HERE WE GEAUX!!!!!

What a week!

Let me bring everyone up to date since I have been MIA for the past 2 ½ months.

 

Two weeks before IM New Orleans 70.3 I did a race and felt a little pop in my right foot.  The next day my foot was swollen and I asked my wife if she noticed anything.  She put her finger down on the top of my foot and said, “that looks discolored and swollen.”  I could walk on it fine with a little discomfort so I chalked it up to stress since I had been putting in major training hours as a result of not being able begin my training for IM NOLA until mid February because of my surgery in December.

 

On April 5^th I completed IM NOLA in seven and a half hours (SUCKED IT UP!!!) but the last 4 miles of the run I had to walk and it was very painful.  I finished.  Turns out I had a broken foot for the race.

 

The following Wednesday I went to the foot Dr.  The best in Baton Rouge and a heck of a nice guy, Dr. Lalonde.  X-Ray showed a bad azz fracture and my training was done for a while.

 

I was told by my Dr. to stay off it in a boot for 6 weeks and I could do swimming, light riding,  and no running.  6 weeks was fine since my training program for IM Florida (My first Ironman) didn’t begin until Memorial Day (thanks Keith).   My follow up Dr. Appointment was o the Tuesday after Memorial Day so I would be good to go.

 

Not so fast Mr.

 

On the follow up appointment, X-Rays showed that my foot wasn’t recovering and was still very much broken.  I had been riding and swimming as I was allowed, but trying not to push it too hard, just maintain a little bit.  But Doc said 6 more weeks in the boot and no riding, just swimming.

 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!!

 

In the midst of all this, my wife and I are expecting our first child who will be here by July 10^th – If not today!!!!!!  Work has been strenuous and not being able to train has turned my attitude into pissy with a slight chance of “Get the hell out of my face!”.

 

My last follow up was Wednesday morning.  The foot is healing and still broken.  BUT, Doc said I could begin riding with a metal plate in my shoe – Still no running and that probably won’t happen until September (Grrrrrrrrrrrr).

 

Well, if the Doc says I can ride – When do you think I went for my first ride?  YEP!!!  Wednesday afternoon in 101 degree heat and 70% humidity AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!!!!!!!!

 

The wind, the road, the road KILL, the heat - ALL of it!!!

 

Then there was this morning. 

 

I ride with a group on Tuesday/Thursday mornings.  These guys are pretty strong and when I was riding at my best a few months ago it was still a challenge to hang with them.

 

My bike looks like a disco ball riding down the road because we meet at 5:30am.  I leave my house about 5:15am so it is dark when we take off and beautiful when we are on our way back.  I have high powered lights to make sure I am visible.

 

On this morning no one was at our meeting spot.  I was there at 5:30am so I waited for a bit then went off on my own for the 30 mile loop.

 

I felt GREAT.  I was putting in about 18-19mph at about 145 bmp.  I wanted to stay between 130 and 145 on the HRM.  I didn’t stick to that and hit some intervals just to see what the legs had on them after an almost 3 month layoff.  I think I will get the power back fairly soon.

 

Great ride, beautiful weather, sun was bright and low in the sky on the way back.  Then it all came to an abrupt stop.

 

About mile 33 of 40 I was run off the road and it wasn’t pretty.  A white Honda (I think) honked at me as it was on my wheel and another car, kind of burgundy dark red, KIA or Camry maybe?  Was right on their tail.  The white car gave me about 2 feet maybe 3, but the burgundy car I don’t think ever saw me since he/she was right on the tail of the other car.  I saw the front of the burgundy car and the wheel and he/she was no more than a foot on top of me – probably less.  There is no real shoulder on this particular area.  I hit gravel, then my front tire shot to the right, I tried to get it straight, but it clipped the side of the asphalt into the dirt and I was now going over the front of my bike headed to the pavement. 

 

It was really fast and I think I went out for a second. 

 

I laid there on the side of the road mostly in the ditch now.  I was afraid to move.  I felt my helmet hit the pavement and my vertebra in my back sounded like an accordion cracking down my back as I hit the road then I was twisted on the ground.

 

I could feel that I was bleeding on my leg and shoulder and my head was ringing.  I was afraid to move and hurt all over.  I lifted my head and saw my bike more than 10 feet away.  That sucker must have gone flying!!!.

 

I began to move my feet, then my shoulders, then my legs.  One at a time they told me – I think we’re OK – and about 10 minutes later I was standing.

By this time a nice lady, Barbara, I guess figured out I crashed and pulled over.  By the look on her face – My face must have been one hot mess!

 

I got the bike up.  The aero bars were in a downward position and my garmin was nowhere to be found.  But for the most part the bike was ok.  Whew!

 

The nice lady began to point out the blood and the gravel stuck in my shoulder.  I brushed it out with my hand.  She offered me a ride home, but I felt that the bike was in good enough shape and I had only 7 or 8 miles left 

YES – THAT IS HOW MUCH I MISS RIDING!!!!

 

I rode my broke ass home on my broke ass bike. 

 

I did stop at McDonalds and grab some napkins and wiped off some blood and cleaned my glasses.  I didn’t want my wife to see my looking too bad.  Good news was that she wasn’t awake yet and I got in the shower and was cleaned up fairly well before she woke.

 

When she did wake her only comment was “We’re going to have a baby . . . And you’re going to look like that!”   I sure love her!

 

So – I am safe.  I feel OK.  And thank God for helmets!!!!!!!!!

 

Oh, by the way – today was a planned two day with a ride in the AM and one this afternoon . . . YES!!!!  I will be riding this afternoon!!!!!

 

If you’re scared say you’re scared!

 

Seriously, I am very thankful I am safe.  I have had this happen once before and consider myself lucky to be in good shape today, but I love being healthy (sounds odd after this, I know) and if I am not active I will die a slow miserable fat death and I will not have that.

 

I have gained 30 lbs back since IM New Orleans.  Time to drop the weight again and my goal is 195 lbs. by IM Florida in November.

 

Thanks to everyone.  Sorry for being MIA, but I have had very little motivation . . . I’M BACK!