Week in Review

Well haven't posted anything for the last couple of days so time for an update.

Wednesday- Thursday
Went up to Wyong on a course for work and took the MTB with me to do a couple of laps of Ourimbah Forest. First day went well, but the temperature was hitting the 40° mark with no wind coming through the trees. After a lap of the 10k course my jersey was soaked with sweat and that was the way it stayed for the next 40 or so minutes for the second lap.

Course was fun completly different to anything down Canberra way, the closest course for comparision would be Majura but he soil is alot damper in Ourimbah so alot more grip. Because of the fun I had was keen to come back the next day....

Arrived back Thursday at about 5.00 pm just as the weather started to break as I got the bike out of the car. I think this was really a sign I should pack it in there and then but no I kept going. Half way round the loop on a steep pinch the rear wheel spun out and I started to take a slow speed fall. No dramas at this point, we all have these and come out alright with minimal damage not this time.... As I am falling to the right hand side I can see a sawn off tree trunk, so as I'm falling I try to grab it so I don't end up completly on my arse on the ground. However what I don't see is the cut off branch hiding behind the level of my shoulder, this little sucker manages to come up and under my arm and jab me square on in the side on the ribs.

Now I never played contact sports when I was at school and have never gotten into a serious fight in my life so have never had my ribs worked over. There I am lying on the side of the track, trying to catch my breath and swearing in my head at the world in general. The next thing (like most cyclists!) is trying to work out whether something is broken, lot of pain.. not going away oh shit. After a few minutes to get the breath back I jump back on the bike and start making my way back to the trailhead. Along the way monitoring the ribs and trying to workout whether I can go for another lap or call it a day. Well with the amount of jarring I call it a day.

Sunday
Have the next couple of days off to try and rest the ribs. The problem with ribs are that whether they are bruised, cracked, or broken there is nothing a doctor or hospital can do for you except perscribe painkillers. So stock up on Voltarin and just rest up.
Roll out the door Sunday AM at 6.30 to get to the race for an 8.00 start. Ride to the start is pretty mellow just feeling the legs and concentrating on the ribs, to work out what I can and can't do. Deep breathing... check, Out of the saddle...oh crap! looks as though the whole race is going to be done seated.
Race is set down for 2 laps of the Homestead course for a total of 76k. A grade sets off at good pace with everyone rolling through, the hard part of the circuit is the last 4k up to the u-turn and return to the finish so everyones just happy to roll through for the time being.
We hit the first of the hills and I go to the front to keep the tempo up the power meter is showing OK watts so I might just be OK with the race after all!
We hit the long drag up to the u-turn and right away I know I'm in trouble, the pace is up there but I can't get out of the seat and swing on the bars for a bit of relief. Trying not to look at the power meter........ great we're sitting on a steady 430w. About half way up someone puts in a surge and I can't respond, game over the bunch just starts riding away, getting further into the distance till they're gone from view.

I pull out when I get back to the start finish line and begin the ride home. It was good to get out and try the ribs out and they felt better afterwards so hopefully there is not too much damage but time will tell