Subject: Crashed on bike today. So I was doing my regular 16 mile time trail route attempting to better my best 18.1 average MPH run. I knew I was in the money for a new record as I crested the top of the last steep climb waypoint at 17.7 average, when my best ever had been 17.3 at this waypoint. All that was left now was the high speed rolling hill section where I could ride at speeds up to 28 MPH. As I was climbing up a rolling incline at 25MPH, I took my eye off the road to glance at my watch as I had to be at my daughter’s baseball game in 55 minutes. Then it happened, I drifted off the road into the gravel (fully laid out on my aero bars). It was so bumpy and hard to control I could not even consider moving my hands to the hoods so I could brake or even unclip for that matter. Paralyzed with fear, I stayed with it until I reached the ditch which was completely overgrown with star thistle. After plowing though the sticker I watched in horror as my front wheel smashed into the embankment ejecting dirt and gravel into the air similar to a pyroclastic volcanic event. You know all the dust and stuff? The suddenly, I felt light as air. I was sailing upward over the handlebars still clipped in and handing on to the aero bars when my helmet suddenly made contact with the ground skidding across the ground. My Timex Ironman watch, hands, forearms and elbows eventually made contact with the earth as I slide to a stop and fell over like a corps. I pulled the stickers out of my dirt covered sweaty face, looked at my bike computer as I kicked my feet out of the pedals and noticed that I was at 18.1 average MPH. Without a moment of hesitation, I pulled myself back onto the road, and got back up to speed. The dirt and stickers were all over me but I didn't care, I need to best 18.1 average at any cost. I mean WTF, if this was a race I would certainly do it....right? With just about six miles remaining, I pushed as hard as my skinned up body would allow. As I rolled into my driveway, I observed and average of 18.3 MPH. Better than my best ever by .2 MPH. While at my daughters the baseball game, the coach asked,"OMG, what happened to you", I replied that I had a little bike wreck 30 minutes earlier. Triathlon is the best sport ever! Edited by MKAH 2009-09-24 10:18 PM
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