Run, Bike, Run some more, occasionally swim...

I guess that's an ok triathlon training plan, but I REALLY do need to get my butt in the water more. I'm an ok swimmer, but it is definitely my achilles heel in the triathlon. Maybe if I swam more it would help me regulate my body temperature in the extreme heat and humidity too.

Last weekend I did my first International distance triathlon. It's a 0.9m swim, 26m bike, 10K run. The day before I did a 12ish mile run in extreme heat and humidity and just about died. I'd say considering the conditions both events went very well, afterall, I didn't die.

Saturday morning was the long run with the Lowell Ladies. My plan was to run to and from Kim's house making the 10 mile group run into a 14 mile training run for Chicago. We started early in an effort to beat the heat. Apparently 7:00am isn't early enough. It was already almost 80 degrees when we started with probably 80% humidity. By the time we were 6-8 miles into the run we all ran out of water and had to stop at McDonalds. I haven't been to a McDonalds on YEARS and usually refuse to even partake in their Newman's Own Coffee because I just don't want to support their business of selling obesity in America, but I was desperate for some water. They were very nice to us and even gave me a few salt packets too. We all finished the run, I just barely made it. I felt so sick and dehydrated by the end I didn't dare try to run home so I hitched a ride instead and cut my run short. I lost about 5 pounds in sweat. Lesson learned - start EARLIER.

After the run, I went to Rite Aid for my ice and bought 8 bags because the 6 bags I bought the week before melted too fast. Well, my core body temperature must have been sky high because I melted the 8 bags (40 pounds) in less then 5 minutes in the tub. It kind of made sitting in the cold water pointless because I wasn't really getting much benefit from the "ice" bath without the ice. Afterwards, some of us decided to take a trip to the mall for some new running skirts. I lucked out and found two at Lululemon, unfortunately they didn't have enough sizes for everyone. Wicked bummer. I need to write a letter to the company requesting additional sizes. Shopping (and the running before) made us hungry so we went to Flatbreads for lunch. YUM! All locally sourced organic pizzas that are out of this world! I love it there. It has to be one of my favorite pre-race carb loading destinations.


Speaking of races, Sunday I had to get up early for my triathlon. I was a little nervous and had boo boo belly all morning. The race started at 8:00am. I was in the first swim wave. The swim was the part of the race I was most nervous about. The water was warm and calm but it was REALLY far to swim. I decided last minute to wear my wetsuit and I'm glad I did because the extra boyancy definitely helped me out. The swim was in the Merrimack River. We started going upstream and turned at the halfway mark and swam the rest downstream. I thought it would be easier once we turned but it wasn't. I struggled the entire way. I just can't relax and control my breathing in the water and I die everytime.

It took me about 45 minutes to complete the swim, I wasn't the last one out of the water though and that's all I cared about. I was a little dizzy and disoriented walking from the water to transition, but once I mounted my bike I was fine. I tried to catch up and pass people but everyone was so spread out on the course it was tough. I managed to pass two or three people, but I also got lapped by the really fast guys so it wasn't much of a morale boost for me overall. As I approached the transition I just thought to myself, "just a nice easy 10K run and you're done" but really I was thinking "oh God I hope it's not as hot as yesterday's run". I racked my bike and started running and I actually felt really good. I made it to the first water stop and dumped a cup over my head and sipped another cup and kept running. I passed another couple of people along the way and then at the water stop just after the turn around they had baggies of ice! BRILLIANT! I stuffed the bag under the straps of my tank top on my back and continued running. I actually picked up the pace a little and passed MORE people. With only one mile left to go there was a girl just in front of me that I tried really hard to catch, but she must have picked up the pace too because I just couldn't catch her. I finished in 3:18. Not too bad. If I actually trained for the swim I would have placed, but I came in 4th in my age group instead.

Monday I took a rest day and I'd say it was still a pretty awesome day because I accepted a new job! Booyah! FUNemployment didn't last long. I'll start in a few weeks and still get to enjoy a little summer fun before getting back to the routine of working. I can't wait. It's exactly the type of job I've been trying to find for the past two years. Now I get to do something challenging AND collect severance from my previous job. Cha-ching!

