Show me your race photos Athenas and Clydesdales!! (Page 13)

Thanks!

The photo place didn't exactly develop the pics in order (by they numbering scheme) so that bike pic where I'm signalling my lefthand turn, that is at the end of the 12 mile bike course, and I was just getting ready to turn off this road and down into the parking lot of the facility hosting the race.  You can just see some orange cones to the left of the pic and the drive or entrance into the parking and down into the Transition area, is just a few feet to the left of where this pic ends.

Me on the bike, behind the white SUV, is before the crash.  I had just leaned/turned left, going toward the center of the road and eventually left into the parking lot.  I had just came along side the SUV, probably just beside where the rear wheel is at when this idiot decided they didn't have to wait any longer (even though the cop still had traffic stopped) ... and/or they assumed the last of the bikers in the grouping of 7- 9 that I was in had all pulled in.  I was in the back of this pack of riders.

So, they go ahead and whip their SUV over into the center lane in order to go around the cop and pass the stopped cars in her lane of travel.  When she did I would have been hit or ran over had I not swerved severely to the left.  Out of fear, reaction, habit (not sure ....) I also hit the brakes pretty hard and when I did the front locked up (well that and the fact that the front wheel was turned so sharply that it couldn't roll forward) ... and I was pitch-forked over the handlebars.

I landed squarely on my left shoulder, then my left side of my face hit.  My children who were watching and actually taking all the pictures, said the bike nearly flipped all the way over (there are scratches on "top" of my handlebars and on the stem/neck), and that my feet were over my head while I was sliding along the road on my face.

Looking back and see the that my face really didn't take too much damage and the scrape down the side of my helmet ... I realize the helmet must have taken most of the head impact and that my face went down only enough to strike the road a little and get scraped some.

The helmet probably saved my life or at least kept me out of the hospital and kept my brains from being scrambled into to jello.

My kids say I landed on my shoulder, then my face hit ... boucned up and came down and hit again ... then I slid a couple of feet (with my face on the road and my feet in the air) and then finally settled down and laid there 15-20 seconds.

By then the SUV must have realized what they did and took off like a bat out of hell.  The traffic cop had nop chance to leave his post and jump into his crusier and catch this person, but who knows... maybe he saw the license plate and they got a ticket in the mail or something.

I'm actually thankful there was no actual collision with the car or that the police didn't stop them and start the whole "filling out accident reports" mess ... or else I would have never had the chance to recover my senses and go on to finish the race.

So, my shoulder hurt so much I just knew it was broke and my knee felt like something  was sticking in it ... so on the run I was kinding limping on my bad side ... plus I couldn't swing my arms and shoulders to get into a god run rhythm .... cause I kept it hunched up and clenched in tight to my side .... I might have even heard a volunteer or other racer trying to encourage say something about "relax your shoulders, you'll run easier and better ..."

... but little did these folks know that I had just planted my face into the asphalt just minutes earlier!  Anyhow, I just smiled at everyone and pointed to my bloody leg as I ran by and told them "had a bike crash, 'bout got side-swiped..."   and kept on going ...

Anyhow ... that's my war story ... and my first serious bike crash ... so I have that out of the way and now hopefully my next races will go a lot smoother ....  

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 This was the second event with a slip-n-slide.  It was a great motovation knowing that you didnt have to jump back into the lake to cool off.  It was a hit and I bet they will start to spring more so then not at the hotter races..

Dude great pics, but i have to ask a question and make a joke comment.

Can you get me one of those purple Tri Jerseys??  Seriously, my fav color.

And don't ya know you are supposed to smile for the camera first THEN hit the split button on your watch!!! ;0p

that water looks absolutly gorgeous, yes the pics are way way cool!!!  Golf course in the background of the Bike pic???

Before and after

after and before, first tri to ironman

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Wow!!!!  Excellent, and congrats!

Thx!

Silverman Full

1st place in Clydes over 40!!!!  Granted it was a tough course, and I pretty much just outlasted people rather than beat them with my blazing speed. 

Danskin Orlando, Palm Harbor Duathlon, and Iron Girl 5K Clearwater.

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I just joined so this is my first official post.

You all are SO inspiring. I am starting to work out with my trainer on Monday and I plan to train for 5k and 10k this summer with the hopes that in 2010 I will start doing tri's. (if not sooner that is).

After seeing the pictures on this thread, I know that I can do this!

Thanks!

First time for me posting on this board (don't know why since I've always been a Clydesdale)!