IBOHUNT

Dalai - I also feel your pain. I was involved in totaling a truck with my shoulder in June of last year and was diagnosed with a sprained AC joint. The docs finally decided to do surgery in Feb where they removed 1/2" of collar bone and stitched up some tendons.

I was told after the surgery 12 weeks off the bike. If I must so that I fully recover then that's what will happen

Get a second opinion...

Good luck.

tetonrider

dalai--sorry to hear. as others mentioned, i recently dealt with a cracked collarbone. i got surgery (which i recommend, with just a few standard warnings about risks of any surgery). to keep your spirits high about what is possible, i had a leg over a bike on day 3 post-op, did intervals on day 6, and raced on day 30. mind you, when i got injured i completely ruled out this race but 14 days post-op my feelings changed a great deal. it was incredibly motivating to have something to work for.

assuming you were in good shape going in and assuming you have a trainer setup where you can do low cadence work, you may find that you do not lose very much as a result of this. in fact, i had pretty good power #s on day 30, although i did take a hit by missing out on some volume and intensity during the prior 30 days.

doing what i did is not for everyone, but i was motivated to do this because i believe the more time off i take, the more likely i am to lose my head for racing, and then it becomes even harder to get back.

tetonrider

i posted here about it -- surgery 2/26; racing 3/28.

happy to share additional information. the doc i saw (in phoenix) told me -- literally -- "no one gets surgery for a broken collarbone."

tetonrider

IBO--sorry to hear. out of curiosity, why couldn't you ride a trainer sooner than 12 weeks?

IBOHUNT

Doc said he didn't want any weight bearing on the shoulder. I could, in theory, sit on the bike and pedal but we all know where that leads...
I'll just run 25 mi/week and be less miserable than I have been for 10 months.

tetonrider

it doesn't have to lead there. you can do lots of quality workouts on the trainer and maintain the neuromuscular firing patters and cycling-specific fitness. i did a bunch with no weight on that arm.

just saying you have an option -- there's no medical reason to be off a bike for those 12 weeks.

LAJ

Indeed.

shovelhd

Old school because they didn't do this kind of surgery, in my area at least, in the early 1980's. The titanium stuff was rocket science back then.

IBOHUNT

I have a deal with doctors. They don't tell me how to rebuild motors, design chips and boards and I don't tell them how to do doctorin'. Been married for 33 years and I've learned how to listen. Happens when you get domesticated.

I'm 8 weeks out from surgery and the range of motion isn't there nor is the strength. Maybe a couple weeks I'll change my mind but in the mean time I'll continue what I'm doing which includes losing 2-3 lbs/wk.

End of the day it's just bikin' and it's not like I'll cut a check doing this. If I wanted a hobby where I can go to a national event and cut a check I'd pick the bow back up. Well, after my shoulder healed where I could draw it back

Now - back to the regularly scheduled race reports...

tetonrider

It is enough to say that you don't want to get on the bike, but pedaling on a trainer has nothing to do with how far along your shoulder is. In my opinion, some exercise helps with a whole host of things like improving circulation and reducing swelling (all over), which can then improve ROM (often limited by swelling).

In your earlier post you seemed to say that you are unable to bike for 12 weeks; it seems more like that is your choice than a true restriction.

AzTallRider

Following the example of Dr. Eric Marcotte (chiropractor and pro cyclist), my teammate elected to forgo surgery. Eric had done that, and he believes his overall fitness/diet/etc. helped get everything aligned properly. He is a real all natural type. His bone is straight. But my teammate has a huge lump/crook in the bone, and I'm certain that means his shoulder is overall out of alignment. That can't be a positive thing, but I don't know if he regrets his decision or not. Plates can be removed, and another teammate recently had them taken back out of both shoulders, because he thinks it's safer for 'next time', and one was really bothering him because of something that hooked into the joint. Each to their own.

Hermes

My wife broke hers and did not have surgery and she was on the bike a couple of days later with little pain. The only thing she complained about was that she could not lift as much weight until it healed.

Sarah Hammer broke her collar bone and had it plated. A couple of months ago, she had the plate removed and broke it again doing a standing start - no crash.

valygrl

Weld County Road Race SW4 6th/36 (42 if you count the masters in the field but not in our race)

I love road races, even if the course isn't stellar. This was pretty flat with not much to force a selection but wind (there wasn't much today) and one hill, which was selective on the last lap, but not before.

