No lengthy race report here because typing is too damned slow. I went up to MD to participate in this one, which is unique in the fact that it has a 1.4-mile gravel section. Coupled with the rains we’d had all week and the fact I couldn’t sleep the night before, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to it.
Anyway, my race went pretty well until the end. I felt pretty strong coming into the finish, found myself in a tight position, tried a bit too hard to find daylight for the sprint, crossed wheels with a friend in front of me, and down I went at 30mph. Adrenaline got me right back on my feet and a quick examination of my bike told me it’d be quicker to run the final 300m than to get the wheels spinning again. I hoisted the bike on my shoulder and made my way to the finish to come in 27th of about 50 starters. Not too bad a result considering.
I got cleaned up by the onsite medic and decided that my wrist likely needed to be looked at; I’d never broken a bone and the pain in it was a new type to me.. I was pretty certain what the result would be. About five hours after the fall, I was out if the Virginia Hospital Center with a diagnosis of a broken scaphoid. My season is pretty much over :/
The scaphoid is commonly broken in falls of this type, but its treatment is surprisingly irregular. Due to its location, it receives very little bloodflow and therefore takes a heck of a long time to heal. Increasingly common is to have a screw inserted to ensure proper alignment as well. Given what I’ve read I think I’m looking at 2-3 months of inactivity, but I’ll know more when I meet with an orthopedist next week.
My bike is fine once my bar tape is replaced, which comes as a pleasant surprise considering a friend who was behind me said it flew spectacularly. I’ll get that taken care of so I can hopefully retain some of my shape in preparation of cyclocross season on the trainer.
I didn’t manage to take anyone else out, which is pretty great. I don’t know what exactly happened to cause my tangle, but in order for the result to be what it was means that I had my bike where it shouldn’t have been. A painful lesson this time, but another nonetheless.
I’m pretty road rashed, but that pain is minimal in comparison to my wrist. How a bone the size of a cashew can hurt so much amazes me. I made it 31 years without this pain and I’d be happy to go another 31 following this. For those of you who haven’t ever busted anything, I’d describe it as the worst headache you’ve likely ever had, but in the part you broke. It’s a deep, painful throb that just won’t go away and rears its head [to a much greater level] every now and then for no apparent reason.
Mad props to Heather in advance of what’s looking to be a lengthy period in which I’m worthless for most intents and purposes. She was a trooper upon my arrival home after the race and is certainly going to have her hands full with the most minute of things to help me as I learn to get along with one hand.
Alas, with the season most assuredly over for me and with my options for entertainment limited to one hand (luckily, my good hand), I foresee a lot of reading getting done in the next few months. Any recommendations?
Comments
Oh man, sorry to hear. My teammate (NCVC) was directly behind you right before you went down, I was just to his left. He yelled at me to move left because we could take the whole road, I did, he came with me, and boom, you went down. Probably why nobody went down with you. And yes, your bike supposedly bounced several feet into the air, narrowly missing another of my teammates’ ear.
For what it’s worth, I have a huge amount of respect for anyone who recovers and jogs across the finish line for a 27th place finish. Heal up soon and hopefully we’ll see you out there again before too long.
I was driving the sweep truck behind the M5 race and saw you hoist your bike and start running about 300m from the finish. Didn’t see the crash, and I figured you must’ve had a flat or some other mechanical. I was wondering “why is that guy running with his bike?” Anyway, nice touch to ensure you finished and got your placement! Good luck with the healing…. – Marc (from NCVC)
The past 3 weeks has been wildly crazy for our entire family. I feel so bad that you had this biking accident and broke that area. Not good, not good at all. I hope you get it taken care (casts, etc.) and heal quicker than expected. Also hope that you heal perfectly.
Thanks for the kind words, guys.
Marc, thanks for helping to put on a great event.
Kit, good racing with you and I do hope to be back out there with y’all soon.
Heal fast.
The only time I’ve cried from an injury was when they drilled a hole in my bone to fix my torn labrum. No sleep, no relief from pain meds; just tears.
So you’re a vote against the screw? Everyone who has done this says “SCREW!”
The bone can actually be split into thirds in regards to how they treat it. Moving outward from center with your break, it’s like 100% screw, 50% screw, and then less for the outside third, which is where I fall. I have pretty large displacement, but the alignment looks good so only time will really be able to tell.
Or I could stop playing Web M.D. and just report back what the orthopedist says this afternoon.
Oh no, I’m all for medical procedures to set things right. I was just identifying with your pain.