The 3-Hr Bike Challenge

Yes, we accepted the challenge and we both made it !?! It was a very tough class but exhilerating at the same time. Using our heart rate monitors, we started at a relatively low heart rate level. The goal was to maintain a good solid spin rate with a stabilized heart rate - something you could easily maintain for an extended period of time (for about the first 60 mins). Then the paced picked up and by about the 2 hr mark, we were spinning at the top of our zone 3 (very hard). While we were up in this range for 3 sets of 3 mins high zone 3 followed by a momentary reprive in the low zone 3 range. OK, let me explain that low zone three is NOT a reprive by any measure. We maintained this tempo for about 12 mins in total. I thought I was going to puke after the 3rd set. Curtis and I were both in the hurt locker. Spinning beside Curtis is always a challenge when we are working hard because he sweats so much. Gadzuks there was a pond developing below his bike and it was heading my way!! When sweat is flying everywhere, the last place you want to be is right beside him. Good thing I love him dearly!! Once our zone 3 sets were over, we started our decline back into the more gentler kinder zone of 2 and then 1. You would have thought that at the end of 3 hr class there would have been a resounding 'hooray'!? But no. There was only silence. I felt great afterwards. My muscles weren't sore and my butt was in good shape, but I didn't want to be the only one to yelp, 'good job'. I must admit that sometimes, I do have the advantage in having only one leg. I only feel half the exhaustion, pain and stress. I can use my prosthetic leg to give my biological leg a break. So if my knee is starting to hurt, and use my prosthetic side more to give my biological side a break. Its particularly advantageous for longer distances. Thank God. I have finally found the one advantage over people with two legs where a prosthetic actually comes in handy. Things to make you go, hmmmmmm !

Kim Running - January 2010

As promised, here is a video of Kim running 6 months later. See how much more relaxed and smoother her stride is. Awesome!!!

Kim Running - June 2009

Here's a video of Kim running on an outdoor track in June 2009. Compare it with the video that I am going to put up in our next post. You rock Kim!!

Busy Week!!

Well, Kim & I just had a very busy week!  After getting back from Lake Placid last Friday (1 Jan 10), we had our first spin class of the year at Cyclelogik.  I found it pretty tough to get back on the bike after just 2 weeks off, but managed to gut it out for our 90 minute session.  Kim had a good workout and our "Red Green" fix for her cycling leg (i.e. duct tape) seems to be working fine.  This past Saturday (9 Jan 10) was good too - this time it was 105 minutes!!
I finally went back to work on Monday after a full month off.  Should be a good job - wearing DEUs again will take some getting used to!  Kim and I have our pick-up/drop-off situation relatively sorted out - she kicks me out at King Edward and Rideau in the morning and picks me up at the gas station across from the Constitution Building at night.
Had two pretty good workouts with the Lions this week, too.  Kim's run is coming around very well - she should be good to go for her races this summer.  I had a strong session on Monday and managed to top it on Wednesday - one of the members of our group was flying and the rest of us just tagged along for the ride!!
I booked a vacation for Kim & I this week too - we're heading to Orlando at the end of March.  Looking forward to warming up a bit and getting in the water - Kim's buying some swimsuits as I write this!!  I managed to get us into Sea World's Discovery Cove to swim with some dolphins, something that Kim has really wanted to do for a while.  Cool, eh?
Keep watching for some photos from over Christmas!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010

Happy New Year everyone. We just returned home from Lake Placid. The trip was a lot of fun and I am glad we went. We tried out the bobsled run ! Holy crow !! Think we managed to get up to speeds in and around 55mph (89km/h)...and our start point was only 1/2 way up the race course ! Not for the faint of heart. A highly recommended activity if you have a need for speed. The skeleton course was also open to us, but somehow barreling down this same course head first just was not in the cards for either one of us. We also tried Biathlon. OK, this was a bust for me. I now know why they push the sleds on AK amputees. The range was fun though - typical for a military soldier. Curtis hit 5/5 targets. I shot a whopping goose egg !! This is where I have to admit that I actually needed my glasses. Drats !!

We are heading off to our endurance cycling class very shortly. Looking forward to burning off a few calories from our New Years Eve dinner. If anyone reads this blog, we highly recommend the Paradox Lodge. The rooms are cottage like, and the chef is world renown. Chef Fred (or Red as he likes to be called) is amazing. I had lamb and Curtis had venison, and I don't think we will need to eat for at least one more day.

Well that's all for now. A couple more days to go before we head back to work. Aarrgggg.