My "Oh $h!t" Moment of the Weekend

This picture might remind some of you of the Terrible Treadmill Debacle of 2004. My scars will now have scars. I guess it feels worse than it looks 'cause this picture doesn't look that bad now that I see it.

After our Totally Wicked, Dude run on Saturday, I was feeling all high and happy, then we decided to tempt our fate with the industrial area railroad tracks again. Sheryl and Dan and I were supposed to make up our 50/10 brick we missed last weekend, but after mentioning it to our coach from last year, Seth - he said we would be crazy to do it after a 15 miler up at Wildwood, so we confirmed with Coach Scott and he said NO. Don't make it up. It's a brick that is unnessecary training wise, it's mostly for us to mentally be able to realize that we CAN actually do the race distance and since Sheryl and I already know we can, we should skip it altogether or just add a little run to the end of our scheduled 35 mile ride for Sunday. We decided to keep it to a flat ride around Sauvie Island and run 5 miles on the waterfront after that.

So we had a great ride - I even got into my aerobars for awhile a couple of times. It was a beautiful day and the ride was uneventful until we got about 6 blocks from Sheryl's office where our cars were parked. We had made it over about 20 sets of RR tracks - including the one Sheryl bit it on last year a week before the race. At the very end of this last set, I caught my front tire in the track. I have no idea how I did it, but I had gotten cocky over the last 20 sets and apparently just went too fast and at the wrong angle.

I think my aero bars took the first hit and then I don't know what happened. I managed to hit my head (thank God for helmets!! - THAT would have hurt!) and my left shoulder and both knees and BOTH sides of my hands??? I'm not sure how that happened, although I do remember thinking to myself "oh crap, you couldn't find one of your gloves today, your hands are bare - save them, woman!!" - so I think after the initial hit, I turned my hands over. OR my knuckles hit first and I just don't remember that part. My head was last to hit - bonk, bonk - so I think that saved me a good headache.

So I ran screaming obscenities as I rushed off the road and leaving Sheryl to deal with my bike. I was in a bit of shock, but knew if I sat down I would throw-up or pass out - I felt so dizzy - So I just kept upright and was throwing my arms up the air walking along the sidewalk. I think to shake out the pain?? I don't know, but it must have looked hilarious. I got the dizziness under control, got the chain back on my bike and we very slowly rode the last 6 blocks.

I feel fine except for my left knee which is totally swollen and stiff. I still can't lift it up enough to get up the stairs easily, but hopefully it will be ready for a run by Wednesday.

I never told Sheryl this, but last year I was behind her when she fell and my first reaction was a little giggle and then total horror as I realized what was happening. I felt so bad that my first thought was to giggle, but now I can't stop giggling over how I must have looked to Sheryl from the back view. What a dork! Call me graceful...