Ready for Flanders!

At least, I hope. I was able to train without pain on Saturday (where my form surprised me and my co-riders), and Sunday (first time on my new bike, loved it! Almost 60K in 90 minutes with the local peloton!). I guess the reason for my knee trouble was indeed my position...

Tomorrow, I'm going to work by bike again, and on Wednesday I'm planning a short but fast session. Rest of the week will be all about recovery.

I'm still reckoning with the possibility that I have to call "Soigneuse" Delphine to come and get me since I'm not sure my knee will hold the entire day (260K), but I'm not planning on jeopardizing the rest of the season, even if it is THE Tour of Flanders. The day after, a breakfast at Julie's house (http://www.julieshouse.be/) is planned. It might just help me get through the difficult moments ;-)

Oh yes, I registered for the Bioracer Ardennes Challenge 2011 as well today, aka Gran Fondo Ardennaise, where I rode very well last year. Hope to repeat that performance, but if i've got the choice I'd rider do better than my two 135rd-places in Les 3 Ballons one week later...

From well before dawn till dusk

I cycled to work today! Ghent - Brussels
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/74704831,

Brussels -  Ghent
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/74704815 .

I was already on my bike at 5h10 this morning. Felt great, and knee seems to hold! Fingers crossed for Tour of Flanders!

 Slowly but surely, I'm finding a better form, although the ride back today was 15K to long to be comfortable. If only I was able to resist those M&Ms;-)

Am I back?

First of all, again, my apologies for not having posted anything lately. But those of you that have already been injured will know the reason why... it's just so frustrating to even think about racing, let alone just riding, that you prefer not to think about the bike at all. Last weekend I went to the Ardennes with a couple of friends (Yes, Phil, I even passed your "Hometown"), but unfortunately I had to let the others go because I felt the knee started hurting again... So Phil, I hope you can understand why I didn't stop by to say hello.

As a result, I was on the train home that same night, saying to myself that this really the end of my 2011 spring "campaign". Riding the Tour of Flanders while not having been able to train appropriately is simply not realistic, but even worse: I was simply UNABLE to ride!

The week before going to the ardennes, I spent almost an hour optimizing my position, in vain appearently...
But all of a sudden, things seemed to change. Even though I was in a lot of pain on Saturday, I was under the impression my knee healed very quickly this time... I tried going out on Wednesday (90 minutes), and once again in the rain (at night) on Thursday (120 minutes). WITHOUT FEELING ANYTHING!!!

And now, Saturday, I'm just back from a 120K ride, without knee pain again! I really hope these troubles are finally behind me... My form is terrible of course, but I just feel happy being able to ride again. Tour of Flanders will be horrible (I really wasn't able to do the necessary trainings, and it's already in two weeks!), but to be honest.... I don't mind. I'm just so happy to be back! I hope...

A nice memory...

Arthro-CT Scan, RX, scanometry,...

Indeed: in depth  (you can take that literally) examinations to see what's causing my knee problems. Tomorrow I can call Dr Rousseaux in Drongen (only to make an appointment). By the time I will be able to go, it will be mid-April I'm afraid. The docter that took the photos wrote a report directed to his colleague, and from what I understand, I don't really have any anatomical problems (only a 4mm leg difference, and no real cartilage damage). However, the white spot on top of my knee-cap might indicate cartilage starting to break down...Whether this is accute or chronical I don't know...Weird thing is that unless I get the picture all wrong, the knee pain I'm feeling is on the other side of my knee-cap:-p.

Anyway, in order not to jeopardize the rest of the season I decided to take it slow for ten days (NOT cycling nor running), and hopefully my knee will be recovered enough so I can join the guys in the Ardennes next weekend (March 12-13th). If I'm not able to train well there, I'm afraid I will have to skip this year's Tour of Flanders (just like in 2009).

I must admit it's pretty demotivating and frustrating, not being able to train as I would like and should. Hence why it's been so long since my last blogpost. Will I be the one laughing in Summer because I'm still "Fresh"?... I certainly hope so!