Pre-Surgery Training

hey guys, I’m hoping someone can help me figure this out.

This season’s training started October 4, 2021 and I just finished an A race - it was a RAAM qualifier (400 miles in 24 hours).

I just decided on having knee surgery for some meniscus stuff on April 11.

My question for you TR studs is this:

What would you do between now and 4/11?

(I’m doing a 100 mile 10K climbing fondo on 6/12, Leadville Stage Race 7/29, Leadville MTB and Natchez 444 in October and weekly training crits in between to get my speed fix in)

thank you in advance

My only experience of training before an op was my stomach op in 2019 and I only had about a weeks notice. Speak to your surgeon would be my only advice. PS Good Luck!

I’m not a TR stud. I’m a guy with several bikes and a keyboard, but assuming you’re willing to read, from the less accomplished types:

With a meniscus surgery in bound, I’d probably rest on my laurels as far as my knees are concerned, especially considering you just finished an A race of 400 miles.

But with a meniscus scope/scrape (that is the type of surgery you’re having, right?) and 6 weeks before the surgery, I get that you’d want to do something. I’d probably try ride consistently, 5-6 days a week, 90 minutes of zone 2, easy spinning, just to make sure the issue isn’t getting worse. If you need more workout stress, maybe start working on (dynamic) core strength and core strength endurance for the Leadvilles. (This assumes that training for the 400 RAAM Q prevented progress is in the dynamic strength of your core.)

Good luck with your knees and your season.

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Assuming that your knee is stable / cleared for riding now (which seems likely if you just did RAAM)
I’d just continue to train and if possible adjust my calendar so that 4/11 was a rest week.

Good luck with the surgery. If you have a low RHR don’t set the alarm off too many times in pre-op (I’m not sure how standard that was; I was hooked up to sensor that set off an alarm every time my heartrate dropped below 40, that was annoying for everyone in the suite).

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