Tuesday I celebrated the good news with a short 23 mile bike ride and finished off the day with the Good Times 5K. Hot and sticky again, but not nearly as yucky as it had been and I felt really good in comparison to previous runs too. I'm still not as fast as I was pre-Boston, but I think getting hit by a car might have set me back a bit too. I'll get there eventually, it'll just take a little extra time and training.

Wednesday, I had plans to go for a run in the morning and then do a celebratory lunch at Life Alive. It was still hot and sticky out but we managed to finish the 5.25 mile run in decent time and felt pretty good while running it. A little sluggish and slow towards the end but that was to be expected, none of us brought water with us! Lunch was AWESOME and then I was invited to dinner too. Sweet! One of our running buddies and Kim's neighbor, Shannon, made some delicious baked fish with veggies and feta cheese. It was AMAZING!


Thursday, I got up early to watch the Tour de France. I've been following it all month. I want to make sure my future husband (Andy Schleck) stays out of trouble and avoids the crashes and stays in a good position to beat the super-douche Alberto Contador. I was inspired by the extreme distance and mountains they were climbing in the first stage over the Pyrenes so I got dressed and decided to do my own little tour. I set out to complete my first metric century ride (100K). I didn't really know where to go to get 62 miles in, but I figured I didn't have to be anywhere so I just started riding and got lost. I went east towards the coast and rode through Andover, North Andover, Boxford, all the way to Topsfield then back through Boxford and got lost a few times and rode in circles through Boxford and North Andover for a while before I found a road I recognized and then headed home. I over shot the mark a little and rode 71 miles instead of 62, but it was great. I felt awesome and had fun exploring the backroads.

I got home, took a shower, and ate some lunch and then headed right back out to meet up with Shannon to go for a run. I sort of expected my legs to feel like jello, but they actually felt really good and we ran 3.6 miles at a 9:25 pace. Not super fast, but faster than I have been running lately.

Today should be a fairly easy day. I'm just going to go rollerbalding with Nutter and Shannon. My skates have dust and cobwebs on them so it could be quite entertaining. I'm taking it easy though because I've got a goofy weekend planned. 8-10 miles tomorrow followed by 16 miles on Sunday. Today needs to be a "rest" day.

Another busy week

Summer has officially arrived with 4th of July weekend and hazy, hot, and humid weather. Last weekend I did a 12 mile run with friends on Saturday and spent the day at York Beach in Maine on Sunday. On the holiday Monday, I ran a 5K in Nashua, NH with some friends. I ran with my friend's dog Daisy and even she had a little bit of a tough time with the heat. She dragged me up the hill in the first mile and then I dragged her across the finish and into the shade at the end.

Tuesday was the usual Good Times 5K. This week's theme was 'coaster toss', you are given a coaster before the race and at the first water stop you have to try and toss it into a prize bucket as you are running past. It's not as easy as it sounds. I missed.

Wednesday, I got up early and met Kim and Nutter and our new running buddy John for a morning run in an attempt to beat the heat. We started at 8:30 and did a little over 5 miles and failed to beat the heat. It was a little slow and sweaty, but we finished it.

Thursday, I spent the day babysitting my friend Kim's little girl Ryann (aka - the cutest baby in the world). It was rough, we watched the Tour de France together and played in her bouncey chair and swing. Before I knew it, her dad was home and my work was done. I headed home for some dinner before going to my third 5K race of the week. Berna's Great Legs just a mile down the road from my house. It was hot and humid again and after the run to the race I was already dripping sweat. I started out the race with my friend Kim, but she quickly adapted to the heat better than me and I told her to go ahead. I barely managed to finish under 30 minutes and probably ran my slowest 5K in years. It was disappointing and depressing, the heat beat me.

Friday I rested because I was still totally wiped out from the night before physically and emotionally. So, I spent the day watching the Tour de France and finishing a scrapbook I made of all my 2010 races. It came out really nice and I already started a 2011 scrapbook. I can't wait to put the tough mudder pages together.