Had a great time. Spent a bit too much time in the wind but also got to sit in the middle of a big (for women) pack, and work on moving up on a crowded narrow road. Chased a bridge attempt but got caught. Was active on the front the whole race.

I had a plan, I executed it, I learned a bunch of stuff, and can work on a better plan next time. Was in the mix at the end, but a variety of bad positioning and match burning left me without the last match I needed.

My team mate won!

shovelhd

Nice!!!

Mystic Velo Criterium M55+, 60's, headwind sprint, 3rd. With one of the teams that beat up on me not present, I felt I had a good shot to win this one. There was one guy I did recon on who scared me, took 2nd at Battenkill, but I couldn't find him. This guy in a generic kit takes off at the gun on a solo attempt and gets about 20 seconds. Then I notice that the other team that beats me up there is marking for this guy, and I put two and two together. So I start attacking, and I'm covered. So I attack again, and again. On the fourth or fifth attempt I get away clean and start to motor. I am watching my effort because there was lots of race left. I'm closing down the gap after two or three laps away and dang it his teammate bridges up to me. I try and convince him to work with me for second but he won't bite. So we get sucked back into the field. A lap later a group of five including the guy who chased me down get a gap. His teammates start working for him, so I plan my attack for the turn right before the downwind leg. I launch from mid field and get away clean. I put the hammer down on the downwind leg and bridge within half a lap. This group would stay away. I sat on the back of the teammate guy coming into the sprint, but I misjudged how the wind would knock me over. My front wheel was all over the place. I also jumped about a stroke too late. He had me at the line by a couple of tire widths.

A ten minute break. Swap jerseys, bottles, take one lap and line up for the 45's with gsteinb and herbie53 who was up to watch his wife run the marathon. A group of three, two on "that team" went at the gun, but I needed to recover for a few laps so I let them go. The field was moving pretty well trying to catch them so I sat in for a few laps. There were lots of attacks and bridge attempts but they all came back. We got closer, though. So when I finally recovered I started taking half lap pulls on the front to try and bring it back, but as soon as I got off nobody took over. It was kind of sad. They just kept opening up the gap. So it comes down to the sprint and I knew I would not have enough to lead out gsteinb so I just fought for wheels at the front. I gave it all I had left and ended up 9th.

A great day of racing, and I got paid. Nice to see you CDR and Mikey.

Racer Ex 

Good racing both of you!

revchuck 

Way to go valygrl and shovel!

Hermes

Congrats, V'Grl and Shovel.

gsteinb

I's like a do over on that masters race.

I had intended to focus on the 1,2,3 but we got up early and figured why not do the masters race. Started off aggressively tying to force the pace and get a move going. A solo rider went off it seemed silly a bit silly. He was flogging himself in the wind, which was really rough. His team was very disorganized with one rider actually leading the chase, and another yelling at him to stop. A solo rider popped off right after I took a pull, and the yeller sat on his wheel. I really didn't figure it properly because by the time I realized they had a chance the gap was a wee bit too big for me to go across alone. And then they connected eventually. Negative racing ensued. No one wanted to pull. I took a lot of hard pulls on the windward side, tried a bunch of times to get away with another rider or two, but the race became cover and sit on for guys. Thought about dropping out to rest for the 1,2,3 but there was one rider in there I wanted to beat in a sprint. I took a very late prime for $10 and a water bottle, wanting to put a full out effort and then have to go a few laps later. Won the field sprint for 4th, and of course they paid 3. Good training though. Almost 60 minutes, which was about 15 longer than I expected. Shout out to Shovel who after doing the 55 did what he could to help bring back the break. Just a bummer the way the race unfolded.

Lined up immediately for the 1,2,3, I saw Herbie53 and Mikey but I was pretty much hallucinating after two sprints. Ate half a Clif bar, while Isadorah cut my number off and we were off. At this point my goal was to survive, see what I needed to do to recover under the gun, found a sweet spot and about 15 minutes in I was fine. Race averaged damn near 27. On a windy course with 19 turns that was impressive. What was scary was guys going through the grass on every turn. A very large late break occurred so not much point to getting crazy about the sprint. I stay forward, sprinted and landed somewhere in the top 20.

