THR Long daily walks : good or bad ?

[adaflorida]

Holy Toledo! What a STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe you are alive to tell it! I am speechless. You deserve some type of award to have come out of all of that ALIVE!

Separately, how interesting about the Nordic Walking (I'm originally from Minnesota... so, I'm familiar with lots of "Nordic" sports/exercise.

Your weight loss is impressive... I, too, (though not as tall as you) have progressed in this area; I'm not obese, but I want the weight off of my joints if it can put off future surgery (OA is in my system... and specifically now in left hip and knee). So, exercise feels great right now that I can move. I am so grateful!

Your English is FINE.

Thanks for sharing your story.

Alicia
(Say a prayer for the families in Aurora, CO, here in the US who lost dear loved ones last night.....)

 

[raducanmihai]

I am very lucky just to be alive,not to mention the recovery I made. A few things from what I've told you were also told told to me by doctors and family,as I recall almost nothing from the first week to ten days in hospital.

When I exit the hospital after the infection ,because of the illness and the operation to remove my abscesses,I weighed 150 lbs ! My feet were almost as thick as my arms. But,in the next months,because I could barely walk to the bathroom ,I put on a lot of weight. Even after my first THR (left leg),I still couldn't move to much,because I had the other leg hurting. So I ended up in January with 194 lbs (88 kg). It wasn't a ton of extra weight,but it was only fat on the thin body I exit the hospital more than an year ago. Now,most of the fat is gone and the muscles are getting stronger. I think I still don't have 100% the power I used to have but I'm getting there.

I used to live in Bucharest (the capital of Romania) but now I live in Predeal,a very small city in the mountains (at 3300 feet) which is also a small resort. I sold my skies and snowboard because the temptation to use them was to big (the ski slope is 500 m from my house). I am not afraid I will fall,because I can ski and snowboard very well,but this a very busy and very little ski slope, and the chance of someone who doesn't know how to ski to hit me is to big. It happened to me a lot of times before,but then I didn't have 2 THRs. I consider the risks to be to big.
So,to keep me fit in the winter, I bought some parts (the big drums) and made myself a bicycle roller
It is not me in the video,it's from YouTube,but to get an idea what I'm talking about :


I hope this and long walks on snow will do it in the winter time.

Last,but not least,I would like to express my condolences to the families of the victims of the Aurora attack. It is scary that a 24 yrs student, with no history of aggressive behavior, can do something like that. We live in a sick world and nobody can do nothing about it!

 

[raducanmihai]

Last night,I red a part of Charlie Cyborg's thread "We can rebuild him" : https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/we-can-re-build-him.12409/page-12 and scared the hell out of me.He fell in front of his house,landed on his femur and broke it. He needed revision surgery with a longer stem and wiring the broken femur. It gave me goose bumps. If you can break your operated femur so easy,maybe I'm pushing it a little to much with technical mtb descends.
So today,during my training, I took it very easy in the downhill sections,couldn't stop thinking what would happen if I fall. I almost can say I rode with fear. I have to get rid of this feeling because is counterproductive. We have an saying in Romanian,which translates into something like this : "If you are afraid of something,then it's gonna happen to you! "

 

[Lgastreich]

Mihai, I hope you keep posting your story. I'm in awe of your accomplishments, especially in light of all you endured to get here. I did a little MTB riding pre-surgery, but was never very daring. But I appreciate those mental challenges and your willingness to remain active. I just discovered nordic walking and started as a way of working on evening out my gait. Now after a few weeks, I think I'll keep using them even after the bulk of my recovery is over. I only wish they were a little more popular in my part of the United States. Enjoy your riding and biking!

 

[raducanmihai]

I'm glad you like nordic walking. From what I've red it's very popular in western Europe (like Germany) and among elderly people,as nordic walking takes a lot of pressure of the joints but allows you to work out and spend more calories than just walking. So it's a good way to stay fit.
I also use a heart rate monitor during my walks and on my bike, also. It helped me a lot loosing weight in the beginning and now I use it for improving my mtb performance.
I'm looking forward to the mtb race (19th of august) because I know it's a hard one and I like to challenge myself. For now,I feel that my power is not 100% what it used to be. I don't know if it's the recovery process,the weight loss or a combination of the two,but I'm working on it. I'll keep you posted with my progress.

 

[raducanmihai]

Yesterday I made a long bike trip with some friends on the Bucegi mountains (part of the Carpathians), peak Omu (2507 meters-8225 feet-highest peak in the Bucegi mountains). It was a 87 km (54 miles) long trip with a total vertical ascend of1600 meters (5250 feet). I did the same trip in 2009,before my THRs and I wanted to do it again now,mostly for the view (you'll see what I mean)and the challenge itself, but also to prove myself that I still can do it. We had a beautiful hot day with a short rain at the end. I'll let some pictures speak for myself. I hope you like them. Enjoy :

https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/809/20120728142639.jpg/



https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/576/cimg2283j.jpg/

 

[bottomshollow]

Well, it seems you can certainly still do it! Those man-made hips are great stuff. What beautiful pictures-absolutely awe inspiring.

 

[Poppyfields]

Wow! Amazing photos and great to hear about your continuing progress. You have inspired me to continue to get on with things too....... Keep it up!

 

[Poppet]

Hi Mihai

Thanks for the email

I am so thrilled to see the bike trail.... Wow! You look so well and fit.. if NW did this for you to start with, can't wait to get our poles.