Saturday I had planned to run 14 miles and I ran from my house to Kim's to meet up with the Lowell Ladies for the long run. We started at 7:00 in an effort to finish before it got hot, but it was already 70 and humid when we started. Only 6 miles in we were all out of water and dying so we stopped at a McDonalds for water. It was the first time in probably at least 10years that I set foot in a McDonalds. They were very nice and gave us all the water we needed and even some salt packets too. We continued the run and I struggled a lot with the heat. I was totally drenched and dehydrated despite our pit stop to rehydrate. I had goosebumps and dry skin and started to throw up the water I was drinking so I slowed my pace to a crawl and finished up the run, just barely. Sitting on the steps at Kim's house sipping more water I decided to cut my run short and did a little under 12 instead of the planned 14. I felt sick and shakey and really dizzy so it is unlikely that I would have finished the last 2 miles anyway.

I hitched a ride home with Cherie and went to Rite Aid for my ice. I melted 6 bags of ice the previous week so this time I tried 8 bags, 40lbs. I sat down in the ice bath and didn't even need my hooded sweatshirt because I was so hot and within 5 minutes the 40lbs of ice was totally melted and the water was warm. I bet my core body temp was over 100 degrees. I spent the rest of the day shopping and rehydrating and capped it off with a BBQ at Moe's with a bunch of friends.

I'm up early today for my first international triathlon. Praying that I am recovered enough from yesterday's run and refueled enough too. It is suppose to be 90 degrees and humid today so it could be really ugly. I'm hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

Busy, busy, busy......

FUNemployment is a full time job. I have been so busy I haven't had time to write. Where do I begin? I guess right where I left off. Last Wednesday, the dust had settled from the layoff and I started working on really important stuff like my bike short tan lines. I got a nice 21 mile ride in and a 6.35 mile run too. Thursday I took it easy and just did a 4.5 mile run with Kim and our new running buddy John. It was rainy and gross out and we had planned on just doing 3-4 miles but once we started it was just drizzling and it felt kinda nice so we kept going.

Friday morning I got up early and had my usual breakfast before heading out to do my long run for the week. It was still spitting rain, but not too bad. I did just over 14 miles and felt great. After the run I had to pick up some supplies for the weekend's events. Saturday I was running a marathon relay with the Greater Lowell Road Runners(GLRR). Their singlets are green and gold and not extremely flattering so I made my own hot pink GLRR singlet.

Saturday morning I got up and headed over to Kim's house to meet up and go to the relay. It was still rainy and gross but the forecast had it clearing up in time for the race to start. Just after we all got loaded into Kim's car there was a flash of lightning and a loud crack! It started pouring. The rain was coming down so hard it flooded the track where we were suppose to run the relay. They delayed the start of the race for 30 minutes and the rain eventually stopped just in time. The relay was 12 teams of 26 runners each doing a mile and one runner doing a speed lap for the .2 miles to make it a full marathon. Some of the teams were totally stacked with super fast runners and some of the teams were just there to have fun. It was a great event and my homemade singlet was a hit.

Sunday I was doing the Warrior Dash a wussier version of a mud run/obstacle race, nothing like Tough Mudder. I ran in a "Babe-a-lonian warrior" costume. The race itself wasn't bad, but the organization of the event was an epic fail. It took me 90 minutes to park my car because they had everyone parking on a huge grassy hill which had turned into a mud pit with all the rain we got the day before. They actually had to bring in truck loads of gravel to put down because cars were spinning out in the mud and unable to park. When I finally got to the race I got my bib number and just went straight to the start because I had no idea what time it was and I knew it was well past my registered start time. The course was basically a mud run/walk. The obstacles were kind of lame and not very challenging. Then once I finished the volunteers filling the water cups at the finish had stacked the cups in a way that made all the mud and dirt from previous finishers go into the cups so all the water was dirty. The only other water available was for purchase. I waited for my friends to finish and then cleaned off and got in line to get on a shuttle back to my car so I could get my water bottle and some food in my car. Just as I made it to the front of the line a volunteer came by saying that the shuttles were stopped due to an accident in the road and we would all have to walk to our cars - 2 miles away!!! Most people chose to just wait for the accident to be cleared, I started walking. It was hot and humid and super sunny - perfect conditions for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Luckily for me I made it to my car and chugged the water and electrolyte drink I had. Needless to say, I was so tired and frustrated at that point I didn't go back to the race area to hang out with my friends. I just went home to clean the rest of the mud off and get some food.