Not very good results, but a good day on the bike.

shovelhd

You did a lot of work in the first race. That was when I couldn't help much. I had to recover a bit. I would have loved to watch you match sprint against Kressy. That would be a dogfight.

LAJ

Very nice work, valygrl! Looking like it's starting to come together for you. Your patience is paying off.

I would like to watch gsteinb and shovelhd race together one day. I think it would be a treat to see, and learn from. Your reports are awesome to read. Excellent work in your races.

LAJ

Same race as valygrl. 30th/80, or 75 or something. It sold out. The race was scheduled for an 8:49 start, so I figured to get in the staging 5-10 minutes before. 8:30, it already seemed to have half the field there. I lined up at the very back, and the first pass through the dirt was neutral. Slinky onto the pavement, and then settled in. Took a lap and a half to get to the front. We thought pushing the pace may help out our strong guys, so we had guys up there most of the time. Myself and a teammate pulled them around for 1/4-1/3 of the second lap. That last little hill took it out of me on the 3rd/last lap. The team didn't fare as well, and I was at the back of the lead pack. Lots of us in the top 30, but no real results to speak of. We'll work on that.

rapwithtom raced smart as heck. I never saw his nose in the wind, yet he was near the front the whole race.

The Federal Center is next week, and I look forward to that. 4 miles, 18 corners, and I may dip my toe into the 55+ race. I hope to learn, and also feel I have enough wits about me to get out if I feel I may be a hazard.

AzTallRider

Great race Valygrl!

The usual epic efforts from Shovel and Gary

And LAJ - great to see reports of team efforts.

Racer Ex 

Ontario crit race report here.

Three weeks off sick and injured wasn't a great training plan. Saw Cleave. Had fun. Need miles.

sarals 

I loved those reports! Shovel, Gary, LAJ - and Valygrl - what a great weekend of racing! I am so proud of all of you!

Me? I raced, too. I'm still learning, and I can be had. Read on!

Antioch Twilight Criterium, Women's 3/4

Antioch sits just inland of San Francisco Bay, and is a windy place! I know the area, so I suspected the winds would be a factor. I warmed up on the road for about 35 minutes, and felt good and ready when I got to the line. The small ten rider field was populated by Hanna Muegge (now a Cat 3), Jenn Chan, Norma Hinton, and some other strong, strong gals, so I knew it was going to a fast race, in spite of the wind. My plan was to treat this as a training race, stay in and sheltered as long as possible, don't make any serious mistakes, be safe, and have fun (that part was easy). I thought I might have a little edge in cornering on the tight corners that the course offered, but I found out quickly the skills in this group were very good. I had no advantage there.

I was lined on up on the left, the wind was from the right (blowing at 15 to 18 MPH), and I planned to use that sheltered position to move up to near the front when we rolled off. That worked, and I slotted in third or fourth going into the first turn. I slid back to mid pack so I could cross over to the right in an effort to stay out of the wind. That didn't work very well, because the wind was swirling around and it was almost impossible to shelter from it. I found that to be true just about everywhere on that course. The first two laps were a series of tests, ladies going to the front to see who'd follow, trying different lines in the corners, and just probing a bit. On the third lap, when the pack came out of the first turn, the race lit up. Hanna went to the front and took off, and some other gals followed, the whole pack animated and trying to stay together. I saw 547 watts trying to stay attached, and that was a bit too much effort a bit too early. The pack came apart after that, really strung out. The fourth lap became several races, little groups of twos and threes trying to collect and work together. Nobody seemed interested in bridging to the leaders, the wind was just too much of a factor for that. I found a rider who was interested in working together, and we did, for about a lap. After that, it was all me. She was pretty cagey, saying she wanted to echelon or whatever, and when I'd slow to get her wheel, she'd slow. Subtly! I ended up feeling far more wind than I could survive, and on the bell lap she rode away from me and I didn't have enough left stay with her. Okay, I get it now!


I finished DFL, but hey, it was fun - painful, but fun. Hanna lapped the field, and that was amazing to see.


Next race - Bay Area Senior Games. That's an A race for me. I am looking forward to it!

shovelhd

Great job Sara and LAJ. Sara small fields are tough like that.