Yesterday was the last Early Bird mentoring session and then the real race. Places given, upgrade points awarded, the real deal. My teammate Izumi and I drove down to the advanced mentoring session which was about half discussion and then some riding. Double pacelines to warm up, then we split our group into 3--solo sprinter, 2 people working together to sprint, then a 7-person paceline leading out the last person to sprint against solo and the designated sprinter of the 2. Who wanted to sprint in the group of 7. No one said anything so I said I'd do it. We got started and when we ramped up, my foot clipped out! CRAP! A sprinter's nightmare. I yelled at James, who was #6 in line and he waited up but the other 5 were long gone. So I got to do a leadout from James. Fun. We didn't have much more time, so Rebecca, Izumi and I went to ride for about 20 minutes until it was time to do the beginner session.
Beginner session--focus was moving up through the pack and we did it by doing 3-abreast with the middle line moving up through the outside two lines. I dropped out of this early since I needed to shed some clothes and wanted to hit the bathrooms and in the past weeks, they'd run right up to the starting time for the race and you'd almost be late for the line up. Shed the leg and arm warmers, kept on the base layer and then the bibs and jersey and it was off to the line. Well, it seems that lots of people didn't do the mentoring session since they were already lined up so I lined up in the back. Plus, a number of teammates who had done the entire mentoring session almost missed the start since they let them go late. Need to deal with that next year. Anyway, we had quite a few Mice women in the race and had somewhat of a plan. They announced there were 60-some women in the field. WHAT? That is huge. And there were quite a few people I didn't recognize. Where had they been the past 4 weeks?
I just swapped out my old Look pedals for the newer Look Keos and I'm not sure I like them for crits as I had a hard time getting clipped in, so I'm starting in the back, plus can't get clipped in, so I'm sprinting up to the field, but get tucked in OK. Turn 1 and the front goes through the turn OK (major problems with this the past weeks); turn 2 OK; turn 3 and we are hauling and either the first or second lap, you hear some metal on metal or metal on asphalt and people are looking around. "KEEP PEDALING! DON'T LOOK BACK!"
Towards the back, mentor Javier was there and he and I chatted and he kept telling one person to relax, don't ride stiff-armed, don't swerve around, etc. I made a mental note to stay away from her. At one point, I glanced at my speedo and we were doing over 25 mph. Good grief, we're barely out of January! I was staying towards the outside since they'd started pinching the inside corners, and we were about 20 minutes in (of a 40 minute race). We came out of curve 4 (it's not really a turn, move a big sweeping curve) and we are going along where the finishing straight is and the entire group of 60+ was still pretty much together. I was moving up on the outside (the left) and all of a sudden, someone comes careening into my right side. SHIT SHIT SHIT! I don't give way and lean into her and I'm thinking that I'm going to keep us upright and ride out of this (I swear this seemed like forever), but then all of a sudden, she jerked back right, hit the girl on her right and came back into me and I'm guessing she lost control of her front wheel and it went sideways and took my front wheel out and the next thing I know I'm on the ground, curled up. I hit my head but didn't got out, though I did see stars for a second! Holy crap, my butt hurts. Since we were almost at the start/finish, there were a bunch of people there and I was able to get up and move over into the grass and laid down. Mentor Alan was there and asked me a bunch of questions, then Kit Kat (the EMT) checked me out and another mentor checked out my bike. That I was concerned about since I just spent a bunch of money getting it tuned up and new tires!!! It seems to be OK but I'll be taking it in to see Stef at the shop this week.
After Kit Kat determined that I didn't need an ambulance, I said I could walk back to the truck. She said I definitely needed to go to the ER or urgent care and needed a tetanus shot (NO!!!!!!!! I freak at needles!) and Izumi said she'd take me. I said, we need to watch the finish of the race as there was only 5 laps to go. I think I also said some choice words about the whole thing. Adrenaline talking?
