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Short Track #6 non-race report

By Jessica N - Posted on 19 July 2011

 

So yesterday was likely my last bike race ever.  I hate to say it, but I am fragile.  I often get in unfortunate situations and just have some unfortunate luck, as much as I try to ignore that fact and to have a positive attitude.  

 
It was the start of the Cat 2 women's Short Track at PIR and I was trying to merge into traffic on the gravel straightaway, looked over my shoulder to my right (the direction I was trying to merge into) and got blind sided by a woman on my left.  My left foot somehow got in her front wheel and my whole leg, ankle, knee got torqued between her front wheel and fork.  We were both down on the ground and at least I was able to slow down her motions by saying "wait, my leg is stuck in your wheel".  So she paused, let me untangle my leg from her bike, she got up, checked her bike (a spoke was broken), and rode off.  Me, I was still laying on the ground, hurting.  The start guy (don't know his name), came over and by then, my savior of the day, Zan, was also there.  They helped me stand up, I said I could not really walk.   Zan with her quick thinking, said, let me go get Kronda and my truck.  I said, no, let Kronda race.  (Kronda has not had the chance to have a lot of fun and/or exercise with so much school and work occupying her life and I certainly knew I was not dying or anything).  So Zan took off on my bike to get her truck to bring it to me.  Meanwhile, I stood there hanging onto the fence, hurting.  
 
Finally, the start guy came back and asked if he should call the medic.  I said that might be a good idea.  He radioed, then helped me hop along the fence.  A very nice random guy rode up and asked if we wanted another hand.  Hopping on one leg with just one person is harder than you think.  So I said, that would be great.  And they both picked me up and carried me to the tent.  Being the nurse that I am, I immediately elevated my leg.   The medic finally came along and said she really could not do anything for me (I had no bleeding, just swelling, bruising and pain).  I asked for some ice and she said they did not have any, but she would ask around.  How can you have a bike race and NOT HAVE ICE!!  Seems like basic first aid to me.  But she did locate some ice, then did not really have a proper bag to put it in, but we made do with the back it was in.  As I sat there, several people I knew came up to ask if they could help.  
 
Then the Cat 2 race ended and Kronda and the other Sorellas, Jan, Sarah T, Courtney, and Michelle K, all came over to me at the tent and were concerned.  I decided I would go to the ED to get things checked out because it was pretty painful in general and I did not feel I could walk on it.  Michelle offered crutches, Jan (fake) offered a ride home ;), but Zan already had her truck there waiting for the race to finish.  Thanks everyone!
 
So Kronda and Zan threw our stuff and bikes into the back of Zan's new truck, they helped me into the truck and we headed to our house.  Kronda and I changed out of our kits, grabbed a bit of food, warm clothes (hospitals are usually really cold) and some stuff to occupy our time, thinking it could be a long night in the ED.  Zan kindly waited for us to get ready so she could be my second "crutch" to hop back into the car.  
 
Once we got to the Emanuel ED, I was wheeled right in to the triage nurse, then within 10 minutes right back to my ambulatory care room, a few minutes of waiting there, then to X-ray.  The PA came in within probably 10-15 minutes after that to let me know my ankle was not broken and they sent me home.  Final diagnosis: contusion (lots of bruising).  They are pretty sure I did not tear anything in there, but sometimes only time will tell for sure.  So rest, ice, compression, and elevation have been my friends since yesterday.  I am already walking easier and without quite as much pain.  Swelling seems to be under control, bruising, not as much.  I keep finding sore spots and bruises all over my body.  I of course have a job where I walk a lot, so no work for me for a few days.  
 
Kronda has taken over doing the majority of the daily house chores even though school and work are quite time consuming and I am sure overwhelming for her right now (last term, yippie!!).  Thanks Kronda!  And a huge thanks again to Zan for all you did yesterday! 
 
I think my "racing career" is going to be over, as I just don't feel I can trust others out there on the bike not to knock me off.  I hate to call it quits when I know most of you would be back out on your bike within days from now, but I will admit, I'm a bit of a wimp, get injured easily, and would rather just be out biking, having fun in other ways, and be able to work.  Both my hands and my feet/legs are pretty key to my career.  
Short track was really fun while it lasted and I likely will do what some others have done this year, and just pre-ride, but not race  the courses.  

