Monday 1:55 hours bike: Warm up at moderate; 38 minutes at threshold; cool down at moderate
Tuesday 46 minute run: 10 min warm up at low; 26 minutes at threshold; 10 min cool down at low
Wednesday 2:15 hours brick workout: 1:30 hours bike, 45 minute run
Thursday 1:55 hours steady bike: 10 min warm up; 1:35 at high aerobic intensity; 10 minute cool down
Friday 3100 yard swim
Saturday Had a bike wreck 2:30 hours into a 5:45 hours long ride. Suffered a neck sprain and my ear required 7 stitches for lacerations. Have bruising, hematomas, and scratches all over my body.
Sunday Rest
It is said that it’s not matter of “if” you’ll have a bike wreck but “when” you’ll have a bike wreck. Yesterday was my day. But let me first go back to earlier in the week.
This was a week where I had one of my best bike/run brick sessions and a swim session on Friday that was at least 10 minutes better than my average. I was really feeling like the Peak Period of this training program was doing just what it intended. I was peaking just right and feeling stronger every week. I was actually thinking that not only could I finish the Ironman, but I had a chance to do something pretty special on the day. Now I’m not saying I was going to qualify for Kona (I have a LONG way to go for that), but my times in training were leading to a strong above average finish. And then yesterday happened…
I’m not even sure what happened. I was rolling along on level ground when all of a sudden my front wheel turned and before I could correct, I was headed off the shoulder and into the gravel and mud. My front tire hit the mud, came to a stop, and over the handlebars I went. I can remember seeing the ground coming toward me and the crunching and cracking as I hit with the right front of my helmet and did a somersault. In the milliseconds it must have taken, I actually remember thinking that the cracking was perhaps my neck or my back. You can imagine how glad I was to be able to stand up. It was all so surreal. It was as if it was happening to someone else and I was watching it.
I stood up and the first thing I noticed was how sore my neck was. I then took off my helmet and noticed the large chunk of mud and grass stuck in it and the cracked piece that was hanging off the front. Imagine had I not been wearing a helmet. A truck was passing about that same time and the two gentlemen inside pulled over and got out to check on me. They brought me some wipes to clean the blood off my face. It turned out my right ear had some pretty good lacerations and the blood from them was caked on my ear, face, and neck. I looked down and noticed the large hematoma on the left side of my right knee. Both legs were sore to the touch around the knees and my right shoulder was also sore.
The men offered to put my bike in their truck and take me home, but after I checked to make sure my cell phone was working (it had flown out of my bike jersey pocket but was not damaged), I told them I would call my wife to pick me up. I thanked them for taking the time and making sure I was OK. I did not get their names, but I send them my gratitude. There really are some good Samaritans still left in the world.
I called Jennifer and we agreed I would ride my bike (it was not damaged other than the front wheel now needs aligning) back toward the house and meet them somewhere down the road. My legs were sore, but I managed to ride back several miles until we met up.
After a thorough check up at the local emergency room, the doctor gave me a tetanus shot, 7 stitches to mend my ear, and some strong pain killers to help me sleep while I get through the next few days.
I’m thankful that I’m alive and that nothing was broken, but now I can’t help feeling like my best Ironman will not happen. I can barely turn my neck, my legs are extremely sore, and any quick movement brings tears to my eyes. It’s hard to imagine that I will be back to any serious training anytime soon and with only a month until our race, I’m afraid what this will do to the months of preparation and training that have come before. I’ll just try to stay positive and think that perhaps this time of rest will do me as good as any training I could/should be doing.
Onward and upward… Kia Kaha!
2 comments:
Dude, think about like this....you'll be faster injured than most people will ever be at full strength. I would take away some pain for you if I could (just not the stitches). Just take your time and don't push it until you're ready...you'll know....just like my doc told me, if it hurts...stop! Of course, I have to start back before I can tell if it hurts or not though!
Brother, that sucks lemons. On the positive side - you've had a heck of a crash and come out with no surgery/broken bones. While it will definitely hurt your training schedule; being in such good condition will hasten your recovery if you take it easy. I have every confidence that if you are physically able to go- you'll still have a very good Ironman. That's a tough experience to face at this juncture but you already know you're a tough S.O.B., so if you're not healthy enough to go, you've still achieved monster goals.
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