Fantastic achievement on your part - well done you! and great to see a photo of you

Cheers
Sandy

 

[JoJo Hippy Chic]

Goodness me Mihai - what a stunningly strong person you are both physically and mentally. I really need to lose weight and you have inspired me to start my journey tomorrow morning. Good luck to you on the rest of your journey x

 

[Poppet]

Hi Jamie Jamie;

Do you think this qualifies for posting in the amazing stories thread? when you read Mihai's story of surgery, infection, recover, both hips... I think we have another star

raducanmihai; Mihai, you are my personal star that is for sure - chat soon

 

[Jamie]

I do believe you're right, Poppet!!! Let me see about it. Right now we don't have the capability in our new softwear to copy a thread or posts, so we may have to wait until that systems change is made. Josephine

 

[Lgastreich]

Gorgeous photos! Congratulations on an outstanding ride. I wish you the best in your training as you prepare for the race on August 19.

 

[raducanmihai]

Thank you all for your support ! I'm training hard almost every day with the most important rule there is : listen to your body ! If I'm tired, I usually take a day off,as the chance of hurting myself is bigger when I'm not 100% recovered.

 

[Poppet]

Hi Mihai

So pleased you are taking time for recovery in between your training. I know what a big event this is and how much it means to you, but hon, please, please be careful.. No tumbles now

Our poles arrived yesterday, I have a four day weekend, so will go out for my first short solo walk.. Check out my thread - Girl from OZ.. It tells the story from my first hour of instruction.

Well my good friend, hope you are staying safe.. more photos please.. Hugs, Sandy

 

[Roy Gardiner]

And, holy cow! You are moving!!!!!!!!!!!!! You sound a little slim for 6 feet to me, but whatever you feel comfortable with.

Figures: 167 lbs - 76 kg (6 feet -182 cm tall). Not for a racing cyclist. Bradley Wiggins is 6'3"" and 69kg (154lb approx) - but he is extreme! The key for someone who isn't riding the Tour de France is not to let the body fat go too low because it's thought to affect the immune system. 10% is reckoned to be the ideal minimum, although there's not much science I know of to back this.

 

[raducanmihai]

@ Roy Gardiner : I didn't know about the relationship between the immune system and weight, but I'll look into it. I want to say that I'm am NOT a racing cyclist. Yes,I do races but I am not a racing cyclist. When I think of a "racing cyclist" ,first I'm thinking about all the TdF,Giro,Vuelta,etc participants,about the riders in XCM or XCO events,about the top ten or twenty amateurs in private races (like the ones I participate in). They are racing cyclists,I am just an amateur who likes to challenge himself in mtb-inking.I do it for fun,to be fit and to measure my recovery and training progress.

Last Sunday I went along with some friends in the Piatra Craiului mountains (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piatra_Craiului_Mountains). They are very rocky ,hard to climb (steep and rocky) and hard to go down (unstable terrain). It was a long hike (12 hours),but the view from the top was worth it. We climbed to a peak and then followed the narrow ridge from peak to peak (about 30 min to 1 hour between the peaks).
For the ones interested in the equipment I used : I had a pair of collapsible trekking poles which helped me a lot during the descent but also during some part of the ascent. When I had to climb the very steep and steel cables anchored parts I just put them in my basic school back pack. I used a pair of Salomon SpeedCross 3 trail running shoes (great fit,great grip),my Polar RS300 HR monitor watch (sold in the mean time and replaced with a Suunto T6d) and my trusty Buff like bandana.
I already got you used with me showing you some pictures,so here they are:



https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/444/dsc4939.jpg/

 

[MrsTatiana]

Amazing!!! We are the same age too. I love cycling and cannot wait to get back on my bike. You inspire me.

 

[Poppet]

Hi Mihai

Another fantastic amazing success story and photos... wonderful, great to get an update.

Our Nordic Walking is going fantastic. The first route that I walked took me 35 mins.. The second time was 11 mins.. I couldn't believe it when I checked the time when I got back, so I walked it again! Everyone at work tells me I seem to be sprinting around the office..

Thank you so much for introducing us to it, we so enjoy it and the health benefits.. Lost 3K in 10 days!!

Not long now before your race on the 19 Aug.. good luck

 

[raducanmihai]

Thank you. About the 19th of August race : I keep a close eye on the weather forecast because if it's raining only in the race day it's not such a problem,but if it rains 2-3 days before AND during the race, I'll think twice about participating. The problem is mud. It might seems strange that a mtb-iker is "afraid" of mud,but in my case I try to avoid it at all costs. The chance of falling off my bike in a muddy mtb race is much,much bigger than when it's dry. A longer period with rain (2,3 days before) mans that the course becomes muddier and muddier. And a race on such a course is "suicide" for me and my implants. I'll see what happens,but it will be a shame not to be able to race because of the weather. I'm thinking about this race from the moment I started the recovery and it was/is the main focus of my training. But, at the end of the day,there will be more races,but I have only 2 legs.I keep my finger crossed for good weather.

@ Sandy : for weight loss I know it is recommended,if possible, to exercise at least 30 minutes at 60-70% of maximum heart rate. If you don't have a heart rate monitor,60-70% of maxHR means a pace where you can have a short conversation and still breathe almost normally (fast walking or easy jogging). In this heart rate zone, about 85% of all calories burned are from fat. Keep up the good work ! Keep in touch.