Back on the Bike

Lately there has been a new addition to the bike paths around West Bloomfield (and Farmington Hills).  If you see someone trying to zip along on a hybrid bike and wearing a red helmet, it might be me.

Without getting into too much detail, I'm kind of typical - I've had periods where I've exercised regularly, and then periods where not at all.  I'm a CPA, so that automatically makes it hard to exercise during the winter.  I started running again in 2003 and successfully completed the Free Press Half Marathon in 2004.  But then injuries crept in and I just stopped.

And the weight piled back on.

By late 2008 I had pain in my right knee, then in my right hip and finally my right foot.  Saw a podiatrist and in two minutes flat I found out why I kept getting injured: a bone spur in my right big toe threw off my gait.  To make matters worse, I had bad arthritis in that toe.  Corrective surgery in late April 2009 kept me from exercising all year. 

March 2010 I got a diagnosis of very early prostate cancer.  Surgery late April 2010 and the cancer is gone for good.  And that kept me from exercising for a year.

July 4th this year I said that's it.  I pulled my bike down and rode 6 miles.

I enjoyed that. 

6 weeks later I'm biking about 60 miles a week and I've lost 6 1/2 pounds.

I'm on a new journey here.  I'm going to get fit by eating right and by riding my bike.  I'm going to do a 3 day, 300 mile bike ride next summer (not sure which yet).

So I'm going to blog about my experiences getting ready for this ride, and the ones after that.  I'm going to share what I learn, and ask questions about things I don't know.  I'm going to share places I find to ride in the area that I really like.  I'm going to share the good parts of this and the tough parts of this.  I'm just, in no particular order, a husband, a father, a CPA and a local resident who is trying to get fit.

I hope you come along for the ride.