Lithuania

jesus whine and VENT I cant even get the title right!!!

a little less than a year ago I got crashed out of a race and ended up with a pretty bad broken wrist. I was sidelined over 2 months after surgery. I managed to stay focused and ride like hell on the trainer in the heat of the summer over that time and came away in decent shape. I missed out on a lot of the good races over that period.

So going into this year I came in with a different plan and attitude. I had a much better training program and instead of racing any old event I was going to be wiser and only do the good events I liked from last year.

The begining of the season was rough and I was quite humbled on some group rides and races. Then when I was getting really down my form finally came around and my confidence soared after a few great group rides and unexpected good performances in races. May was going to be my big month and then I would shut it down sometime in june to prepare for the fall.

In the few races I had leading up to my favorite events I went in with a new attitude of not worrying about just finishing the race but instead to try attacking and staying near the front and experimenting with going with attacks and so forth.

In my last race I ended up doing exactly as I wanted. I instigated a break that went for a few laps and really probably should have lasted the whole race. Unfortunately it didnt so I drifted back to recover and then dont you know I get caught in another crash resulting in another setback.

Ironically these injuries are no where near as bad as last year but it almost makes it more frustrating. I got a cast on my arm that limits my thumb. Today I went for a ride outside and I just can not ride safely with this thing on. I only have to wear it for 4 weeks but missing out on the group rides is going to be the hardest since thats where I was able to see my biggest gains. It also has to be the 4 weeks that constituted my only peak this road season. I just cant bare to get back on the trainer for long focused rides. Too make things worse my PT wheel got trashed in the crash and I have to wait a week and a half for it to get rebuilt. This makes the trainer a lot harder for me since it means even more focus that is just so freaking hard for me on that dang thing.

Its only been 4 days since my crash and my legs feel great but my mind is a mess. Im thinking about taking the rest of the week and next week off until I get my PT back. This would let my facial injuries heal so I could start breathing normally and eating solid foods again. Perhaps I could just do a few hour zone 1 rides outside during this time. The other half of me thinks I am being really weak allowing myself to consider that. Its only 4 weeks and even with a change in training I should just push through it. Im worried about the trainer making me hate riding the bike and burning me out. I also remember that even with a good 2 months of steady training on the trainer it still took another month of on the road riding to get my where I was before the injury.

Im missing out on my favorite race of the year. A race I was looking forward to since I finished it last year and my second race takes place just 10 days after I get my cast off.

ugh

sorry for whining but I had no one else to share this crap with

ridethecliche

I have nothing to add because I have no idea how frustrated you feel. I know that I'd be down in the dumps if this had happened to me and I can't even imagine what it's like for you.

Heal up fast man. Just hang in there.

Idioteque

That really really really really sucks, not much we can do online to help you but if i were to give you some advice i'd say the following

just don't get off the bike (well maybe take the rest of THIS week off), instead of gaining fitness this will be a race to not lose it, or lose as little as possible. It is sad to say that you're probably going to be stuck on the trainer for this, or at least for most of the workouts. Just have to settle with that fact, you probably don't even need really long rides, but probably harder than zone 1 rides.
I'm sure you're no stranger to trainer riding, and any "burnout" that might result from your next couple of weeks on it will be purely psychological since you won't be pushing for fitness gains. Psychological burnout, while dangerous in its own sense, is manageable especially if you have some short term goals... like telling yourself youre gonna ride this way until you get your PT back, then once you get your PT back you'll gradually push it, and then just 2 more weeks and you'll be outside without a cast.

I still think that's way better than feeling sluggish for 1-2 weeks after you make your comeback, and being annoyed at your fitness loss. And i don't know, my trainer experience sounds opposite than yours. Honestly i miss trainer riding, or rather the benefit it gave me, my workouts are nowhere nearly as structured and effective ever since i've been riding outside, and i've noticed much less from just general riding, weekend group rides and races are whipping me into shape. Just listen to music as youre on the trainer and do your best, im sure you have your own way to make trainer sessions bearable.

Sucks about missing your race, but hey, im sure there is still some racing going on after that and you can make some 2-3 week shifts in your further training schedule. Also, this rest will help you later in the season.

Ack, lengthy, but hope you feel/get better and that just really sucks :|

chipcom 

Sometimes things happen for a reason. Maybe you just need to take a break from racing for a season and get back to your cycling roots...going out and just enjoying the ride. I know it's not what you want to hear, but I think if you rediscover the joys of just riding to ride, without the pressure of training and preparing for races, you'll come back even stronger next season.

MDcatV

just bad luck dude. that's all it is, wrong place, wrong time on sunday - you got taken out by some dufus. I'd avoid the trainer until you get you get the p-tap back, at least, and I wouldnt get on it if it's making you hate riding. Dont stress too much over your race fitness, you'll lose the top end, the stuff that really hurts, but your base is good and can be built upon again quickly.

Take your dog for more brisker walks than normal, spend time with your wife, enjoy the springtime hiking or being active in another way. I raced all last june and july after riding all of 4 times in May, and spending more nights sleepless than ones where I was asleep. Forced me to race smarter and I learned alot. Although it is a bummer you'll miss poolesville, you can shift focus to the tour of wash county in 3rd week in june, and you'll be flying for coppi in july. Then you can take a few weeks off, and hit the paige valley race in august for some "build" toward psycho cross.