Monday I had to go back to my former place of employment for a "separation meeting". Before the meeting I squeezed in a short run and a deck of cards workout with Kim. We did Squats, Push ups, box jumps, and dips - 100 of each. Then I biked to work for the last time to go to the meeting. 25 miles round trip. After I got home and ate some food I went for another run. 5.35 miles with Kim and Nutter.

Tuesday was my brother's birthday so I told him I would bike his age in miles. I over shot the mark a little and did 36.5 miles. Happy Birthday Bro! After the long bike ride my 5K time at the Tuesday night race was not exactly fast. Not only were my legs a little tired, but I think I was a little dehydrated too because I had a serious case of boo boo belly. If I ran any faster it would not have been pretty.

Wednesday I didn't have time for much because I had an interview in the afternoon. So, Kim, Nutter, and I did a nice easy 4 mile run in the morning. I rushed home, showered and got ready for the interview. Drove into Cambridge and found the company pretty easily. It was located on the same street I ran the Winter Classic 5K on and around the corner from the bar that awarded the damn Lobstergirl the costume prize! The interview went well and I headed home to get some dinner.

Yesterday I wanted to get more miles on my bike so I got up early and headed out. I biked from Lowell through Tewksbury, Wilmington, Reading, Wakefield, Melrose and back through Wakefield, then Reading, North Reading, Andover, Tewksbury, and back to Lowell for a total of 50 miles. It was great. About 35 miles into the ride I almost ran out of water, but then just when I was praying to see someone out watering their lawn or some way to refill my bottles I passed a huge cemetary and saw the faucets they have for watering flowers on graves. My prayers were answered and I refilled my bottles and finished the ride.

I was registered for a 5 mile race in Quincy in the evening so I ate some late lunch/early dinner and got in my car and headed to the race. I left super early and didn't think I would have any issues until I got to Boston and traffic was totally stopped. I sat in the tunnel FOREVER and made it to the race 2 minutes AFTER the gun went off. I was meeting a friend there so I walked to the finish line and waited for her to come in. Time went by fast because some of my favorite people and products were at the finish - Mix 1 and NRG Bars. If you've never tried them you are seriosuly missing out. Mix 1 is an all natural protien recovery drink that is absolutely delicious. It's not chalky or gross tasting and it is made with all natural stuff that is easily absorbed by your body and doesn't have any of the crap and chemicals your body doesn't need. Basically, it's like an awesome fruit smoothy with bonus benefits that help you recover from your workouts. NRG Bars are also all natural and delicious and they had their new flavor - lemon flax - available to try and it was so yummy I immediately bought 2 bars! So, I didn't get to run, but I did get to see some friends and enjoy the beautiful evening in Marina Bay, despite traffic ruining my plans.

Things are finally falling into place

Last week was great. I'm finally feeling better after a few months of overtraining and then getting hit by a car. I started the week with a nice 5 mile run on Monday. Tuesday I ran the Good Times Series 5K and knocked 2 minutes off my time from the previous week, more proof that things are looking up. Wednesday I did a playground run and circuit with Kim and Nutter. The run for me ended up being about 6.5 miles total and we did an awesome total body workout at the play ground that includes box jumps on picnic tables, burpees, inclined push ups, wall sits and a bunch of other fun stuff followed by a little ab workout. Nutter didn't think it was as fun as Kim and I did, but I guess our idea of "fun" isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Thursday afternoon I ran 7 miles slowly. It was my least favorite weather; hazy, hot, and humid. I was dripping sweat and a little dehydrated but I finished it. Friday I decided to take a rest day. I was going to go to the gym after work but I just wasn't feelin it and went home instead.

