Long distance cycling post-RP

[randonneur]

I have been a long distance cyclist (Randonneur) for about 20 years. By long distance I mean cycling up to 1450 KM in 96 hours with 10,000+ meters elevation gain. Each year I typically do a series of long rides with no sleep - 200, 300, 400 and 600 km - to rebuild my endurance for the really long rides (1000 km+). I had an open RP two months ago and seem to have healed up nicely. I will be going in for my first post-op PSA test in a few days. I have ordered a recumbent home trainer as I'm pretty sure it will allow me to rebuild my stamina without putting stress on my perineum area. I wonder how long I should wait to return to serious road cycling? And I wonder if I will be able to return to doing really long rides of 400-600 km in a day? Are there any long distance cyclists out there who continued long distance cycling after an RP? If so, what can you share from your experience? Thanks

[Gemlin_]

My surgeon advised me to wait 6 months, which I did. I rebuilt my endurance by running instead of cycling. At 6 months, I think I was back at the same level as before the surgery.

[TJS-1]

I got same post RRP restrictions from my surgeon who is also a cyclist (6 mos out of the saddle). His concern was only for spared nerve bundles to heal; you are in a different situation since your surgery was open rather than robotic. I still rode a couple high elevation centuries at 3 and 4 months post RRP, and have long since resumed regular rides and training with no apparent complications of the surgery.

The effects of ADT for recurrent PCa on strength endurance are a whole different discussion. I really hope your RP is successful and you are spared further treatments.

[cpcohen]

If you join the US TOO prostate cancer forum at:

inspire.com/groups

you'll find some other long-distance cyclists to chat with.

. Charles

[randonneur]

Thank you all for your responses. I'll be sure to check out that site Charles.

[wastead]

I had robotic and also had a recommendation to wait 6-months. (In my case it wasn't difficult. I skied through months 2-4. Month 5 was mud season, so I hiked.) I'm a distance MTB cyclist. I started serious training in months 6&7 and spent a couple of weeks bikepacking the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route in month 8. It not randonneuring distance, for me bikepacking the Divide is only a 80km per day thing, but it involves 29 kilos of bike and gear, and about 1,500m elevation per day.

Here's the big thing I experienced when I first started training for Divide. I wasn't prepared for rocky, rooty, single-track, down-hill at speed. After not having had any incontinence issues since month 2 (month 3 when lifting weights or taking a fall skiing too timidly off a steep pitch) I found myself leaking a bit on my first speedy downhill. I had to remind myself to Kegel-kegel-kegel over the rocks and roots. Nevertheless, by the time my Divide ride began I had no leakage issues.