After 90 minutes of a good ride on the last day of August I was distracted; my mind wasn't in the game.... I was caught up in a world far away from the moment. After all of these years riding 2 wheeled vehicles I rarely realize the speed I am traveling. One lapse in concentration and I am seeing the ground... the sky.... the ground.... etc. At first I didn't want to let it in, but after a few minutes I knew I had broken my clavicle and at least a sprained wrist. Its a common injury with cyclists, and my 3rd time; but it is never something you are ready for. After my last break and no medical treatment except an Xray, I decided to skip the doctors and just get on with the recovery and try to get back to Ironman training. The bike would be no problem with indoor training, but running and swimming would be a challenge. Two weeks without running and four without swimming would be hard to recover from. At the end of September my Ironman race in November started to look like a problem. Injuries are part of being an athlete whether its a broken bone, a muscle tear, or an overuse injury. I am lucky to be resilient when it comes to training stress, but I do get injured from time to time. The key to putting it in your past is accepting the injury, accessing the situation, and planning how to come back to your form quickly and safely. This time I decided I would do one of my favorite races and see how I would hold up before I decided the end of my season: the Brierman 50 Half Lite Triathlon in Frederick, MD.
One of my friends was doing his first race back after an injury and a long recovery which made the day much more fun. Luckily for me he didn't mind me swimming behind him for almost the whole time which made my first obstacle much better! Getting out of the water and onto the bike I knew that I had to do all I could to have a good bike split. This race is not your typical 1/2 IM, it is HILLY! In fact you cross the Appalachian Trail a few times and you are almost always going up or down. Glancing at your speed usually shows something like this: .... 28....34....12....4....26... 40.... 4... 6.... There are a few times when I was spinning out in my aero position with a 53x11 so that is not your regular bike leg! Luckily for me I was having a good day; and at the end of the first lap there were times when I could see the pace car and the leader ahead. That was all I needed to keep the pressure on. I was making time up on the climbs, but where I would really close was the descents. I was probably climbing 1 or 2 mph faster, but on the descents it was probably closer to 7-8 mph difference which I didn't want to lose. I knew the leader was a gifted athlete and runner so I had to make my move on the bike. With about 5 miles to go up a steep hill I finally moved into the lead and kept my momentum going. A few more technical sections and I was finishing the bike leg. When I left T2 Mary was giving me some great encouragement, "... you are first and 2nd place isn't in transition yet..." Running up the path I heard, "He is just coming into Transition...GO!" I had never led a road Triathlon before and was doing my best to push the pace. This run was demanding as well so I tried to keep that in my mind. I kept repeating one of my favorite song lyrics in my head, "... Goodbye everybody... don't come find me 'cause I want to disappear..." What a difference a month makes! I was laying on the ground August 31st, and now I am leading one of my favorite races! I passed a house with a dog in the yard which was great because I could hear how far ahead I was. When I heard the dog start barking I looked at my watch... 15 seconds... just keep pushing maybe he will slow down. I hoped to lead until the turnaround, but after being caught on a descent I started to feel the limit. My legs just wouldn't go fast enough on the downhill. I started to lose contact. Trying to keep it together I just kept my focus; although I was passed I was having one of my best runs ever... I wasn't fading. On my way back into the park I was happy. I wasn't going to win, but I was finally finding some strength in my racing again. After all the stress of the year, the setbacks and disappointments; I was feeling what I love to feel: I am an Athlete. I am performing and have no limits... This is where I love to be!
After a long day I was happy with my second overall, but my body was telling a different story. I was definitely feeling my injury and lack of preparation. The bike was one of my best, but I have a long way to go to feel good again. It is time to call it a season. I will work very hard in the pool and the gym over the winter so I can have a successful 2010. So many times I have chased my dreams for good results regardless of my actual fitness. An athlete has to be stubborn, tough, and determined; but being smart and realistic about goals and achievements is also very important. In a year when I raced less than I have in 17 years, it is still nice to move on. Bringing the season to a close means you can begin to plan your next season and goals; What could be better than a fresh start? One of the greatest things about competition is that it is always there when you are ready. All you have to do is decide when and where you want to go, and the starting line will be waiting. How many things in life are like that?
