THR Left 2013 - Now the right

[Constanze]

Hi @dougie0216 - enjoyed your update. Happy training for your 50-mile race in August. My Half-Ironman is in June. My hip is 200% (haha). However, my eyesight has deteriorated (sulk person pout winge mope). Needed new glasses.

I rode my bike to work (26 km one way - about 15 mile I think) because my car was in the garage for a few days. That doesn't feel good in the dark and temperatures below freezing. I was freezing and also got too thin.

I've got my car back. I've also got my new glasses and contact lenses, so it's going to work by car again. I will keep my good cardio fitness by running and swimming in the hope that this will also positively affect my cycle speed (for later, when it's significantly above freezing). I will have a half-marathon coming up on Sunday (you can wish me good luck). I'm not in the ODIC club - the amount of exercise I do is right for me. If there is anything I overdo, it's work (haha). Like you, the exercise helps me in an effort not to get the bad 4 ailments of the first world, or in fact meanwhile, the whole of mankind (maybe?), i.e. heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity - yuk!) Keep up your excellent fitness and carry on reporting here about your successes. Best - Constanze

 

[Layla]

Nice to read your update, Dougie...
99% is excellent if it stayed right there. Good for you
Great doctor visit too....you're almost perfectly, perfect!!
Happy Trails
@dougie0216

 

[dougie0216]

@Constanze How did the HM go? I hope you met your personal goal. We were supposed to have a group ride this afternoon. I got a text at 0930 that some people were 'sick' so we cancelled the ride. The winds were gusting to 35mph/56kph so we prob weren't going anyway

@Layla Perfect?!? Hahaha Nope. However, when compared to other 59 yo, non-cyborg mortals, I'm not too bad.

Update: I Have Lost 12#'s/5kilos!!! I am out of my fat pants I have been wearing since I shut bicycling down at the end of of 2016.
I pruned rosebushes, decorative grasses and plants in my flower beds yesterday. Then we went to the store and came back and applied mulch. Today I sprayed weeds in my yard and the neighbors because he is on TDY for 6mos in North Carolina. His wife is managing work, grad school and 2 kids, yeesh. Their yard needed some tlc.
I am ecstatic that I can do yard work again. Our lot is 3/4 acre and it cost big bucks to pay someone to do it for us last year.
Oh yeah, I used a ladder to change a life bulb in a 10' panned ceiling today.
All of these little things vs we take for granted until hip-disease robs us of the ability to do even small physical tasks.
If you are new, PT, Ice, Meds, Rest: Repeat! Or meds first lol.
Peace out, love Doug

 

[MammaT]

Awesome update.

 

[SaraK]

Great update, Dougie! My first hip feels so natural now and the second is the only one (kind of) holding me back (just ask @Layla - I'm the problem child that refuses to stay still or go slowly). I actually have more flexibility in first hip than I did as a couch potato before hip issues even set in. It's inspiring to see others able to get out and live life and appreciate all this surgery has done for us.

 

[Layla]

You sound great @dougie. Nice post.
Pruning, applying mulch....oh how I wish! Going to be some time before I can do that.
Using a ladder today is not an accomplishment since you did it mere weeks post op
I recall you were climbing around early on doing something and giving us all a heart attack.
Remember?
Hope your week is great!

 

[Constanze]

Good morning (German morning - it's 8:27 am here) @dougie0216. You've got a very nice new avatar. Sorry your group ride was cancelled. Maybe next time. My half-marathon was very good. Thanks for asking. I managed to complete it in 2 hours 3 minutes. Came first in my age group, but then I was the only one in my age group (W60). Actually cycled to the start of the race and back. But got cold -it was below freezing and there was a dry wind at the time we started.
I also do ladder climbing, pruning, weeding and other yard work but not at the moment - too cold and the ground is still frozen. I'm desperately waiting for spring. Looking forward to more news.
Constanze

 

[dougie0216]

@Constanze 2:03? Nice. Under 6min/k. I had a dream about running the other night. I miss it. That's ok, there was nothing left on my running bucket list. Unlike cycling. It was cold the day that pic was taken. Slightly over freezing but windy. It is always windy in Oklahoma.

@Layla I am a sicko. I enjoy yard work. I hated arthritis. Now Doug is unfettered. Having to pay to watch someone else do my yard and flower beds was the worst experience. The ladder? Oh yes, my wife is at fault. She had to have the security light put 19' up on the back side of the house... The tubes say 10,000 hours but they only last 4-6 mos.

 

[Constanze]

@dougie0216 - Brilliant! Lets wish each other good luck for our upcoming races - and enjoy the yard work.

 

[Aamos]

Wow, I thought running and cycling were not recommended for us. This has been tough for me, so imagine how inspiring you both are! Please keep updating your adventures?

 

[hikejunkie]

@Aamos - My surgeon advised no running postop. I asked twice hoping he’d change his mind. Cycling, however, is great exercise postop. I love my spin bike. I was afraid of not being able to hike over rough terrain and he was fine with it. I was told no bungee jumping, parachuting and running. Everyone is different, surgeons have different ideas. We all end up doing what we think is best in the end.