Saturday morning I met up with the Lowell Ladies at Kim's house and we did a great long run meandering through all of Lowell, a little downtown, a little nice neighborhoods, a little ghetto. It was like a running tour of the mill city. I edned up with a total of 13 miles adding on the run to and from my house while everyone else did 10 miles. Afterwards, the day was so nice I couldn't waste it so I decided to get back on my bike. I went for a nice easy 21 mile ride and returned to the scene of my accident. I'm not going to lie, I was very anxious riding up that hill and my heart skipped a beat every time a car wizzed past me, but I made it to the top safely and finished the ride without incident.

Sunday, I was going to go for another bike ride, but I just couldn't get motivated. I felt like being lazy. I was suppose to have a 10K race that day, but it got canceled and then I was lounging around my house and cleaning all morning and by afternoon I just wanted to take a nap so that's exactly what I did. I fell asleep on my couch and slept for 3 hours. Must have needed a little rest.

Monday was interesting......I went to work and waited for the layoff announcements. I had heard through the grapevine that Monday was the day and I had already cleaned off my desk, made lunch plans with a friend, and had an interview scheduled for later in the afternoon. I had set up a distribution list a month ago to send my final goodbye email and I knew it was coming. I wasn't sad or upset or even anxious anymore. The only fear I had was the fear of NOT getting laid off. I didn't want to stay there anymore. So, I had my morning cup of tea and tried to do some busy work, wondering when they would get it over with. I get to work at 6:00am so waiting for the 'notification' was torture. Lucky for me I didn't have to wait too long. At 7:30 I was told and I had to try to contain my joy and excitement. I told the director not to worry or feel bad about letting me go because I was looking at it as an incredible growth opportunity. I had been in my department for 10 years and trying to get out of it for the last 2 years so getting let go was like a breathe of fresh air after suffocating for 2 years. I filled out the necessary paperwork and sent my goodbye email that I had drafted and ready to go within 5 minutes of arriving and I said goodbye to a few select people, did a happy dance and walked out with a HUGE smile on my face.

Lunch was celebratory, I never thought I would be so happy to lose my job, but it felt like such a relief. No more stress of waiting and not knowing, it was finally over. I enjoyed the rest of the day and aced the interview I had then went for a fun run with Kim to top off the perfect day. I went to bed feeling bad for the other 220 people that were let go and not expecting it or not ready for it like I was, but I know everyone will be better off and things will work out fine in the end, they always do.

Tuesday I slept in and took my time getting up and enjoyed some tea and breakfast before I went for a nice long bike ride. I got 28 miles done and it felt amazing. I got lost a few times and didn't care, it was a beautiful day and I had no pressure or plans to be anywhere so I just pedaled my way around the Merrimack Valley. I got home, had some lunch, and relaxed for the rest of the day reading and watching a movie. Later in the evening I walked downtown for the Good Times 5K and shaved another 40 seconds off my time from the previous week. One step closer to my pre-Boston speed.

So, things are looking bright for me, physically and mentally. I've got a ton of really fun races coming up and lots of new opportunities to explore. I'm really looking forward to the changes life has in store for me. Who knows, maybe I'll go in a completely different direction than people expect and I'll surprise everyone. Stay tuned and find out.

On the Mend

Last week my hip and elbow were pretty painful. My hip developed some really lovely shades of purple and hurt so much I had difficulty sleeping. The road rash on my elbow was healing nicely, but the underlying injuries didn't seem to be doing as well. I had pain radiating from my elbow into my wrist. So, mid-week I made an appointment with my acupuncturist to see if we could re-balance things and get my body back to normal. It's amazing what a few carefully placed needles can do. Within 2hrs of treatment my hip was much better and the pain in my elbow vanished.

I took a few more rest days to allow my body time to heal itself and by the weekend I was ready to see how it felt. Saturday morning the Lowell Ladies had planned a group run in Dunstable. My training plan called for 10 miles, but considering the recent injuries I scaled it back and did the 8 miles that everyone else was doing. It was kind of a grey and dreary day. We started the run around 9:00am and the sun was no where to be found. It was misty and even a little foggy maybe in the 60s - perfect for a run. Dunstable is very hilly and the run went up and down and all around the area. It's pretty, but damn some of those hills were never ending. Normally I love hills and I think last year when we did the same run I said "I eat hills for breakfast", but this year was different, my body still not 100% recovered from being hit by a car, the hills hurt a little more than last year. We finished the 8 mile run in about an hour and twenty minutes averaging just under 10:00 minute miles. Not great, but not bad either. The important thing was we finished and we all felt great.