We watched the finish of the race (which included yet another crash on the last lap) and then started the slow, very slow, walk back to the truck. A stop at the EMT tent to have Scott clean out my elbows, then we loaded up and Izumi and I headed over to Palo Alto Urgent Care to get some x-rays, fully intending to go from there to Emily's Super Bowl party. Yeah, right.
Palo Alto Urgent Care: VERY HIGH RECOMMENDATION!!!
We got there and got signed in and I got into a room fairly quickly and Izumi walked over to get something to eat. I change into the lovely blue gown and out of the chamois and get the vitals and all that, then talk to the doctor, who is also a cyclist (but a touring cyclist, not a racer). Super nice guy. He said he wanted some x-rays of my head/neck and elbow. OK. And a tetanus shot. NO! Crap. The x-ray tech comes and she says to follow her and I'm shuffling like a 100 year old down the hall as she walks away. What the hell! Get to the x-ray room and she starts doing the x-rays and I'm standing there and all of a sudden I start to get tunnel vision and ringing in my ears and I say, "I need to sit down RIGHT NOW!" I sit down (painfully!) and she calls the nurse and the nurse and doctor come running, but once I lay down and bend my knees, I feel much better. Take the blood pressure and it was a little low, but not too bad. We shoot the rest of the x-rays with me sitting on a stool and the nurse in the room and the nurse wheels me back in a wheelchair. Her comment, "She (x-ray tech) didn't wheel you down here?????" "No, I walked." "Grrrr." The doctor said later that they were a bit concerned. I said I just wanted to sit down.
Back in the room and another nurse comes in (Anthony--a murse, as he called himself) to give me the tetanus shot. And, Izumi comes back. And the doctor comes in, so it's one big party as I get the shot. I do have to give Murse A credit as he was very good with the needle. The doctor then says he wants me to have a CT scan since something looks not right on the x-rays, so they will have to call someone in so it will be a while. Izumi and I are laughing and talking and I'm sure we were quite loud. And I'd had no pain drugs yet! After the x-rays, the first nurse puts on one of those neck collars. Did not like that!
Murse A comes back and we all (me, Murse, Izumi) all take a trip downstairs to the CT room where the CT tech is waiting. Oy, it is painful to get onto the table, trying to be graceful with the blue gown. Then, there are the photos! Izumi did a very good job in documenting the entire experience. At least we will have something to look at and laugh about.
CT scan done, and back to the room. More waiting, more laughing. The doctor comes in and says the elbow x-ray looks funny (not broken, but not right), so he wants to put a splint on it and then I go for a follow-up in a few days. He says, "WHY do you race?" Man, for the excitement and the high! He leaves and in comes the ortho tech, a woman totally devoid of personality. She suggests that I wear the blue gown home. Hell no!! I have sweat pants in my bag and I can put the Sheila Moon base layer on since it's sleeveless and then put one arm in my jacket and wrap it around me.
Yeah for Sheila Moon! I love her base layers and have two of them. Well, just one now since my jersey was shredded as was the base layer. Those double layers probably saved a lot of skin on my back.
More photos, then I get dressed and we get final instructions and the doctor calls in a prescription for pain meds (only 4 or 5 hours after this happened!) and we go to the car and head up to San Mateo to the 24-hour pharmacy Walgreens. Which isn't 24 hours anymore. Which means we have to drive all the way back to SF to get the prescription. Then home, unload all my stuff and Izumi takes my car home.
A huge, huge thanks to Izumi for staying with me and missing the party and carting my crap around and making me laugh and yes, even for the pictures.
Scorecard:
one ruined jersey
one ruined base layer
one cracked pink helmet
bibs have a little rip in the upper, but seem to be ok
one smacked head and stiff neck today
tmj joint is sore. I know there are things I can't chew right now. Mashed potatoes for dinner tonight--no chewing!
one sore upper arm from the tetanus shot
one ripped up left elbow which has puffed up and my have a fracture in the radial head (but I'm thinking positive that it's not)
one less ripped up right elbow, not puffed up
3rd and 4th knuckles on the right hand are black and blue and very sore
right side lower back muscles seize up at times
right lower leg over the fibular head is pretty sore
left groin/quad very sore
left butt cheek looks like someone took a cheese grater to it and it's swollen up and is turning black/purple/blue. Sitting is not fun.
right shoulder muscles sore on some movements
neck and upper shoulders pretty sore
I took today off work and didn't get much sleep last night--not from the pain, but more from my body still racing at a million rpms. Kind of like Ironman...you go to sleep after midnight and expect to sleep in the next morning but by 7:00 AM everyone is already sitting down for coffee. Maybe tonight I'll sleep a little more.
