Mike
Forums
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Yay, Kim! You and Ron are great inspirations to us mere mortals!
Mike
Mike
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mikeb - Name: mikeb
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009 (MGUS at that time)
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Just got back from a 3 week trip to Italy with some members of my bike club. We did mostly tourist site seeing. Rode trains, hiked, biked and walked a lot. We did a lot of day trips from our base in Florence visiting Rome, Pisa, the Cinque Terra, La Seinna, La Spezia, Lucca and Milan. We biked in Florence and Lucca on some very challenging hills in a very picturesque area.
One of the hills we climbed was a CAT 3 with multiple switch backs and spots up to 14%. We walked on average over 8 kilometers a day. Walked up the steps to the Doama in Florence (470 steps) and the dome at St. Peters (400 steps) just to name a few.
Had a treatement just before I went along with an IVIG infusion and one today. No issues with my health and we rode trains with alot of coughing people every day.
Here are a couple pics:
(Click here for a large version of the photo directly above.)
One of the hills we climbed was a CAT 3 with multiple switch backs and spots up to 14%. We walked on average over 8 kilometers a day. Walked up the steps to the Doama in Florence (470 steps) and the dome at St. Peters (400 steps) just to name a few.
Had a treatement just before I went along with an IVIG infusion and one today. No issues with my health and we rode trains with alot of coughing people every day.
Here are a couple pics:
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- IMG_1317v2.jpg (80.94 KiB) Viewed 1340 times
- IMG_1392v2.jpg (34.05 KiB) Viewed 1340 times
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Good to see you made it out to Italy to watch the Giro, Ron. I have been watching your post about your upcoming trip crossing my fingers no myeloma problems would keep you from going, and it is encouraging you were able to make the trip. Riding 14% grades with myeloma and on drug treatment is no easy feat. It has been a long time since I have been able to get up those kinds of grades.
I was planning on going to Nice with my GF, where she would do the Ironman at the end June, but that is not happening now. My GF was able to make a cycle trip and see the Tour de France a few years ago and wants desperately to go back again with me. I was not able to go then, as I had to work at the Navy’s RIMPAC exercises in Hawaii that year. I hope I can make that trip someday.
I just read that the UCI is checking Contador’s bike for electric motors. I cannot imagine anyone could do that and get away with it. Pretty crazy isn’t it?
Finding Giro TV coverage here is not easy, but we watched the Tour California while the Giro was going on and this year it was a good one. Sagan winning the yellow jersey was unexpected and a real nail biter. My GF rode the Mount Baldy stage just before the peloton on the day of the race. She is a much better rider than I am. I am looking forward to watching the Tour this July.
Best wishes to you and keep riding,
Eric
I was planning on going to Nice with my GF, where she would do the Ironman at the end June, but that is not happening now. My GF was able to make a cycle trip and see the Tour de France a few years ago and wants desperately to go back again with me. I was not able to go then, as I had to work at the Navy’s RIMPAC exercises in Hawaii that year. I hope I can make that trip someday.
I just read that the UCI is checking Contador’s bike for electric motors. I cannot imagine anyone could do that and get away with it. Pretty crazy isn’t it?
Finding Giro TV coverage here is not easy, but we watched the Tour California while the Giro was going on and this year it was a good one. Sagan winning the yellow jersey was unexpected and a real nail biter. My GF rode the Mount Baldy stage just before the peloton on the day of the race. She is a much better rider than I am. I am looking forward to watching the Tour this July.
Best wishes to you and keep riding,
Eric
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Eric Hofacket - Name: Eric H
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 01 April 2011
- Age at diagnosis: 44
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Eric,
Attached is a picture of me and one of my club mates after a ride in Florence as well as a picture at the finish of Stage 4 in La Spezia of the Giro d' Italia.
(Click here for a large version of the photo directly above.)
(Click here for a large version of the photo directly above.)
Attached is a picture of me and one of my club mates after a ride in Florence as well as a picture at the finish of Stage 4 in La Spezia of the Giro d' Italia.
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- Giro d Italia Finish Stage 4 v2.jpg (142.64 KiB) Viewed 1297 times
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Ron, I am envious. I was an international student in Florence decades ago, and I hope to revisit and take a trip like yours before I die - from myeloma or I hope something else, much longer from now. Such beautiful photos!
Mountain biking is how I keep in shape, and a source of great joy. And I follow in my esteemed Dad's tracks, who biked Mt Wilson in So Cal to celebrate his 65th. Our paths would cross regularly in the Santa Monica mountains. He liked biking without a light so he could see the fireflies. I get a lot of flak from the guys on my route for biking after dark (only on occasion) without a light. But I think what wusses - can't they feel the road like me? I'm methodical on my way up to remove any rocks from the road (road, not trail) so I won't hit them in the dark coming down.
I've been doing this for decades and not interested in letting SMM stop me. Infections set me back, and fatigue problems since 20 years ago and mild anemia, so I don't fault myself when they guys pass me up.
So glad to see a vital multiple myeloma biking community!
