The Challenge - Part One

Classic Bridgestone RB-2 - Almost 40 years old
Still needs some work but overall in good shape.
The original White Saddle lies beneath the
black Gel covering (see below)

I've always been objective oriented. That is when I tend to get fired up about doing something when I have a clear objective in mind. I prefer not to use the term goal as that term tends to be self limiting for once you reach a set goal, it's like, well..now what...and motivation tends to diminish afterwards. Being objective oriented leaves the desire open ended phycologically. Once you reach an objective, it's simply a matter of extending the object of your  desire out a bit further and you just keep on going shifting gears toward a new direction with a renewed energy. 

Over the years I've remained reasonably active pursuing a variety of activities like canoeing, hiking, camping, hunting/fishing, photography, running, swimming, cycling. Although the intensity level and frequency of those activities has varied over the years as I've gotten older, I've remained committed to their pursuit. However, in more recent years I've run into an unexpected physical situation that has really slowed me down. Yes, I have mentioned it before, but bare with me as it appears I have developed a circulation issue leading into my right leg. The right side Iliac Artery, which feeds the lower extremities on the right side, has become clogged up and in the opinion of the vascular doctor I've been seeing, it is virtually 100% clogged. Oddly enough, I feel no discomfort when walking around doing normal routine things, ( the body has an amazing ability to compensate ). It is only when I place continuous stress on the leg does the problem present itself. The discomfort can be quite severe, and the doctor said it is like I am having a heart attack but it's happening in my leg. That discomfort is what limits my ability to do the things I enjoy at the level I want to pursue them. Cut me a little slack here...I am turning 74 years old soon, but, mentally, I still feel like I am 25...well...maybe closer to 35...or 40...regardless, my mind tells me one thing, but my body is beginning to push back.

Oddly enough, the left side Iliac Artery remains mostly clear and presents no real  problems, and my heart according to a previous CT scan shows itself to be clean and clear with no blockage. It seems odd to me that this one location has become a problem while everything else appears to be in good shape. Even so, it is what it is and its effects are real and troublesome. Medication (Cilostazol) has helped, but only with minimal improvement. The doctor and I have come to the conclusion that inserting a Stent into the Iliac Artery will be the best way to improve on the situation. That procedure has, as of this writing, not been scheduled, but will most likely be in the near future.

As I just mentioned, medication has improved the circulation to a degree where I've noticed enough improvement where I am feeling optimistic about being able to return my leg to where it is operating at a near normal level. So...that leads us to what this article is all about; The Challenge.

The Challenge for this year is stacked within multiple layers. I still want to pursue all the things I've mentioned and get out with my canoe and do some hiking and things, but the main focus has shifted now to where I want to accomplish something I have not done, nor been able to do, for a long time; I want to complete a 100 kilometer (62 miles) bike ride with the intent of using that as a springboard to eventually complete a full 100 mile ride at some point. The only way I will be able to accomplish this is if the Iliac Artery Stent surgery improves the blood flow enough to my right leg to where I can train at the required intensity level.

Riding 62 miles on a road bike may sound like a big deal, and in many ways it is. However, most any competent cyclist should be able to make such a ride with some careful preparation and conditioning. Being almost 74 years old with a bum leg...well, that complicates the situation some. But, I am going to give it a try. I may not succeed, but I will try regardless of the leg situation. Over-all I'm in pretty good shape weighing in at around a lean 175 lbs with no real physical limitations save for the bum right leg issue. I do believe I will be able to pull this off.

At one time a good number of years ago, I made many rides in that same range often completing 45 and 50 miles rides on a routine basis. I even performed the bike-leg as part of a 3-man team competing in a half-Ironman Triathlon. That 62 mile bike leg covered a good number of hills along the way and was a pretty tough course. That experience served as a springboard for me to pursue (in my mid-40's) to become an individual triathlete competing is several shorter events. I had strong bike legs back then, and good running endurance along with a solid swimming performance. My weight at the time was around 160 lbs and I really enjoyed the training process, even so, training at that level required so much time it just became too difficult to do it justice and still try to juggle a full-time job along with family time. Now that I've been retired for a while, I have plenty of time on my hands. I just don't have the physical capacity I used to have...mainly because of this stupid leg issue.

Catalog image - What my RB-2 looked like
when brand new. Plan on restoring it back
to the classic looking gum-sided tires.

Over the next several months, I will be making occasional posts chronicling and updating my efforts along with photographs and probably a video or two. On my previous post I wrote about my classic Bridgestone RB-2 Road Bike. Since that post I have spent a good number of hours restoring it back to an almost like-new configuration. I've also broken out my old Cycleops indoor trainer and hooked my RB-2 up to it and I've been doing some spinning around testing out my leg to see how it responds to some vigorous work. Indications look promising with the discomfort level being less than I expected, but still not where it needs to be. Hopefully, that will come with time and the corrective surgical Stent insertion along with warmer weather where I can hit the open road again and really give it a good workout. How the leg responds is yet to be determined.

In part two coming up soon, we'll take a closer look at the bike details and I'll discuss more about the training program, route selection, all those kinds of things. I'm an old school kind of person who will be riding an old school bike trying to accomplish something most older folks wouldn't even think about doing. Like I said before...I am an objective oriented person. The object here is less about will I actually be able to complete this planned ride, and more about the journey I'll take preparing for it.

Hope you follow along and maybe I'll run into you out on the road.