Infinite Road: 2008 LIVESTRONG Challenge Training Journal

Pneumonia

About a week ago when I jacked up my knee, I also started to get this annoying cough.  I was hoping it would just go away after few days, but it kept getting worse and worse...to the point where I could barely get any sleep at night.  So I went to see my doctor today and once again went under the x-ray...and what do you know, I have pneumonia.

Fortunately though, I've been able to ride easily (below 75% max HR) on my trainer without any discomfort -- so hopefully I can still maintain some fitness while I recover from this infection and the knee injury.

Prologue

Once a year, the top pro cyclists from around the world gather right here in California for a week-long stage race -- and today was the first day of this world-class event.  Here are some photos from the Prologue stage of Amgen Tour of California, which took place in downtown Palo Alto and Stanford University campus.

Team CSC rider leaning  into the first corner

German national champ Fabien Wegmann warms up with his Gerolsteiner teammate

How do you spot a team funded by a multi-millionaire fashion mogul?  It's simple: just look for Escalade, Rolls-Royce, fashion models, and a booth decked out with plasmas

World champion Paolo Bettini of Team Quick Step tearing up University Ave 

Team Crédit Agricole rider reaching the end of the tunnel

Bone bruise

Just when I was starting to get into a good routine of riding/running, I've hit my first road block in my training: a bone contusion/bruise in my left knee.  I had just finished an easy spinning session on a trainer yesterday, and was about to put away my bike when I accidentally smashed my knee into my coffee table. 

At first I didn't think much of it, but the pain didn't seem go away and it hurt just to walk...so I went to see my doctor this morning to make sure nothing was broken/fractured.  Fortunately, the x-ray came negative which means the bone is just bruised.  Bottom line: no hilly ride for for little while and no running for much longer.

This is a total bummer because I've been looking forward to riding up the steep hill of Sierra Rd next week to watch the stage 3 of Tour of California in person.  But seeing that I can barely put weight on my left knee at the moment, I don't think it's going to happen...

Going the distance

For the past couple weeks I've only been able to squeeze in short rides between all the rain...so I was really stoked when I finally got the chance to put in solid miles today.  With sunny sky and the temperature in the low 60s, the riding condition was just perfect!  I was originally thinking of doing a 40-mile loop, but decided to just go for the first metric century of the year (100km/62mi).

Riding by the green hills of Palo Alto

Stretching out at the bottom of Old La Honda -- I took it easy on the climb to save my legs for later stages of the ride

Heading out on Cañada Rd -- there were a lot riders out here today

Crossing over Hwy 280 and looping back onto Cañada Rd

Heading back to Woodside as the sun begins to set -- and starting to worry if I'll have enough light by the end

Potassium, electrolyte, complex carb, and sodium -- the perfect cure for bonking at mile 45.

Coasting down Sand Hill Rd as the sky starts to darken

Fighting off leg-cramps as I make my way down the final stretch of the ride.  Note to self: don't forget to bring electrolyte pills on the next long ride