Part of the conversation dealt with weight loss and got on the subject of Bikes, and then Trikes; and I didn't want to HiJack his thread to continue my discussion regarding my Trike or Bike riding for weight loss, so I thought I'd add this one and see how many of us ride, bikes, trikes, and recumbents; both in two and three wheel form.I started with a Catrike Road, a very nice trike with mountain bike tires and suspension; but as my abilities climbed and my goals increased, I needed a trike with a higher top end. Enter the Catrike 700, the race model. My Goal was to complete a 2014 Marathon and with that goal in mind, I spent nine months building my ability to make that distance in a time that wouldn't embarrass my Service in the Corps, Myself, or the Corps. (Note: Riding a Recumbent Trike in the Marathon is NOT normally permitted, however as a 100% disabled veteran of the Corps, I was entered as a Wheelchair/handcycle Racer but not a competitor.) I do not have the ability to run the race since I can't stand more than 30 minutes and would have used a handcycle, but a shoulder injury prevented that.
I trained for about nine months, with a couple of serious setbacks. A crash shortly after obtaining the 700 required 14 stitches in the right elbow and an increased respect for the speed of the trike and it's ability to turn on a dime (and roll).
A blood clot in my right calf required both a waiver from the doc to allow me to continue to train... and an understanding with both the doc and the wife that if anything unusual of a physical nature occurred during the race I would NOT be a stubborn Marine, but would withdraw and seek medical attention. 
Two weeks before travelling to participate in the 26.2 mile race, I pedaled 28 miles in 2 hours and 40 minutes. I was golden. The day arrived and I waited in the morning chill with the Lineup of Wheelchair and Handcycle Racers in the Predawn lineup for the race to start. They started us 15 minutes before the official start.. and we were off. Two miles into the race, I got a blinding pain behind my eyes, both hands went numb and weak, and my shoulders and legs began to ache.. and weakened. I was at the crest of a hill, and started down, and there was a Police Officer doing crowd control... right at the bottom... I coasted to his post and ... ran into him.
He asked if I was okay, and when I was speaking to him, I had no idea my speech was slurred, and hard to understand.They medivac'd me off the course, and I spent the bulk of the day in the ER. They later decided I had most likely had a mini-stroke... or the worst migraine of my life.
Either way, nine months of training and the chance to Add a Marathon Medal to my collection went out the window. 
My Trike has been in the boathouse for ... what? Two and a half years? I rode it a couple times, maybe three miles. It's a beast.. fast and agile, and I hope to be back on it.
- low and fast.jpg (357.94 KiB) Viewed 1032 times
Here is a pic Miss Tina took at the start of the Marathon... healthier days.
- Marine Corps Marathon Wallpaper email size.jpg (296.8 KiB) Viewed 1032 times
