General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Got my A$Z handed to me. Rss Feed  
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2014-07-06 11:03 AM

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Subject: Got my A$Z handed to me.
So I have been doing this sport for a little over two years. In the first year I did one sprint but lost 60# in the journey. Then I was hit by a car while cycling and fractured my hip. I had one surgery to repair the hip which was unsuccessful. Six months later I had a second with a total hip replacement. I was on crutches for almost 8 months and did little to nothing for close to a year. Between the inactivity and a few bouts of feeling sorry for myself I put half the weight back on.

So I have been back at it for just a few weeks when in a follow-up visit with my surgeon he mentions that he "used to ride a little". He suggests we get together and go for a ride some time. So in a recent email exchange he mentions his wife is going to be out of ton for the weekend and maybe it would be a good time to get that ride in.

So let me set the stage.

Me - age 58 - 5'11" - 218#
Doc - age approx. 32 - 6'2" - 180#

I ride over to the meeting spot since it is close but he had to drive down. He pulls a high end Felt out of his car and then throws on a jersey. Across the front reads Yale Cycling Team.

Me: Did you go the Yale?
Doc: Yeah
Me: Were you on the cycling team?
Doc: Yeah for a couple of year...but we weren't that good.

Already I know I'm in trouble. So we start out and he is riding on the hoods and I am down on the drops and I am keeping up with him. Working harder but keeping up. Then we hit the hills! It was like he was driving a new Z28 and I was in a 1973 Pinto.

At every hill he climbed away and then waited at the top for me to catch up. Next hill, wash-rinse-repeat. I was completely embarrassed. If I ever needed a motivator to get back to it in earnest this was it.

In a few month (and 20# lighter) I will ask for a rematch.


2014-07-06 11:35 AM
in reply to: Stuartap

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.

I can see how this was a motivator, but I don't feel you should be embarrassed or think your a$$ was handed to you. He's younger, in better shape and he has a background in cycling. You have spent time recovering from a serious injury and surgery and from what you say only have been back training for a few weeks.

I'm actually kind of side eying the surgeon for this. To me this was not cool.  I'm wondering if his offer to ride with you was more ego driven.

 

2014-07-06 11:49 AM
in reply to: DigitalRain

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
Originally posted by DigitalRain

I'm wondering if his offer to ride with you was more ego driven.

 



I don't think so. He said afterwards he hoped this was a wake up call for me because he knew there were some times when I was feeling sorry for myself. And if it was, give me a few months and let me get back down to 190# and riding 450 miles a month and the ride will look a whole lot different.
2014-07-06 3:54 PM
in reply to: Stuartap

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
A really young orthopedic surgeon. I appreciate his zeal and desire to work with you out on the bike. You're still young enough to eventually catch up with him especially as he gets busier. A fracture and 8 months of crutches along with an age of 58 is going to take a little time, but it's possible. Remind your doctor of one of the orthopedic sayings, "you don't ask for it to be easy, you just ask for it to be possible."

Keep us posted as to your progress.

Old guys can hand a lot of A back to the young guys on a bike.
2014-07-06 10:01 PM
in reply to: #5022010


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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
Not the same but I got mine handed to me by a bunch of women. I am competing in my first sprint on August 10th. My local YMCA offered a Tri camp which was a 7 week group training program. It was 4 women plus me (guy). The coach was a woman as well. I have lost 50 lbs since January but still have 60 to go to get to my weight.so i am still quite heavy. Each of the ladies has done at least one sprint at some point in the past. One of our training days was a 22 mile bike ride. My longest at that point was 15 miles. Let me say that from the minute we started the ride to the end of the ride I was in the rear and at times so far in the rear. What drove me nuts was the fact that they would wait for me at certain stop signs. We would all leave shortly after I got there. Sooooo. They got a long break and my huffing and puffing self had to ride again. It was a crazy experience. I am still in shock at how far behind I was from the others
2014-07-07 6:17 AM
in reply to: Chitwnnole

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
Hmmm... Interesting story. My sister is a physician and it's a big no-no to arrange social engagements with patients.


