I had been interested in racing the track for a while, but didn’t have the confidence to try it out. After a clinic last December, another 2-day clinic about a month ago, and then a great workout session the night before, I felt comfortable racing at the Hellyer Velodrome’s âGet Ready for Summerâ races on Saturday, May 29, 2010. We would have our own women’s category 4 field, rather than race with the guys. The first race was a tempo race, with points given each lap for the 12 laps. I think I came in first or maybe second for a couple laps, and I ended up placing third overall. Our next race was a 12-lap scratch race, which is like a criterium in that the winner is determined by who finishes the whole thing first.I’m #519 in red. photo by Steve WooThrougho…
Memorial Day weekend, I was caught up in a crash that occurred directly in front of me while racing at the Hellyer Velodrome. The most significant injury was an open fracture of my clavicle, which was surgically repaired the next day. The following day, Monday, I was discharged and returned to San Francisco. Early Tuesday morning, I felt severe pain in my right side, lower rib cage area. I thought it was an undiagnosed rib fracture perhaps, but wasn’t sure. The pain would subside and then return. It made breathing difficult although I was not short of breath. I was worried I had experienced some head trauma and that I might not be getting enough O2 to my brain. Late afternoon, I checked into the ER, where they determined I had 3 small blood clots in my l…
January 31, 2010 – 11:10 pm
Last year after my horrible crash, when I was still unable to get out of bed without crying tears of pain, I was faced with the decision of whether I would get a kit (jersey + bike shorts) for the bike race team I had joined. ”Why in the world would I even consider this?” The final diagnosis had been fractures in my left clavicle, 9 posterior ribs (if I add up all the fractures reported on the Xrays) and L2 transverse process, pleural effusion, severe bruising and road rash. I have never gone through anything else even remotely as painful, physically, as that experience. But, I decided that it was not a good time to make the decision to quit. I would order the kit.As the months passed, I thought a lot about what I would do with bike racing. I debated, “D…
January 25, 2010 – 6:39 pm
Last year was one of those extra special years that leaves one changed forever. Learning lessons in having patience with oneself and life’s circumstances does not come without some struggle. Becoming a more empathetic person can be painful. As I approach the one year mark after my bike crash, my bones are healed and I am riding my bike again with joy. Still, I have frequent reminders–pain here or there, or thoughts of reflection–that tell me it’s not over yet. And I wonder what subconscious lessons I have drawn from these experiences. Am I less trusting of myself and others? Will my sense of fear of re-injury and pain hold me back from taking risks–risks that could, ultimately, lead me to something greater than I could imagine now? How do …
December 8, 2009 – 9:16 am
I thought I would give a description of diabetes-related details for Ironman Arizona for those who may be interested. This is not necessarily the best approach for anyone else or even myself, but is what I have been trying as of late. My strategy in training for past long triathlon events has been to do a lot of record-keeping, especially around key workouts that simulate aspects of the race. This time, for whatever reason, I didn’t have the time or energy to be as diligent about that. Also, I was trying to cut back on calories during workouts, so it was a little harder to compare with race day. And furthermore, I really wasn’t able to do any long runs so it was hard to simulate the conditions for the marathon.On Saturday, I pre-programmed my pump for the race the next day, based on my pre…
December 6, 2009 – 9:29 pm
Date: November 22, 2009, 7 AMRace: Ironman Arizona, Tempe, Arizona (2.4 mi swim, 112 bike, 26.2 run)Weather: cool, ~50 at the start to mid-70s during the day to cool again by the end.Teammates present: 15 teammates from Triabetes, a bunch of guys & gals from Team Pacific Bicycle and a whole host of Triabetes friends & familyGoals: to keep focused on finishing and enjoying celebrating the day; to stay comfortable during the swim and bike and to allow myself time as needed in transition; to manage IT band injury so I could finish without causing long-term consequences.Some races are about shooting for a new personal record (PR) or placing well; others are about making it to the starting line and doing one’s best to finish. This race would be the latter.Before the StartSince I arrived…
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November 17, 2009 – 4:17 pm
This year has been one with many unexpected challenges, and I have never gone into a race with this much uncertainty. Because of a nagging IT band injury, I haven’t been able to train as much as I would normally have done, especially with regards to running. As a result, I spent more time swimming; not only has this helped me to improve my stroke, but also I have come to enjoy swimming much more. Although my swim time probably won’t be faster than last year, I am happy to be back to my pre-crash state (more or less). Because I have basically spent this whole year rehabbing, I do not want to set myself back in a major way. While some pain is to be expected in an Ironman, I am hoping I can know the line between enduring to the finish and risking permanent harm. At Lotoja in September, the le…
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