Report from TD’s cave:

Now that my typing speed has finally increased to 15 w/min, I can finally let yall know wassup.

The result of taking a little fall on my bike is a broken hand. I can’t change that and I would have it no other way. I have experienced some big emotions lately.

Anger: that I let a stupid thing like this happen. And the at times sluggish health care system (and faulty – they made me go back to the hospital today cause they thought that another bone was broken in my hand. Thankfully was ok. I experienced a few twangs of anger though upon hearing that I may have to reverse the solid week of healing I had just put under my belt…). In total I spent 15 hrs in hospitals. And had 14 minutes of surgery.

Frustration: ties in with anger. Frustrated with waiting and re-doing things. Its like when you try to save ilog and you find out that your internet connection has gone kaput and you lose a week of well developed thoughts and jamming. Time to re-assess my current position. Like my good friends from Outkast say: “Hold up. Slow up. Stop. Control.” Kate Brennan will make me remember that forever.

Excitement: This is a sweet and unique challenge. It makes me really identify gains and really work towards them taking an approach that otherwise wouldn’t be taken. I’m also excited to hang out with the YK crew and not always with Pate (not that that gets boring or anything…). I’m excited to make some mad scrilla fundraising in the land of big money. “Make money! New money!”. Lastly, I’m pumped for mommy and daddy to pamper me. Cooking me meals and such. Not that it was so bad staying at Lori’s place in Van with my Mexican footman, Marcelo, whipping up culinary delights around the clock.

Apprehension: Where is my shape going to be at going into winter? Will I have the gorilla-man upper body strength that I need for sprint domination? Only time will tell.

All said though, this injury isn’t going to set me back. The training I will be able to do aligns very well with my year plan. B/w now and the start of August, I had 2 main things I wanted to accomplish: attain 6 L volume on spirotiger (meaning TV of 6.5 L or so), and build some major physiology (mitochondria density, capillarisation, and just general improvement of all low-end metabolic pathways) upon which to build a strong high end for early season.

The spiro I have been doing ensures modest maintenance of gains I have made already this year. I have already got to the point where I can push past the 5 L bag (meaning that my tidal volume has got to 6 L or so – I’ve improved about a liter since starting with spiro 1.5 yrs ago). So definite gains have been made with the few focused, quality sessions I have done this week. It is important to be aware of risks that can be associated with Spiro while having a broken bone. Although respiratory acidosis is said to have no effect on Calcium metabolism (unlike metabolic hypercapnic acidosis), I have my little doubts. I should just be cautious and not do any hypoxic work. This is the same kind of stuff that induces and nags at stress fractures (intensity…). This next week I am hoping to add some trainer cycling to the respiratory training that I have been doing this past week. I’ve also been toying with the idea of unicycling around the block a few times (sure to burn – especially the crotch…). I’m hoping to pick up a sporty new cast so that my arm doesn’t get too ripe while packing away the hrs on the bike. I have been knocking back Somppi-amounts of milk lately for bone building. I don’t usually drink much milk. Zach is over in Europe right now conscripting a fleet of skis for me. Right from scratch. He tells me that you can change the sport with the right skis. Hopefully he can pick out some rockets for me so that I can up my game. I know he will. He is the man.

Well, its 11:30 here in Yellowknife and the sun is starting to set (crazy, I love midnight sun!), so like the sun, it is time for me to set.


Cheers,

Buzz Lightyear (haha, B-Ren…(I know there are 2 references to Kate in this post. Don’t get me wrong though, its not like I’m totally obsessed with her! …maybe a bit…haha, ok, I’ll never reference her again...)

Marcelo the man-servant.

Spirotiger means stripping down and watching ski races.

Yellowknife at midnight.