt. You just accept it. And if they dont. Well that's just a great bonus.
But somehow it's worth it. Not having done this for seventeen years and now compeeteing, and doing fairly good, with guys ten years younger is great for the ego. I am back!
The long way home
Went to the physiotherapist today to get my back loosened up a bit.
The clinic is close to down town, witch is about 8km/5mile from home.
My cousin, who came by to borrow some tools, was kind enough to drive me down. Inspired by the weather an still feeling a bit cheated from yesterdays loss of work out, I decided to run home and put on the running costume.
8km/5mile is not much of a run though, so I doubled it to about 16km/10mile and run up to a nearby top to take a few photos. I don't usually bring the camera, but I was wearing the Camelback and it just seemed like a good idea.
Anyways. Here's some pics of Stavanger and it's nearby area. Enjoy
The High Point of the Day
Sunday's suppose to be the best day of the week, but the weather really let us down today. After two days of sun and acceptable spring temperature, a drop of 6degF and massive rain is not exactly highly appreciated.
I guess the high point of the day will be the veal steak I'm preparing for dinner
Hmm........... This day might not turn out to be a bad day after all.
Might even get the time to do a bike ride or some running afterwards
The Bike Ride
I've only been focusing on Track & Field for a year now, but today's weather really qualified for a bike ride. Feeling sick on and off for the last week and a half, I still felt I needed to get on the bike. If only for a few miles. Figured I didn't need to bring any food. A 3 hour trip tops is usually OK without. Well not today!
Anyways. filtersweep and I did a 52mile/83,7km ride in a sunny afternoon and say 3.5m/s of wind (not the 1.3 I was hoping for). I felt we had headwind nearly all the time, and checking WindPing. Yes correct. The wind turned several times during the ride.
But OK. It was a great ride, and I realize I need a lot of miles in the time to come.
Running for up to an hour does next to nothing for your body's working economy.
This body needs to learn how to get it's energy out of fat again.
The Finest Day So Far This Year
Finely it looks like spring is here. I'm not saying it's like hot hot hot, but it looks like we're gonna hit 50 deg F today. The wind's gonna be around 1.3 m/s according to Wind Ping. And that's not bad. 6 m/s is usually good.
If it was entirely up to me I'd be riding my bike now.
These days do not show up very often around here.
Here's a snapshot from out the window this morning.
Spring is here
And the temperature is finally a good 5 deg above the freezing point.
Days are getting longer and the motivation for any outdoor activities rises along with the temperature. The Track & Field indoor season's finished and outdoor season's coming up very soon.
Here's a few pics of my daughters first track meet. She had some problems with the direction though. A great moment for all of us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