Mountain biking is how I keep in shape, and a source of great joy. And I follow in my esteemed Dad's tracks, who biked Mt Wilson in So Cal to celebrate his 65th. Our paths would cross regularly in the Santa Monica mountains. He liked biking without a light so he could see the fireflies. I get a lot of flak from the guys on my route for biking after dark (only on occasion) without a light. But I think what wusses - can't they feel the road like me? I'm methodical on my way up to remove any rocks from the road (road, not trail) so I won't hit them in the dark coming down.
I've been doing this for decades and not interested in letting SMM stop me. Infections set me back, and fatigue problems since 20 years ago and mild anemia, so I don't fault myself when they guys pass me up.
So glad to see a vital multiple myeloma biking community!
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Carol of Eden - Name: Carol
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: MGUS 2009, SMM 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 50
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
I'm loving these bike posts! So great you could do that! One of my dreams is to do some sort of bike tour in France and / or Italy. Congratulations!
OK, I have to tell you this ...
I ran another marathon last weekend. This time, I broke 4 hours, with a 3:58:32 – fast enough in my age group to qualify for Boston with over 11 minutes to spare.
Yeh, I'm pretty happy. It was 9 months and 5 days after my SCT.
I have run that well before, but it was about 5 years ago and way before my diagnoses. I never lost hope, but I did sometimes think I was crazy to dream about going back to Boston – especially once I had the transplant. Now it's for real.
So don't give up, anyone!
OK, I have to tell you this ...
I ran another marathon last weekend. This time, I broke 4 hours, with a 3:58:32 – fast enough in my age group to qualify for Boston with over 11 minutes to spare.
Yeh, I'm pretty happy. It was 9 months and 5 days after my SCT.
I have run that well before, but it was about 5 years ago and way before my diagnoses. I never lost hope, but I did sometimes think I was crazy to dream about going back to Boston – especially once I had the transplant. Now it's for real.
So don't give up, anyone!
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KimT - Name: Kim Tank
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Way to go Kim! I trust that, since you qualified, you will run the Boston Marathon. You give us all inspiration.
Ron
Ron
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Ron, sounds like an awesome trip. Did your group ship your bikes to Europe? That always scares me, to have to worry if my most prized possession will be damaged or lost. Glad that you are enjoying life and doing what makes you happy.
Kim, very happy for you as well. It is important to have stretch goals that motivate us to go beyond what we think we can accomplish.
I have said this before – this is my favorite forum thread. It inspired me back in August of 2013 and continues to do so.
Kim, very happy for you as well. It is important to have stretch goals that motivate us to go beyond what we think we can accomplish.
I have said this before – this is my favorite forum thread. It inspired me back in August of 2013 and continues to do so.
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goldmine848 - Name: Andrew
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Andrew,
We rented bikes. The cost was 42 euros a day for the bike in Lucca, and we paid extra in Florence as we had a guide. We brought our helmets, pedals and shoes.
In Lucca, we were supposed to have a guide, but he never showed up. The owner of the shop in Lucca gave us a route we followed (well, sort of – kind of got lost a little). When we got back, he and two of his biking friends took us out on a challenging ride. That is when we did the CAT 3. Great guy; took us to his house, met his family, very friendly.
We had good bikes, including Pinarello and Willer carbon bikes. These all had compact doubles and 11-28 cassettes. They had 105 or Ultegra components, so very good. You needed those for the hills. In north Texas, we have just short hills, so we generally use standard 53-39 cranks with 11-25 cassette.
We rented bikes. The cost was 42 euros a day for the bike in Lucca, and we paid extra in Florence as we had a guide. We brought our helmets, pedals and shoes.
In Lucca, we were supposed to have a guide, but he never showed up. The owner of the shop in Lucca gave us a route we followed (well, sort of – kind of got lost a little). When we got back, he and two of his biking friends took us out on a challenging ride. That is when we did the CAT 3. Great guy; took us to his house, met his family, very friendly.
We had good bikes, including Pinarello and Willer carbon bikes. These all had compact doubles and 11-28 cassettes. They had 105 or Ultegra components, so very good. You needed those for the hills. In north Texas, we have just short hills, so we generally use standard 53-39 cranks with 11-25 cassette.
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Biking with multiple myeloma
Kim - how great you could do that! I hope it is joy as well as hard work.
You said it was your best since 5 years ago. Do you think that multiple myeloma (or precursor condition) were slowing you down in those 5 years? (Did you know about it then?) Or are you just inspired to work harder now?
I've had a slowly developing anemia. I feel less fit over time, but I think it is more than the anemia. Whether the fatigue is multiple myeloma-related (I have smoldering multiple myeloma now), or not, I don't know. Just not sure how many ways the plasma cell condition can affect us while being "asymptomatic." I don't think it's just age.
You said it was your best since 5 years ago. Do you think that multiple myeloma (or precursor condition) were slowing you down in those 5 years? (Did you know about it then?) Or are you just inspired to work harder now?
I've had a slowly developing anemia. I feel less fit over time, but I think it is more than the anemia. Whether the fatigue is multiple myeloma-related (I have smoldering multiple myeloma now), or not, I don't know. Just not sure how many ways the plasma cell condition can affect us while being "asymptomatic." I don't think it's just age.
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Carol of Eden - Name: Carol
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: MGUS 2009, SMM 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 50