The heart is the first thing to go...

After four weeks on the couch I've been given the OK to get back on the bike, so I went out for a short ride.  Today's ride was about half the distance of my last one, the last being a "new shoe test ride."

This was also a new shoe test ride, but that wasn't the focus.  The focus this time was general fitness, test the foot, test the bike, test the shoes, get back to the fun.  Shoes worked well.

When comparing then versus now, with four weeks of couch surfing in between, there's one big difference that jumps out.

	Then			Now
	Avg	Max		Avg	Max
Speed	16.1mi/h	40.7mi/h		16.2mi/h	38.9mi/h
Heart Rate	135bpm	179bpm		151bpm	170bpm
Cadence	83	114		86	159

Woah!  Look at that heart rate difference.  While the Max recorded value is similar, the average is 11% higher today.  

Four weeks of getting out of shape, it'll be four to get back to cycling cardio shape.  

Two matching shoes, two matching socks

Plantar Fasciitis is gone and I'm wearing two shoes again.

Four weeks in an air cast, four weeks since getting a steroid injection to knock down remaining inflammation and make way for healing while immobilized in the boot. 

For now, PF is gone.   This is a good thing.  Now I can begin to return to the activities I want to pursue.

Next up is Physical Therapy.  I am expecting focused stretches and exercises to strengthen and stretch the feet, perhaps with a bit of consideration for the whole chain, up on leg and down the other.  Perhaps they can address what needs to happen for intermittent pain elsewhere...  In any event, I don't expect to stay with P/T long.  The objective is to better prepare so that I can keep active in the future, whether that's through exercises, tools, whatever.  Retrain so that I'm better off.

Its been five months since I ran, and it will probably be another month before I am running regularly again.  A few more months after that to get any form of speed or endurance back.

First step, get a plan.