Just as we finished our run the morning mist turned into heavy downpours and pretty much ruined our plan to go for a short bike ride. We ate breakfast and hung out for a bit and then headed home. I spent the remainder of the day lounging on my couch and watching a Criminal Minds Marathon.

Sunday was the true test of how well I had healed. My friend Kim's husband was doing his first triathlon and I was going to help him, but couldn't resist the urge to race it myself so I signed up with him. It was the Greater Nashua Y Tri. A 1/3m swim, 16 mile bike, and 5K run. We had picked up our race packets the day before. So at 6:45am I drove to their house and helped Bill load his bike into my car and we went to the race. Kim was going to meet us there later. We got there a little early but it worked out great because we were able to rack our bikes and set up our transition areas before the massive chaos and confusion of tons of people crowding in occurred. The only downside was after we were all set up we still had about 90 minutes to wait before the race started and it was only about 50 degrees out. The water temperature was about 70 degrees and there was steam coming off the lake, but the air was definitely cooler. I was shivering and had goosebumps all over my arms.

Kim showed up around 8:30am with baby Ryann, Bill's mom Janet, and our friend Moe came to cheer too. Kim was nice enough to lend me her jacket while we stood around waiting for the race to start. Before we knew it they were calling all swim waves to the water. I was wave 4 and Bill was wave 6, so I got a 6 minute head start on him and challenged him to catch me. The course was kind of cool. It was a treading start off of a small dock and then a triangle swim back to the beach. Once you got to the beach there was a long run through a path in the woods back to the transition area. I felt really great in the water and for the first time ever I was actually passing people.

Once I got to my bike I felt comfortable and I took off. The bike course was two loops over rolling hills, but mostly flat. I finished it in 55 minutes and threw on my running shoes for the last leg of the race. I saw Bill at about 3/4 of a mile out on my run as he was approaching the finish of the bike so I knew he could catch me and I'd be a little disappointed if he didn't. He's a much faster runner than me. Sure enough, just as I passed the 3 mile mark and I had almost given up on him, he yelled from behind me and passed me with only a few yards left in the race.

We both did really well. Bill finished in 1:34 and I finished in 1:40. My hip was a little sore in the last mile of the run, but overall I felt really good. I didn't do well enough to place, I was 16th out of 46, but the age group was 30-39 and not 30-34 like some races so who knows, maybe I would have placed if the age group was smaller. Plus, my age group is the most competitive so I'm happy to just be in the top half. Plus, I started with 25 girls in my swim wave so that means I passed at least 9 of them along the way (it's possible that some of the girls in wave 5 passed me too). Either way it was a fun race and I finished it.

Black and Blue and several shades of greenish yellow

The road rash is starting to heal, but my bruises look pretty nasty now. My hip has turned all kinds of different colors and it hurts the most by far. My arm does definitely hurt still. I can't even wear my watch anymore because the pain from my elbow radiates into my wrist and makes it very uncomfortable. This makes it pretty much impossible for me to get my resting heart rate in the morning, but the few times I have taken it, it's still high so I'm guessing I'm still not healed and still slightly overtrained.

I haven't gotten back on my bike yet, which totally sucks because this week has been PERFECT for biking to work. It's been sunny and warm all week. It's driving me bonkers. I want to ride so bad and I NEED to ride to get some miles in to train for the Half Ironman I'm signed up for, but after two crashes involving motor vehicles I'm a little nervous to tempt fate and dodge death a third time. On top of that, gas prices are at an all time high and it would be nice to save some money. I'm sure my fear will subside and I will get back at it, but for now my bike is parked in my foyer.