2014-07-07 6:51 AM
in reply to: jennifer_runs

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
Originally posted by jennifer_runs

Hmmm... Interesting story. My sister is a physician and it's a big no-no to arrange social engagements with patients.
maybe it wasn't so much of a social engagement but a way to get a truer assessment of where things are at and motivate to keep moving forward. It sounds like it achieved those two things.
2014-07-07 8:02 AM
in reply to: StaceyK


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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
Originally posted by StaceyK

Originally posted by jennifer_runs

Hmmm... Interesting story. My sister is a physician and it's a big no-no to arrange social engagements with patients.
maybe it wasn't so much of a social engagement but a way to get a truer assessment of where things are at and motivate to keep moving forward. It sounds like it achieved those two things.


I agree. It sounds a lot like a chance for the doc to assess where his patient was physically in an environment he was comfortable. It was a chance for the doc to knock out 3 items at once: assess how the hip was doing, push his patient out of the doldrums and give him motivation post-op, and get a little workout in for himself.
2014-07-07 9:04 AM
in reply to: Stuartap


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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.

32 vs 58? No offense to the speedy 50+ers, but that in itself is a significant handicap for the older gentleman. 

 

And if he's an ex college endurance athlete at anything, he is definitely going to hand you your rear the moment he puts more than trivial amounts of training in. You don't get to college-level sports without significant genetic talent, and genes don't go away, ever.

2014-07-07 9:30 AM
in reply to: Stuartap

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
Yes, you may have gotten it handed to you, but you know what? If you keep going back for more and keep pushing yourself you will become a much stronger biker. Last spring I started riding with a group of guys (and one woman) who were at least 15-20 years older than me and they dropped me like I was dragging an anchor. I went back the next ride, got dropped, and again, and again. After a month of riding with them twice a week I was barely hanging on the back of the group. By the end of the summer I was taking turns pulling on the front. To me, struggling and getting dropped on the hills sucks when its happening, but it motivates me to keep going back and getting stronger. Good for you for getting motivated and not discouraged. Keep at it and you'll be kicking butt before you know it. My training partner is 54 and she's an incredible rider, you can be too.
2014-07-07 9:46 AM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
Originally posted by jennifer_runs

Hmmm... Interesting story. My sister is a physician and it's a big no-no to arrange social engagements with patients.

I don't know about the OPs situation, but where I live that would be nearly imossible to adhere to unless you lived an hour away from where you worked. Everyone here knows everyone else. Perhaps that's true where the OP lives, too.

Edited by Danno77 2014-07-07 9:51 AM


2014-07-07 9:53 AM
in reply to: Danno77

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.

Originally posted by Danno77
Originally posted by jennifer_runs Hmmm... Interesting story. My sister is a physician and it's a big no-no to arrange social engagements with patients.
I don't know about the OPs situation, but where I live that would be nearly imossible to adhere to unless you lived an hour away from where you worked. Everyone here knows everyone else. Perhaps that's true where the OP lives, too.

I duck hunted with my doctor for years.

2014-07-07 11:30 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.

So a Surgeon put the hurt on you?  Big Surprise.

 

I have a handful of surgeons that are customers of mine that also ride and in my opinion, there is no doubt his ego boost was part of it.  He could be the rare "non-ego drivern surgeon" that I have heard exisits in this world.  I have only met one.  And I deal with ALOT of surgeons. 

HAHA

Get yourself ready for the rematch and report back!

2014-07-07 11:37 AM
in reply to: siouxcityhawk

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
Wow, thanks for all the great feedback. Just a few observations.

I am not sure why meeting with a patient for a social event is a problem. It’s not like he is a primary care physician that I see all the time (not sure I would have an issue even if he was). Hopefully I will never again need the services of an orthopedic surgeon. So if it was just a social event I think it was great. Certainly got me moving.

If he was using it as a diagnostic tool, all the props in the world to him. Using the circumstances available to him to get a firsthand look I think is both creative and more effective than any office visit could ever be.

To yazmaster, while a few decades ago, I too was a college athlete so I understand your point. I was a swimmer and water polo player. Today even with my weight and circumstances I can still take most guys half my age in the water.

I guess the bottom line for me is I am glad it happened. Like our ex-govenator once said…I’ll Be Back!
2014-07-07 11:52 AM
in reply to: Stuartap

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
I think that it's only fair that he lets you see the bike you bought for him. I used to joke with my Ortho that it was only fair that he let me use his condo in Aspen since I probably paid for it.
2014-07-07 12:57 PM
in reply to: jennifer_runs

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Subject: RE: Got my A$Z handed to me.
Originally posted by jennifer_runs

Hmmm... Interesting story. My sister is a physician and it's a big no-no to arrange social engagements with patients.


This thread almost got derailed. Still hope!


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