Change of Plans

2 weeks ago I crashed with a car while cycling around Hains Point (HP)--I was looping East & West Potomac Park--the route is in yellow. Commonly known as a safe-haven for cyclists and runners, this is a convenient and traffic light-free place to ride before or after work.



I cycled along the Virginia facing side of HP in the left lane of a 2 lane (1 way) road and was cut-off by a car who tried to jump from the right lane and into a parking space on the other side of me. I was in his blind spot... braked, ran into his car and then made contact with the road. I was pretty much fine! As for the car, my right bicep busted his side view mirror into the nearby grass (OK... the Potomac)


the AFTERMATH which actually was NOT DRAMATIC AT ALL:

- the first people I called live at least 1,000 mile away

- MANY people stopped to help and make sure I was OK... a good samaritan cyclist I met that evening, Manny, took my bike home with him and returned it the next day. YESSSSSS SO NICE!

- Another cyclist, Matt ???, relayed the state of my crash wounds to Paulo via phone (since I had no idea if it was normal or bad or whatever) who then confirmed that I was NOT to race the ITU in Austin that wkd. In effort to find ECM (East Coast Matt) I will wear a sign on the back of my jersey on tomorrow's bike ride: "ARE YOU MATT?"

- my first thoughts were--what does this mean for training? Is my bike OK?!?

- I took an ambulance to the George Washington hospital to get x-rays of my right wrist

- I tried to impress the ER people by playing look how low I can get my heartrate


Best of all, my training partner (also the 1/2 marathon pacer for the tens of slog-readers out there), Ryan brought me a Chipotle dinner. Before he arrived I was getting quite hungry, I thought WHAT WOULD I DO/EAT IF RYAN WEREN'T COMING?!?!?

No damage to the FACE (head & neck are OK too)! Due to chilling of the dominant, right hand, I was forced to eat Chipotal (omg I did that by accident but how clever! merging chipotle AND hospital) at the speed of a normal person by using my left. Despite the adversity, I finished my burrito bowl.



X-rays confirmed that I had no broken bones... the Revolution Cycles in georgetown made sure my bike was good to go.... so thank you to everyone who took care of me!



NEXT DAY: As previously stated, I did not fly to Austin for the ITU, but instead, ventured to Deep Creek Lake, MD with TRIFRIENDS for a world-of-hurt wkd... yea I bounced back and was on the bike again by Sat. However, I am repeatedly asked "Do you get in fights?" when people notice the bruising.



While waiting at the Georgetown waterfront rendesvous, I smiled as I watched rowers Getting the Work Done.


On Saturday we rode the Savageman bike course (56 miles with 6k ft climbing):
Remainder of group: Travis and Laurel SERIOUSLY close to me
Chad--WIPED... pretty scenery to follow


Chad and Laurel trigger pointing--from the looks on their faces, Chad is using the tools correctly. 2 fools who dropped my ass on the Savageman ride. The next day they rode 97 miles (hence the term, fools... I say that w/ much love and respect)

THE GROUP (minus Kirsten who is the photog)!