Breaking Ankles

So, a year ago I thought I was done healing. Dr. Stone had released me to full activities, I was playing basketball, riding my bike, walking the golf course, and even snowboarded at about 14 months post-op. I was pain/care free. I continued my rehab workouts for a little while longer and then transitioned/incorporated those exercises into my traditional leg workouts. Add the fact that my passion for riding road bikes became an obsession this year, my legs probably haven't been this strong since my playing days.




I play basketball at least twice a week before work. At 37, I'm one of the older guys, but not by that much. I love basketball, and running for an hour and a half on the court is a nice change from the bike and great cardio. My first game was in January 2009, just after Dr. Stone gave me the go ahead to go full speed. I was nervous at first, had occasional pops and twinges, and didn't feel super-confident in the knee for a few more months. I was really glad I chose to go with the Breg Fusion knee brace since when I drag the knee laterally, I still get an uncomfortable popping sensation in the area of my new meniscus, but never in the brace. Anyway, I played, ran hard, and had a lot of fun for most of this year. I did not expect to get any better than I felt at one year, but the past two months I have experienced a dramatic improvement in my ability to push off my knee.




Today was great. They calling it "breaking a guy's ankles" when you break someone down off the dribble, and today I did it at-will. My cross-over step (which I plant off the repaired knee) was quicker than its been since long before my surgery. I'm actually better than before, and I don't mean before this last of four surgeries (the meniscus transplant), I mean as good as it was before my first injury. My knee functions like it did before I hurt it in 1994 at spring training. I'm superstitious, and don't want to jinx myself, but this is exactly why I did this surgery, the rehab, and continued leg-work. To that doctor who told me to adjust my lifestyle and wait for a knee replacement 4 years ago, I just want to scream, "take a look at me now!!!" Thanks to my college teamate, Dr. John Coombes, who told me about this surgery 2 years ago, and the Stone Clinic for putting me back together.

The Death Ride--Check

I'm just about two years out from my meniscus transplant. I haven't been on my blog in a long time, and frankly, I had forgotten a lot of the hard times I went through that first six months. I thought you might be interested in the story of the Deathride.

I rode the Deathride in July 2009 (127 miles, 15,000 feet of climbing, 5 moutain passes), and my knee held up great. In fact, I had a little problem wity my other knee at about mile 90, so I had to effectively ride the last 39 miles on my reconstructed knee. My knee held up great, and I finished in 11 total hours with 9:54 in ride time. It was an epic day. The ride starts out at Turtle rock park (5,800 feet), and the first major climb is Monitor Pass. I had test rode Monitor Pass two weeks before the event and suffered greatly. I didn't have enough water, I started late, and it was very hot. There is not a drop of Water on that entire climb!!! I was very hesitant about my prospects for this ride, but I rode to the base of Monitor with high hopes. My goal was to ride within myself, keep my heart-rate under 165, and remember I had 129 miles to ride. I had the best ride up and over Monitor (8,314 feet). Going down the backside of Monitor I hit 54mph, and experienced a rush like no other. Climbing back was long and brutal, but I felt strong the entire way. Decending the front of Monitor was equally fun, and we made our way over to the 13 mile climb up the front-side of Ebbets Pass (8,740 feet). The climb up Ebbets was brutal, and I got out of my plan a bit on the lower part and paid for it up high. The climb back up the back-side of Ebbets was only 6 miles long, but very steep. At around Noon, I was done with 80+ miles, and only had one climb left to the summit of Carson Pass (8,580). At about mile 95, you climb from Woodforts to Pickets Junction. It's not a pass, but it was harder than any of the passes for me. My left knee, my good knee, started to hurt with every pedal stroke. I had an IT band issue that got worse and worse. By the time I was climbing Carson, I was on one leg, my meniscus transplant leg. I suffered greatly up the last long climb up Carson, but it was just amazing to come over the top. I will never forget the taste of that ice cream bar (a fudgicle) with all the other 5 pass finishers. Decending Carson was a blast, and I hit 59mph coming down from Picketts Juction to Woodfords. Just then I looked down at my Garmin and figured out that my actual ride time was about 9:30...I could finish under 10 hours, so I put down the hammer and made it back to Turtle Rock Park at 9:54. I beat the hard rain by only minutes, and the light sprinkle felt SO good as I rolled into the finish zone. Six months after my surgery I committed to doing the 2009 Deathride (albeit after a few beers), and at just about 19 months after I was a looking at swollen knee wondering if it would ever get better, I was a 5-Pass Finisher of the Deathride. I was fortunate enough to share the experience with my awesome family (who had signs of encouragement at base of the last pass), and some great friends. It was the hardest athletic endeavor I had ever done, and probably the most satisfying.

I'm still committed to knee health, and I do rehab work weekly. Fight the good fight, don't give up, and remember your knee will only be as good as your rehab.