Today I met Yoda (Karen), Colleen (IronDiva), and SBM friend, Mark, on the Silver Comet trail for a 70 (!) mile ride.  I wasn’t planning on doing 70, but since I decided that Ironman was in my future and Yoda and IronDiva are Iron ladies… I figured I better follow their lead.

It was actually a great ride (barring a few minor details, like a CRASH… details to follow).

We started out the ride in a monsoon. Okay, so it was raining – not monsoon – but we ended up pretty filthy, pretty quickly.  One sip from the water bottle resulted in a mouthful of mud.

We stopped at Mile 35 for a Diet Coke fix. I haven’t had a DC in months… and I’ll tell ya, it was delicious.  Maybe it was the caffeine punch, but I felt like a million bucks after the stop.

Yoda and IronDiva gave me TONS of Ironman worthy advice, and I really enjoyed spending time with them (even though I was turning my legs like crazy to suck off their wheels).  Oh, we came up with a GREAT nutrition invention somewhere before the turn around, too.  To be announced… it’s balls to the wall. That is all.

Well…..

With about 20 miles to go, Andy and I had a bit of an incident.

I was heading down the trail about 15 MPH or so.  Andy’s front wheel went off the right side of the trail. I overcompensated (best I can figure), and I felt myself about to go down.

Without yelling a single expletive (good for me), I hit the concrete, landing on my left thigh.  Then I felt my left shoulder hit the ground. I distinctly remember thinking, no! not the bike, and I tucked my head into my chest and held on to Andy.

Once my shoulder hit the ground, I flipped and did a complete turn-over with Andy.  My head (helmet on!!) bonked on the concrete, and Andy and I came to rest in the other lane of the trail.

Yoda and IronDiva turned around and asked, “Are you ok?”

I was already sitting up and trying to figure out how to avoid the embarrassment. [Too late – apparently, I sounded like a freight train as I went down with Andy. ] The ladies rescued me.  I plopped down on the grass, showing off my first official round of road rash.

I was mostly freaked out from the fall, the flipping over and hitting the ground was just plain scary. And Andy is definitely in need of a checkup.

Chilling in the grass after the crash.

20 miles and an hour and a half later, we were sitting in Five Guys Burgers & Fries, putting down some grub.

So, I survived a bike crash and had a PR distance on the bike.  I mean, really… can’t complain too much.

While I rode, the Expert revisited his frequented role of “Father of the Year,” by taking the kids to Fernbank museum to see the dino exhibit and “The Scoop on Poop.”

The kids had a blast while “Mommy of the Year” was out on her bicycle.  I’m thankful he’s such a good dad, because I don’t feel like a good mom when I’m falling on my bicyle instead of looking at poop with the kids.

On second thought, I think poop is a good dad-worthy topic.   I’m not sure I would have enjoyed the history of poop as much. 🙂

Have a great week, friends.

15 Responses

  1. ACK!! Must be a thing for new owners of swanky tri bikes. Seabiscuit bucked me off on our third ride! I hope you come through it better than I did. I mangled my shoulder and hip a bit. Still, as someone said to me today “There are two types of people who ride a lot. The ones that have crashed and the ones that will.” I think it is like a club… Welcome!

  2. Sorry that you fell but you look like you came out pretty good all things considered. Nothing broken bones or bike 🙂 I fell on my hip running a week ago and I really felt the tightening of the other side of my body the next day. So far 2 trips to the chiropractor and I’m feeling better. Just sharing in case you have a similar feeling tomorrow.

  3. Like we said over lunch, you totally nailed the landing of the crash and we ever so graceful as you rolled, I’m sure. 🙂

    I am so glad that I got to hang out with you today. You crack me up and hopefully Karen and I didn’t scare you away too much.

    Our invention is THE BEST EVER. It’ll make us millions, I’m sure.

  4. Glad you are ok after the crash! I have crashed twice on my Cervelo since I got it in February, I was more concerned about the bike then myself on both occasions. I have some to the conclusion that Five Guys is hands down THE BEST post race/long training day grub ever! After ever race now it is becoming tradition to go to Five Guys afterwards. In fact, yesterday after the Peachtree City Sprint we found the nearest Five Guys and chowed down

  5. Sorry you crashed. Yesterday I kept imagining doing that but going over the ledge! Still nervous on my bike. I feel like I”m going to die today! Didn’t know I even had some of the muscles that are hurting today!!!

  6. that is so bad ass….by that I mean the road on your humhm ass. You are so freaking awesome!!! warrior on swimbikemom!

  7. Tegaderm for road rash is a little miracle! Went down last Monday and used it religiously for 10 days and all wounds have healed!

  8. Daddy definitely does poop better…I mean you’ve already dealt with the real deal, he can go do the museum quality stuff. As for falling…a wise tri friend of mine told me, “It’s not a matter of *IF* you crash, it’s a matter of *WHEN* you crash.” so now you are good to go.

  9. I’m glad you’re ok! When I took the kids to the Scoop on Poop, they were typically flitting all over the place, and I’m reading and paraphrasing the exhibit labels to explain things to the kids, and finally my 6yo said something I never thought I’d hear him say: “Mom, it’s just too much poop!” I totally out-poop-talked my kids!

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