Still a week & a half on from my crash and the ribs are not substantially better. Each day when I wake up in the morning I feel like Bill Murray in “GroundHog’s Day”. It’s been the same agonizing process just to get out of bed.
I can function pretty normally throughout the rest of the day, just certain movement become rather paralyzing and you learn quickly to avoid them or work around them. Fortunately riding the bike isn’t one of them. This is unless…. I’m seated & riding a relatively bumpy off road on a hardtail bike. Then each bump absolutely jars my insides to pieces. So I’ll have to stick to road & smooth gravel rides for the time being.
Another thing I found out? I figured with cyclo-cross season around the corner I’d better work my dismounts & remounts. Dismounting still a piece of cake… the flying remount – oh dear lord, let’s just say that process jars the ribs just about as bad as anything. So might have to put ‘cross ambitions on hold just until the extreme level of pain abates.
Speaking of ‘cross… should be soon making my final decision on bikes for the season. Let’s just say it things came together surprisingly nice…..so I’ll be racing something that starts with an S, and has disc brakes. More on that later.
So with ‘cross on hold for the early season and plans for to race Nationals in January, I’ll be passing that UP Cross Series title to a new holder in 2011, may it go back to a Yooper where it belongs in the first place. Can’t say I won’t try and make a cameo appearance at some point. The guys over there run a great series and I bet the ratio of ‘cross racing participants to overall population is among the best anywhere in the country. Keep up the great work! I’ll miss being there week in & week out.
A call up or front row position on the starting line at ‘Cross Nationals is really important in having any chance in that race so I’m resigned to the fact I have to do races that award UCI points, but looking forward to it.
Which brings me to my last topic… The Chequamegon 40, with the ribs delaying ‘cross. I’m putting in all my chips the “big dance” next Saturday! I get goose bumps just thinking about it. It’s like the Vegas of life -- just one of those races MTB’ers either love, loath, hate or fear. I think I’ve had all those emotions except fear about the Cheq 40. The race itself serves as a great microcosm of life. It’s full of surprises, unexpected twists and turns. It comes at time of the season where your fitness is either spot-on or you are an over cooked crispy critter. Sometimes a great day, other times not so great. For myself, ribs aside, it comes in a season where I’ve set new power records in my training, increased my training hours 20% over years past and perhaps found the biggest factor in preventing my infamous bonk-outs in long races.
With some luck, great inspiration and support I’m looking forward to having a pretty sweet finish at the 40. Most of all in the race itself - it’ll be great to ride with and see the many friends, familiar faces and racing companions I’ve come to know over the years. See you at the starting line!
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