Road Bike Racing - I Fell Over

The Whitefish Bay Criterium - the last race of Superweek. It was extra-fast (for a 4/5 race) thanks to a few junior exchange racers from Germany who thought it would be fun to rip the legs off 70 or so guys from the Midwest. All these guys did was attack, which was brilliant considering the 4/5s will chase down anything. The group was toast from countering all the attacks, and one of the German guys ended up winning.

So I'm in the pack, towards the back. I might have hit an oily patch. I might have just fallen over. But one second I'm cornering, and the next second I'm on the ground sliding across the road. My first thought is, 'this doesn't hurt as bad as I imagined it would'. My second thought is, 'wow, I'm moving fast'. My third thought is, 'I should be hitting the curb soon. Yep, there it is.'

I pop up. And I'm about to try and get back onto the group when a course marshal screams at me to go to the pit. I think that's reasonable, and so I do. The SRAM guy (thank you, SRAM) does a quick adjustment on my brakes, but otherwise the bike checks out okay. I get my free lap, and I get back into the race.

So I got lucky for my first crash. I fell over, but I didn't take anyone else out with me. I didn't break anything. I've got a little road rash on my hip, my elbows, and one knee. My bike is mostly okay. And I managed to finish the race with the group.

About a third of the way into the race, I was pretty sure I would be OTB "any moment now", but the pace slowed a fraction, and I started feeling much better. I was feeling quite a bit of accordian, but was having considerable difficulty moving up. I continued to move up as much as I could. (did pretty well on the right side before turn 1) On the last lap, I was deep in the bunch and sprinted for 19th. Payouts were 18 deep.

Then I went wakeboarding, which is hurting me much more right now than the race is.

...once again, the HIP is mentioned.
Glad you're OK Crom.

No more racing for me.
I'll spectate instead.

...once again, the HIP is mentioned.
Glad you're OK Crom.

No more racing for me.
I'll spectate instead.

WCA time trial next weekend. No hips getting busted there.

About a third of the way into the race, I was pretty sure I would be OTB "any moment now", but the pace slowed a fraction, and I started feeling much better. I was feeling quite a bit of accordian, but was having considerable difficulty moving up. I continued to move up as much as I could. (did pretty well on the right side before turn 1) On the last lap, I was deep in the bunch and sprinted for 19th. Payouts were 18 deep.

Then I went wakeboarding, which is hurting me much more right now than the race is.
I could only move up when guys started dropping off the back. I could get around them and hang on to the back again. Lather, rinse, repeat. But anytime I tried to move up, I couldn't make it stick. Granted, I'm not strong, but this was a particularly pack-fodderish performance, even for me. At the end, I was just happy I got up off the pavement and kept racing.

...once again, the HIP is mentioned.
Glad you're OK Crom.
Thanks, Hip.

I could only move up when guys started dropping off the back. I could get around them and hang on to the back again. Lather, rinse, repeat. But anytime I tried to move up, I couldn't make it stick. Granted, I'm not strong, but this was a particularly pack-fodderish performance, even for me. At the end, I was just happy I got up off the pavement and kept racing.

I felt it was a very fast race also. In some crits, my HR is usually in the 150s. Yesterday 170s was the most common number I was seeing.

WCA time trial next weekend. No hips getting busted there.

...so you'll be racing in the BONG park...hee hee....good luck.
I've got better ways to blow 27 bucks than get beat up on by a bunch of guys with fancy disc wheels thumping past me for 40K

...so you'll be racing in the BONG park...hee hee....good luck.
I've got better ways to blow 27 bucks than get beat up on by a bunch of guys with fancy disc wheels thumping past me for 40K

"Bong Recreation Area". I was told by "someone" that they have trouble keeping their official signs posted, as dazed college students seem to keep appropriating them.

"Bong Recreation Area". I was told by "someone" that they have trouble keeping their official signs posted, as dazed college students seem to keep appropriating them.

I'm sure you'll finish "HIGH" in the standings!