Prologue #2 December 2012 - January 2014

Soon after my autumn cortisone injection I started to train pretty hard in the gym with weights and also interval training on the spin bikes. I was riding at least 5 days a week for 1.5 to 2.5 hour sessions at a time and 2 weight workouts a week. My knee was feeling about the same, I could ride and push some tremendous power but I couldn't run at all. I also acquired two new, awesome bikes in this period of time. Brand new Felt F1, which was to be my training and climbing bike and a sick looking Specialized S Works Venge which was my aero machine for racing.

By mid December I was very fit and my legs were getting massive and very strong. I flew to Florida to ride everyday and that is exactly what I did with the exception of Christmas day when on a training ride with the St. Petes Cycling Club my crankset fell off, and I had to cycle 8km back to my hotel with one leg. Hilarious! In St. Petersburg, there is a big cycling club (plus other riders) who meet every morning at 0830 sharp for a brisk 25 mile ride over the same route everyday. In the last km of the ride there is a sprint to the finish and I was winning this sprint with ease most days. I put in some excellent training over 2 weeks in Florida and came back to Canada quite fit. But I was still having problems with my knee, it didn't hurt much to ride but it hurt a lot to walk and I certainly could not run.

My new Specialized S Works Venge - in Florida.

By late January I went to see Dr. P again and he ordered a new MRI. I continued to train hard, lift weights and put many indoor km's into my legs.  We had a mild spell in mid January and I rode over two days, doing a ftp Power test on the second day achieving 329 watts on my test which is very good winter power for me.

Winter training during unusual mild January - Kingston ON

After my FTP test. 329 watts - mid January 2013.  

I had the MRI in late January and then continued to train indoors and lift weights. I was getting huge legs and feeling good. In late February I did an epic road trip with one of my cycling buddies, Andrew from Belleville ON. We loaded our bikes into his VW wagon and dieseled all the way down to Greenville, NC. It was one of the longest road trips I have ever done as his radio wasn't working! Great guy though - super easy-going and a good cyclist and a good friend.

Greenville is a phenomenal place to ride. Like Tucson, it has excellent variety of terrain and cycling infrastructure to train. Urban cycling paths, rural road and mountains! We spent a lot of time training in the mountains, climbing Caesar's Head MTN, Table Rock and the Jocosee Gorge as well as a road trip to central South Carolina (Columbia) to do a century ride in the midlands. I was absolutely flying and crushing the climbs down there. Mid trip I did a ftp power test on Caesar's Head and I was right around 330 watts.  My knee was sore from all the climbing but I was having fun. However my limp was getting pretty bad and my knee was really bothering me off the bike. I was again getting worried.

While in South Carolina Dr P's assistant called to say they had my MRI results back and he would like to see me, so I booked an appointment for when I returned to Canada in early March.

By the time I got back to Canada I was exhausted from the fantastic training I did in South Carolina. I was probably riding as strong as ever at that point. But I was walking like an old man and could run about 3 feet before excruciation pain in my left knee.

Perhaps the strongest I have been on a bike. But can barely stand up. South Carolina February 2013.

A week after my return to Canada from training in South Carolina was my first race of the season, the Kingston Criterium. I am the first to admit that I am not a great criterium rider but this would serve to be fantastic training for my goals later in the season. Plus it was close to home. It would be the coldest race I have ever started, with a race day temperature of only 2C with snow lining the circuit. (see photos). I didn't race overly well in the Crit, but in fairness I was still recovering from training and the race was packed with Canadian elite riders however I did hold my own and got some fantastic training in. I even earned kudos from the race director who commented I was so strong but need to race better tactically. One thing I noticed: before the start of the race I warmed up in the Military gym at Royal Canadian Military College of Canada using a spin bike and the vibration from these bikes was absolutely killing my knee, so what ever was going on in my knee is seriously bothered by vibration.  Patella Retinaculum perhaps?

Kingston Criterium. March, 2013

I was called to Dr. P's office to discuss the MRI, the imaging was showing a thickened 'Plica', essentially a fold in the capsule of the knee joint that has become inflamed from over use. Dr P offers a surgery to remove the Plica and figures I would be better off than I am now. I accept the surgery and am booked for April 23rd at Trenton Memorial Hospital.

I continue to train for the rest of the week through the weekend and taper a bit before my next race, The Good Friday Road Race held in Ancaster, Ontario. During my taper week I am very sore and I go to physic twice. I almost bailed on the Good Friday race due to knee pain although I am sure the cold and moist atrocious April weather is not helping my cause. My physio, Jillian is fantastic and works some wonders on my leg although I am still sore and when I awake in my hotel race morning I almost decide to not go but I had already paid and decided to give it ago - if anything it would be a great training ride. 

A great training ride it was! After lap 4/5 during the 83km Masters Cat 2 race I broke away with another guy in tow from the Peloton - in the cross winds going up a short, steep climb. The other guy was with me for 3-4 km's but I was taking the majority of the pulls and when I signalled (with the funky chicken arm signal) for him to take his turn he said he was fucked and I was too strong. I said ok, I would pull hard on the climbs and he could take small pulls in the flats. The break wasn't going to succeed anyway but I figured why not it was great training but we had to work together. After a monster pull up a hill, I turned around and he was gone, I had dropped him and was racing solo with 17km to go. So I put my head down and absolutely buried myself just like my hero Fabian Cancellara would. With 10km to go I had a 30 second lead which I was sure would not last. The moto said I could do it to keep going. Fuck that, they are going to catch me. With 5km to go I still had 30 seconds and with 3 km I had 35 seconds. The commissaire on the moto was happy for me and said "She's all yours buddy". I was actually able to let up a bit inside the last 500 meters and crossed the line, arms in the air. I had won. All the hard work had paid off. This was one of my proudest moments on a bike. Still is to this day.

Crossing the finish line hands in the air. The guy in front of me is a lap down and about to get lapped. 

On the highest step of the podium.

In the coming weeks I put a lot of km's into my bike - once spring finally arrived for good. My final ride pre-surgery was with the local ChainGang Cycling club on Tuesday April 21st and one of our elite riders named Eric was out to do my final ride before surgery on Thursday. This day I was riding so strong with minimal pain while riding and perhaps was the strongest I have ever been but as usual still walking like an old man and I couldn't run at all.