Bruised But Not Broken

What. A. Day. Let me start by saying this: The only time ROAD RASH isn't so bad -- is when you're wearing a helmet. A helmet so strong and safe that it enables you to walk away from an accident only with a few scrapes and bruises. And that's me today. And I thank my lucky stars.

The day started out beautifully. My IronTeammates and I met in Benicia for the "Jelly Belly Factory / Valentine's Day / Chinese New Year Ride" that would total 47 miles from Benicia through Cordelia, reaching Fairfield, riding through Suisun Valley and back to Benicia. We were given gorgeous weather to work with, once the sun burned through the Bay fog.

I rode with Dana, Erin, and Coach Mike for much of the ride ~ and once again, felt at peace with the road and my bike. Only this time, it didn't take as long for me to get comfortable -- which is a good sign. We had flatter terrain (a nice break from the hills we've been climbing week after week, both on the road and in our trainer workouts). It had been a successful ride for me, finally getting the knack for clipping in and out and anticipating the timing before traffic lights, stop signs (and even freeway on-ramps)! I got a true feel for shifting gears at the right moments, keeping a consistent cadence, and could even loosen my grip a bit on the brakes. The saddle and positioning of holding myself up on the handlebars for long periods of time will take some more getting used to (I had mild cramping / sore upper back and neck muscles by the turnaround, but I tried to stretch and loosen up whenever I could). I even tried some new fueling options, like Hammer Heed, mixed with a gel (in place of Gatorade). Seemed to work just fine except I noticed I should probably eat a little more often after 2 hrs or so. Something like a Clif Shot Blok or two, as it alleviated some stomach pain I was having.

The ride back was simply picturesque. I never even knew there were such pretty and serene vineyards and olive gardens through Fairfield and Suisun Valley. I was truly having a great time, and even made it a point to tell Coach Mike. "Not sure how the end of the ride will turn out," I said. "But I can honestly say that it's been a great one and nothing can take that away."



Unfortunately, however, things would take a turn for the worse. At about Mile 32, my farthest cycling distance to date -- I had a bit of a distraction come my way. Upon reaching Cordelia, and approaching a freeway overpass/bridge, I felt a little itch on my leg. Now, we had been riding through swarms of gnats and flies throughout the course, which hardly fazed me at all. My eyes were protected by my shades and I kept my mouth shut :) But this time, I had an infernal itch on my uncovered leg and it was irking me to no end. I looked down and saw a 'moderately sized' insect perched on my thigh. If it had been easy enough to 'blow it off' or keep cycling to get that bug off, then that would have saved me a world of trouble. But instead, it stayed stuck to my leg and I started to wonder if in fact it was in the process of biting me, drawing blood -- what have you. So I assessed the situation and wondered if I'd have any trouble gradually taking one hand off the handlebar, balancing the bike with my left hand and swiftly swatting that bugger off me. I kept both eyes on the road, took my right hand off the handlebar... so far so good... and in one single motion, swatted and managed to thwart all direction to the side of the bridge, hitting a concrete ledge with my leg and slamming my head directly into a steel pole.



It was truly a scary experience. However as I saw myself hurling toward the steel pole, I somehow knew my head would be fully protected. [above is a photo of my helmet model, the Giro Saros, which undoubtedly saved my life] I sat up on the ledge -- still clipped into the bike, and slowly removed my helmet. And would you believe -- not a single dent, crack or scratch? The underlying foam doesn't even appear to be crushed. I've got some notable road rash on my right leg and my right hand has a matching rash and is swollen (it's difficult to grip things with that hand for the time being) ~ and I'll spare you any photos. But I can't help but truly feel lucky that that was the worst of it. Lou, the bike, also has a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing that can't be fixed either.

Mike and I walked our bikes down to a safer part of the street and called for a SAG (Sports & Gear) Vehicle to come pick us up. Truthfully, I was so disheartened I couldn't finish out the remaining 15 miles or so, but thought it smart to throw in the towel, while I still felt positive about the ride ~ rather than trying to hammer out the last few miles and overexhausting myself -- even with the possibility of having a concussion. My right hand also probably couldn't withstand any more pressure, let alone trying to grip the brakes and shift.

When we got back to the return point, I was greeted by my teammates (and first aid antiseptic spray -- ouch!), who very quickly helped to rejuvinate my spirits. We all had a great lunch together and I was soon back to laughing and just taking it easy after the long day.

I was out there for a total of four hours today ~ and despite the accident and being a little physically shaken, my spirits and hopes are not dashed and I will continue to get back on that horse and ride again.

***
Week #14 Workout Summary: [Personal Bike Focus Week]

Swim: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Bike: 7 hours and 0 minutes
Run: 1 hour and 0 minutes
Core/Strength: 0 hours and 30 minutes
Total Workout: 10 hours and 30 minutes