CaseLawZ28

I think the hardest part about this sport is mental - from the setbacks, to the defeats, to the letdowns, and to suffering through the pain.

Maybe you and I should form a support group. If it makes you feel any better, I am forced to ride the trainer Monday through Friday - every 1 hour recovery rides, 1:40 VO2Max session, 3 hour endurance tempo session, and 2 hour Threshold session. Every once in a while I can sneak in a recovery ride outside when I get home.

You can do it. Just muster up the mental strength and know there are others in that same position fighting through. And as Idioteque eluded to, you'll probably come out of it stronger if you keep training and not just do easy rides.

ilpirata87

Ride a fixed gear with aerobars. You can rest your hand, no need to shift, and only rarely use the hand brake. Works wonders for riding with a cast on.

zimbo

I would join. My collar bone injury was nearly a year ago (this coming June) so obviously it has healed back up, but I can't seem to get into a rythmn. I had to spend a few weeks off the bike last fall, then just as I was getting back some fitness I went down hard on some railroad tracks in the rain (my own damn fault). Then I had a job change and spent three months working insane hours and insane stress and didn't ride a single time. I'm still trying to dig out from all the weight I put on and my fitness is in the *****s right now.

I guess what I'm saying is... I feel like I can relate to what you're going through, Steve.

--Steve

waterrockets 

That's a lot to take on. Reading the story makes me cringe. It's impressive that you're doing as well as you are.

Sounds like you have a plan, so stick to it and don't stew.

ridethecliche

I second this!

Sounds like a great plan if you want to keep your fitness up!

Or if you have a TT bike, you can use your good hand to shift the RD on a bar end and just stick to one chainring.

Or have a bar end and a DT shifter on the same side so you can shift both sides with one hand.

bostongarden

I feel for ya. Hang in there. I hope the venting online helps. You have friendly souls here who will listen. When at a high level of frustration, sometimes it can be helpful to chill and do something fun and relaxing that you might not typically do (aside from riding, of course). I'm not saying that the frustration will totally go away, but, chilling might help you get your bearings and then refocus and see what you can do proactively until you are back at it without restrictions or discomfort. Good luck!!!!

esammuli

I'm right at the tipping point myself. I've been pretty frustrated with my training the past few weeks. I DNFed a road race on Saturday and then got pulled from a Crit on Sunday. Then on Wednesday I got hit by some stupid ****ing lady who couldn't use her damn turn signal. The past two days I've been running around at the ER, the police station, the bike shop, and on the phone constantly trying to sift through all the crap.

My biggest races of the year are this weekend and I'm banged up, wearing a wrist brace, and completely unmotivated. Two weeks ago I was super excited for this weekend and now I don't even feel like going. I don't want to sit in a car for 8 hours just so I can get dropped and do 80 miles by myself then go race a crit and get pulled. I've got a sprained wrist so I don't know how I'm going to shift and brake with my right hand. I'm freaking worn out, tired out, and burned out. F***ing hell I'm sick of this crap.

What the hell is wrong with people in this goddamn town that they can't use a freaking turn signal and look where they're going!

substructure

hang in there my man. I'm very sorry you're going through this. I'm going through a lot too. But mine is mental **** that constantly berates me and now the dope the doc's put me on seems to be doing nothing. I have a monster race tomorrow and I hope I can shake this **** before then.

Lithuania

well im taking the rest of the week and weekend off the bike. I dont know about next week yet. Right now I just want to get back to eating solid food. Last night I swallowed rice and drank applesauce out of a drinking glass.

I wish it was as easy as chipcom made it but the problem is I cant enjoy the bike in this state. My facial injuries are too annoying right now. I know it sounds ******** but when I am able to focus my energy on the suffering that is race training its easier to forget about the other stuff. I just cant do that on an easy ride right now and this stupid cast makes it hard to position myself on the bike to even go hard to f me. Also, I was able to use the "maybe this happened for a reason" line of thinking last year to get through it and be better prepared for this season. Its hard to mental up like that 2 years in a row.

caselaw, i dont know how you ride the trainer that much. I already do the majority of my training on one due to my work schedule but I can at least do my 3 hour tempo rides outdoors. I think what made it barable all this time was knowing that I only had to get through 4 or so days of trainer rides to get back out on the road.

in anycase, thanks everyone. i know stuff could be way worse, i just needed to ***** and moan for a while

ericcox

Best of luck -- I'll offer no advice as others seem to have that covered, but will extend the thoughts & prayers. Good luck with the recovery, and no worries about venting here. Many of us can relate from some point in our lives.

ericm979

You can't eat solid food? Don't think about riding now, think about recovery.

I know its frustrating, I've been there myself. When you can get back to training then you'll really be frustrated because it'll seem like forever before you get any form back. But you have to rest to recover and heal from the accident, and you can only build form so fast.

I suggest that you rest and heal. Use the time to do stuff that you have been neglecting while training- house maintenance, hobbies, spend time with your family. When you start training again, see how you feel, then set new goals for the year. Maybe a late season race that you have never done before, or ride some centuries, or something else that's fun. it sucks to miss your big A race, but there ought to be something else that's fun that you can do instead.

KendallF

Any time you're eating your food with a straw, it's not time to HTFU. Take a few days off, do something enjoyable that'll take your mind off the injuries (or painful if that's your thing, whatever).