I have tried running a few times. Sunday was a nice, easy, slow, longish run. I did 8 miles with Kim and Cherie. It was OK, but definitely slower than normal and I was really sore afterwards. I rested Monday and did NOTHING. I went to the police station and got the accident report and then went home. I was passed out on my couch by 6:00pm.

Tuesday, I did the Good Times 5K in downtown Lowell. At the beginning of the spring series I was 14th overall for the women, this time I finished 58th! I was 20th in my age group (compared to 5th or 6th I was getting). I did take it easy and I didn't really race all out, but still it's very disappointing to finish so much slower than I know I'm capable of. I hope I can get back to sub-25:00 minute 5Ks and maybe even break 24:00 later this summer.

Yesterday, I ran with the Lowell Ladies. The plan was to run to Kim's, do 3-4 miles, then run home. Well, the "run" to Kim's was more painful than I expected. It normally takes me 15 minutes and this time it took close to 20 minutes. My hip was really hurting and I had to stop and walk a few times. I hoped that it would loosen up and feel better after a little warm up but it didn't. I lagged behind the group and struggled to keep up and barely made it through the 3 miles that we did (Kim and Moe actually went on to do 4 miles). I hitched a ride with Moe and skipped the run home. Took some Tylenol and iced my hip before going to bed disappointed and in pain AGAIN.

It's ok to slow down....

A friend sent this to me last week and I should have taken his advice. But of course I didn't. I felt really good and on Thursday it was the first really nice day we've had in a while so I decided to ride my bike into work. It felt GREAT! It was cool and in the mid-50s in the morning on my ride in and when I got to work, the showers were actually hot. The day went by pretty fast and I was excited to ride home and get ready for the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge. It was in the high 60s maybe low 70s on the way home and I made it about 10 miles into my 14 mile ride home and all of the sudden I heard the loudest scariest crunching noise I've ever heard in my life. I was hit by a car AGAIN!!!!!! This time instead of just hitting the pavement, the car actually side swiped me and ripped the side mirror off and knocked me off my bike and into the road in the process. I am extremely lucky that the car behind the one that hit me didn't run me over. Although he did leave the scene instead of stopping to help me. The truck two back from the car that hit me stopped and called 911.

This is the kicker, the guy that hit me, pulled over and when he finally got out of his car, he had a cast on his right foot, yeah the one you kind of need to push the gas pedal down! And to make matters worse, he walked over like that drunken old guy in Mortal Combat or is it Virtua Fighter, who knows I never was a big video game person, anyway, he was definitely not totally with it and not steady on his feet and should NOT have been driving!

Andover Police responded, then Andover Fire, then more Andover Police, then Methuen Fire because Andover didn't have an ambulance available. I took a nice ride to the hospital in an ambulance on a back board with a collar on and arm all bandaged up and still had my bike shoes on and my reflective vest and ankle reflectors, my helmet was resting in my lap as the ambulance weaved it's way through traffic. Oh by the way people, it's the law to PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT AND STOP. Thank God I wasn't really severely injured or dying. It's ridiculous how rude people are even to emergency vehicles. Really??? Is where ever you're going more important than someone's life? Doubt it.

Anyway, I'm extremely lucky and must have learned from playing hockey how to take a hit because I didn't break anything and didn't get another head injury (this would have made #7, I think). Lots of bruises and road rash that feels friggin AWESOME when they scrub the asphalt out of it with iodine. Hip is swollen, but not bruised. Must be where the side mirror clipped me before I ripped it clean off the car. On the bright side, my bike is just scratched a little and my bell is broken, but I'll take that over broken bones any day.

They took great care of me in the ER and my friend Kim had her husband Bill come pick me up and help me get my bike back from Andover PD. Then they made me dinner too! I have the best friends ever!

Friday I got up and went to work just to let my boss know that I was going home to rest. I probably could have just called in, but considering I was hit last year biking to work I thought calling in and saying I was hit again was going to be unbelievable. So, I went in, waited 20 minutes for him to show up and then went home. I slept almost all day, only interrupted by people calling or texting to make sure I was alive.

So, I think the world might be trying to tell me something. Like pedal faster, or maybe take a break.......