Getting Off the Couch: Short Track #5

By Kronda - Posted on 11 July 2011

Seems like every week, 90 minutes before race time, I find myself laying on the couch, feeling exhausted and wondering how I will possibly bring myself to get up, much less race.

But I paid for the whole series of racing already, so I always drag myself up, ride the 10 minutes to PIR, spend more time making bathroom trips than warming up, and then toe the line, going on faith that I will somehow make it through the race.

Miraculously, every week, I make it through the race.

This week, I was the first to line up. The second was Shawn, a woman in the single speed category who was very happy to see me, as she has apparently been using me as a 'rabbit' for at least two race seasons!

"Well, I'm not feeling too peppy, but I'll do my best," I told her.

The announcers for this week must be trainees, because after a few minutes, over the lineup of guys in front of us, I heard the cutest little toddler voice say, "Welcome to short track." When it was time for us to be sent off, a girl of about 8 or 9 yelled "Go!" enthusiastically into the microphone. Start 'em young, I say.

I had what was probably my best start ever, racing off the line and taking the first turn behind Mielle Blomberg of Team S&M, who won the last race. She was soon rocketing away, and I shouted to her "Go get that beer!" as she pulled away. (There was a beer or coffee prime for the winner of the first lap).

It was a good day to have a great start, as I heard what sounded like a pretty bad pile up behind me going into the second turn and just hoped Jess wasn't caught up in it.

Before a few more turns had gone by, all the fast girls started passing me, putting the universe back into it's proper order. That included teammate Michelle Kunec, who I *used* to be able to catch last year, until she went all crazy hardcore mountain biker chick on me. She complimented me on my start as she went by. I also survived getting passed by Tuuli The Menace(TM), which I have so nicknamed her after she bulldozed a few teammates last week trying to pass in tight corners.

I settled into a good rythym and somewhere in lap two, I heard Shawn behind me. I knew it was her because she would call out, "Rabbit...." trying to get me to go faster. When that didn't work, she finally passed, and said, "Come on let's go." We went back and forth the rest of the race and it was fun to have her around. As we went through the twisty, hilly section in the trees, a friend of hers who was watching said hello. "Oh you dyed your hair!" said Shawn.

"No, I just cut it."

"Oh well it looks great!"

"No chatting in the race!" I yelled back, just to give her a hard time.

A couple of rivals went in lap two, but they pulled away so fast, that it was clear I would have to hurt myself beyond the bounds of having fun to catch them, so I let them go. Basically my main goal was to not be caught by Loraine, a former team mate now riding for Guiness Cycling. Don't ask me why, my ego just wouldn't allow it. Every twisty section, I could look back and see her sitting about 15 seconds back and it was great motivation to keep pushing.

I never know how many laps I have to go which makes it hard to pace myself. The first race I did the lap counter said 2 to go, but then when I came around again, we were done, and I let a rider nip me at the line.

This week I again saw the 2 to go sign and treated it as such, and was able to hold off Loraine.

After the requisite hacking and desperate lunging for my water bottle, I found Jess to see how her race went. I had seen her early in the race, looking good on the woops section (rolling hills). Unfortunately, she had a random crash in a corner in lap two which took our her derailleur hanger and ended her race. Sweetheart that she is, she watched the rest of my race without cheering, not wanting me to worry that she was hurt. She also let me know that I finished ahead of Jan Moss, one of the strongest riders on our team, but a relatively new mountain biker. So since I will likely never type these words again, let's just note for the record that I FINISHED AHEAD OF JAN MOSS. :- )

Another week, another miracle of getting off the couch and having a fairly successful race, ie. I finished strong and kept the rubber down. Hoping for better luck for Jess next week!

We are Sorella Forte

Sorella Forte Team Photo

And we like to have fun.

The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without shocking the entire community.

~Anne Strong
Minneapolis Tribune, 1895