Janet's Got a Brand New Bike

When Janet Sherman was 35 and teaching step aerobics and Body Pump, she was voluntold that she would be her gym's rep at a local 5K. "I didn't know anything about running," she says, "I played basketball in high school and that's about it." Even though she was certain her body would collapse during the 5K, she won the women's division of the community race.   

Fast forward three decades—and countless races later—and Janet received the unfortunate news that her right hip was no longer the team player it used to be. She realized it was time to (reluctantly) step back running. She also realized that it was time to head to her local bike shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for a new set of wheels. 

Here's how Janet is transitioning from a runner to a cyclist:

The hip-story: My right hip has been giving me issues for about three years. Originally I thought it was a hip flexor strain. I'd rest it, then start running again, and it would come back. I didn't go the doctor, of course, because I really didn't want to know. Then in January, my husband and I spent some time in Phoenix, and I ran every day. We also hiked and played pickle ball, and when I got home, I could not move. I consulted Dr. Google, and thought I had a labrum tear. 

Hip, hip...homicide? So I finally went to the doctor and got some imaging done. When he came into the room, I asked "Can you fix me up?" thinking he was going to tell me about labrum surgery. "Absolutely," he said, "We're going to give you a brand new hip." My husband, who came to the appointment with me, said I looked like the doctor came in with a big knife and told me that he was going to kill me now. That's how devastated and scared I felt.

"I was an idiot.": When I was 14, my friends and I were out riding our bikes. No helmets. We were speeding down a big hill, and I didn't see a stop sign that was covered by a tree. A sweet elderly couple hit me, and it was totally my fault. Fortunately, I was not hurt badly, but it did make me reluctant to ride a bike again. I continued to ride here and there, but I still really don't like riding in traffic. 

Janet representing at the senior games. 

Back in the saddle: I taught spinning for TK years—I have an old-school Johnny G spin bike in my basement—and during COVID, I started riding my bike more. There's a greenway path near my house that goes for 25 miles and I just loved the freedom and speed. That bike, however, had a top bar, and it became tricky for me to get my leg over it. I tried to use my left leg instead of my right, but it didn't go well. I fell a couple of times.

Stepping through to freedom: My orthopedist recommended getting a step-through bike. I never wanted one of those, but on a trial ride from the bike store, I fell in love with the Trek Verve. It's so smooth and comfortable, and I can just hop on and get going. I rode it home that day. And the mechanic at the bike shop said I might want a road bike one day so I can go further and faster, which got me excited.  

Coming to grips with reality: My orthopedist told me I have a one-in-three chance of being able to run after hip surgery, which bummed me out. I did a bunch of my own research, and it doesn't seem like a good idea. The hardware can withstand it, but there's a lot of things that can go wrong.

And honestly, it was a relief for my surgeon to say, please don't run before your surgery, because you could undo the work I'm doing in physical therapy to strengthen it pre-surgery. That said, some days when it's not hurting, I think, I can run. There's nothing wrong with me! Why can't I just go out and run?

Outfitted in hand-me-down gear (Janet's best friend is a cyclist) and a brand new bike.

A wheely bright future:  Even though I contemplated naming this bike "Buzzkill," I actually do love it. (I haven't settled on its forever name yet.) I talk to it, and I wash it when I get home from a ride. It's definitely going to be my friend, and it's going to take me places where my feet haven't yet. Once I get out on it, I just want to keep going and going. I've got a couple Colorado events on my mind, like the Tour de Vineyards. 

Convo eavesdropping for the win: I was recently at Sam's Club, and I heard this couple yelling at each other. The wife was way behind the husband, and she was like, "Why can't you wait for me? You know my knees hurt." And he replied, "You should be the one waiting for me! I just had a hip replacement two weeks ago." And I thought, "Yessss!"