 

[dougie0216]

@Aamos Welcome to the party, hippy. My surgeon (a runner) told me he was good with me running again if I was ok with a return visit in ten years... There is nothing left on my running bucket list so I got a road bike.
I ride with another double-hippy all the time. He is 75 and I'm in his pace group to help him win his age group in a 50-miler in Aug.

@SaraK What walls have you broken thru lately? I dinged my shoulder, bursitis. Pumping up a bicycle tire (110psi) with a manual pump. I bought a new compressor and actually went to a doctor today. Some shots and steroids and I'm back on the bike Thursday. Doc said if it didn't hurt, I wasn't hurting it.

@Layla where have you been?

@Mojo333 I survived the fundraiser! I slept 12-hours Saturday night. 13 of you include dst.

 

[SaraK]

The glute finally seems to be about healed so now working to strengthen it. I got back to the gym but was limited to cycle with no resistance and treadmill no higher than 2.5 miles. Today he said I could restart on all but abductor machine and floor exercises but to start back slowly. I'm also going to work out with trainer Sat and then dance Sat night. PT just told me to have fun when I told him I'm likely to put 10-12,000 steps on Fitbit dancing that night. Range of motion also starting to improved. So no walls busted recently but watch out in a couple weeks! You never know what I'll do then!

 

[Mojo333]

Dougie, the invincible. Do glad you are doing well.
I survived my fundraiser too..and the allocation committee review cleanup.
I'm guessing as weather gets nicer you will be a riding fool.
So happy you are back to your passion

 

[dougie0216]

@Mojo333 I'm riding tomorrow and Saturday. I love DST! Next week is spring break so we are trying to get a group ride together. Campus will be closed. Woo Hoo!

I hate fundraisers. In 30-years I've participated in over 100 public radio and public tv fundraisers. I've been the ramrod of the outfit in half of those... About the third day I remind myself retirement becomes an option in a few years.

I am not invinceble. A lot of people see a speed bump and slow way-up or stop. Speed bumps are smoother if you maintain your speed

Joint replacement is just a speed bump, not a stop sign.

Have a great week!

 

[SaraK]

@dougie0216 - just depends what speed you're going when you hit the speed bump!

 

[Mojo333]

Speed bumps are smoother if you maintain your speed

.
I can't believe YOU said that and gave me my new favorite quote in Bonesmart.
Love it, Dougie!

 

[labanan]

Hey Doggie - as expected you are doing great! So nice to read your cheerry update. I'm doing swell too. We took different approaches but both got to good. I did not do pt. Last week I substituted for the gym teacher! I was toast every night but I did it! And believe me when I say it was my deep privilege to say to the kids (k to 12 on a reserve school) if I can run and play at 66 with a biopic hip they'd best join me!

 

[Constanze]

@dougie0216 - yes, indeed, you're doing great. I don't bunjee jump and parachute. I would be afraid. But I've been running got 3 years and both legs feel better than even in my teens. Got a sports watch which I use to record my training results and upload them on the internet. Says I'm as fit as a 24-year-old. I didn't ask my surgeon if I could run. But he is an athlete himself and says I need to do sport to work against osteoporosis. Why not give running a try. It will probably not damage your hips - an out-of-date idea to my mind. - Best - Constanze

 

[dougie0216]

Hello Hippies!

Spring break this week for K-12 and those of us in higher ed. It could not have come any sooner.

The weather is finally warming up! It is now light enough in the evenings to ride the bike after work. I walked 2mi after work on Monday, road the bike 10mi on Wed.

I took a half day off on Friday and handwashed the WRX and worked in the yard. More yard work yesterday and I also started spring cleaning the garage.

My garage has not been cleaned since prior to RTHR last June. Yeah buddy!

I got up this morning and rode some intervals / hill sprints on a hill close to the house. Rain was on the way, so I just went out, all-business and got it done.
Then I went shopping and now I'm waiting on the pork roast to thaw!

I am just SO Happy I could explode. My hips and legs are happy and pain-free. I've lost 12lbs/5kg since surgery.

Going for a distance ride with another double -hippy and friends on Wed.
That will be a good test of my fitness. These guys are retired, and even tho they are 10-15 yrs older than me, they can plan their schedules around cycling and I have to plan my cycling around the work schedule.
We are going to ride in the wildlife refuge and start into the wind and go until we can't stand it anymore. Then we will turn around and let the wind push us. Hopefully we can get in 15-20mi. It is quite hilly. The name is Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and the word 'mountain' connotes you will be going up some hills, lol.
Including today, I plan to ride three times this week and walk twice. I will take Tue & Fri off from cardio-activites

And finally, since I drive basically a street-legal Subaru rally car. (WRX =World Rally Cross.) I can definitively say that bumps, including speed bumps are much smoother taken at speed. Just like recovering from hip surgery