Handlebar Palsy?!?!

Last week’s (week 8 of 20) workouts:

Mon:  Rest

Tue:  Rest (due to hand/arm issue) - skipped swim, moved bike to Wednesday

Wed:  Ran 6 miles (easy pace); Bike 45 min (w/6x90-sec  fast)

Thu:  Swim 1,650 yards (main set = 8x100); Bike 45 min (trainer drills)

Fri:  Tempo run – 45 min. with last 15 min. comfortably hard

Sat:  Bike 40 miles, swim 1,750 yards (endurance swim)

Sun:  Run 8 miles

Total miles:  81.92

Training is 40% complete (in terms of days)

Last week was a recovery week, and the mileage was higher than any of the build weeks in the previous cycle.  I remember how tired I was back then (week 4), so I'm really happy that I crushed that distance yet felt like I had an entire week off.  The workouts were easy, my body feels like it has recovered, and I am mentally energized to take on the next build cycle which adds bricks (run after a ride) 2 times per week.

I missed my first workout of training this week (Tuesday AM swim).  Frankly I'm amazed that I was able to make it to week 8 without oversleeping, having a schedule conflict, or needing to take time off due to injury.  I decided to skip Tuesday’s morning’s swim because after my last long ride of the build cycle (50 miles), I noticed that my left arm was numb and I had little strength in that arm by the end of the ride. 

After doing some web research and self-diagnosis, I believe this is ulnar neuropathy, known to cyclists as “handlebar palsy”.  This is caused by compression of the ulnar nerve at the hand and wrist, the result of direct pressure on the nerve from the grip  This makes sense because only about half of my 50 mile ride was on a trail where I drop into the aero position.  The remainder of the ride I was up on the handlebar grips, and my positioning was extreme.  This was exacerbated by the fact that I don’t wear gloves when I ride (because when you’re in aero, there’s little pressure on your hands), so when I was sitting up, the pressure was significant.

I was a bit concerned to read that the symptoms can take from several days to several months to resolve, but I got progressively better starting around Wednesday, and I feel about 95% now just over a week out.  I took care on my last long ride to stay down in aero as much as possible and to modify my grip when sitting up.  I also dug out the old cycling gloves for an added measure of protection.

Speaking of my “long ride”, I was able to get out with one of my teammates who will also be racing in Louisville for 40 miles on the Madison County Transit (MCT) trails over in Illinois.  We talked about how we're starting to feel like Ironman snobs - you know - "only" 40 miles.  

This is a pretty flat route, but it is safe from vehicle traffic and allowed us to done much quicker than a ride on the roads.  Here is some GoPro footage from the ride:

81 days to go!