And it's bike racing...shit happens. I narrowly avoided two crashes last year in races, so it was my time. Another huge thanks goes to Matt for all the times at the track when he forced me to do the bumping/leaning drill. I honestly think that being able to keep us up for a little bit kept things from being worse than they could have been. Teammate Renee was riding behind me when it happened and she was able to see what was happening and adjust and do an emergency stop (just like we learned at Laurel's clinic!) and even though she went down, she was able to get back into the race. Good job Renee!
Numbers from the abbreviated race:
20 minutes
22+ mph avg. speed
27 mph max speed
If the saying below is right, I should have a hell of a lot of weakness leaving!
Pain is the feeling of weakness leaving the body.___USAF Pararescue motto
Cathy - you are amazing! Enjoyed the writing in the report. I felt like I was there and could visualize the turn and the grass area. I'm so sorry you got hit so hard and also hit the ground so hard, but sh!t happens at 27 MPH. Glad to see in your later posts that you are getting better and glad nothing was broken. Izumi and friends like her are amazing, coming to the er/urgent care with you and keeping you company, keeping you sane and making you laugh. Thanks for being so informative and like always your help through out the years.
Posted by: Bob Sharpley | Tuesday, 10 March 2009 at 10:21 AM
hey cathy, so sorry to hear you were in an accident. looks like here's a report from the person on your right: http://redpeloton.com/eliteWomen/?p=181
heal well
anne
Posted by: Anne | Wednesday, 11 February 2009 at 12:16 PM
Hey there -- I was the Cal rider who went down in the last lap and found your blog while Google-stalking for race photos/any word on the other chick in my crash. Mostly because there's not a whole ton else I can do with a broken clavicle. :/
Anyway, glad to see you're (sort of) doing OK and hopefully won't be out for too long. I actually remember making a deliberate decision to sit behind you (or someone who looked a lot like you) at one point because you were the only person I could find riding in any kind of a predictable pattern -- so lame you had to crash. I didn't know our field size was against the rules...no wonder it felt so nuts.
Quick recovery!
Posted by: Alia | Wednesday, 04 February 2009 at 06:19 PM
yeeeeowch! Glad you are mostly OK. Good job trying to keep things upright. The girl playing pinball machine obviously hasn't done the bumping/leaning drills. :( If she would have relaxed, everything probably would have been fine.
Yeah, and field of 60 not legal for W4.
Posted by: girochatterbox | Tuesday, 03 February 2009 at 11:12 AM
Hello, Admin.
Can I use a photo from your blog?
Of course, i will place a link to source.
Thanks.
Yours Dirnov
Posted by: Dirnov | Tuesday, 03 February 2009 at 08:04 AM
Oh man Cathy! Glad to hear it wasn't more serious! You're such a safe wheel, its sad to hear when good bike handlers go down. Heal fast!
Posted by: BethWellie | Tuesday, 03 February 2009 at 01:41 AM
Hey, sorry you went down like that, but I'm glad nothing appears to be broken (at least no yet). I look forward to racing with you the rest of the season so heal up well, buy another lid and get back out there girl! I wish you a speedy healing process and thanks a million for teaching me that bump/lean routine 'cause it saved my ass in that race too. There were lots of squirrely wheels out there. Rest well!
Posted by: Lark | Monday, 02 February 2009 at 11:08 PM
why were there more than 50 women in the field? that's against USCF rules.
Posted by: velogirl | Monday, 02 February 2009 at 10:24 PM