Injury Recovery Report: Week 3

INJURY RECOVERY REPORT: WEEK 3 (07/10 – 07/16)

Two weeks to go until I can get specialized professional treatment for my thumb, knee, and foot injury. The application of an anti-inflammatory gel to the injury areas is having minimal effect. I continue to ingest Extra Strengh Tylenol at the maximum daily dosage of 4,000 mg. The use of ice packs on my swollen right foot is having no impact whatsoever. I’ve removed the soft cast from my right hand because it was inhibiting my range-of-motion and quality of life. The pain level of moving my thumb is tolerable.

The 2022 National Senior Games in Pittsburgh is over. The official cycling results are still not complete. But, the number of cycling competitors was down significantly from past years by almost 200 cyclists. Previous games have had over 450 cyclists competing.

The number of standard bike competitors of both sexes and all age-groups was 276 for the 5 kilometer (km) race and 258 for the 10 km race. The number of recumbent bike competitors only totaled nine for the 5 km race and 10 for the 10 km race. These totals are 5%-7% reductions over the previous year’s races in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

I suspect the hilly profiles of both races was a factor. Fortunately, the 2025 National Senior Games have been awarded to Des Moines, Iowa, which is flat prairie terrain. I am planning on competing in those games against at least one other competitor in the next older age-group.

Depending on the result of treatment for my injuries next month, I’m hoping to be able to compete in one or two of the final 20 km time trials of the local Mid-America Time Trial Series on September 2nd or 17th. I have time trial race results every year since 2010. That’s a 13 consecutive year streak I’d hated to break.