Tough weekend!

My weekend started with a 5K in Pearland, put on by the high school cross country team booster club. That should have been my clue: small and lots of high school kids. The race went ok as far as races go. My strategy was simple: start out faster than on a 10k, and do negative splits. It was 2+ loops around the high school. My first loop was ~11 minutes and the second was ~10, so far so good. I had no idea where the finish line was, nor did the guy in front of me. We just kept running and hoped we would get some indication somewhere. There were some people pointing, but it wasn't all that clear, and I certainly had no idea until I was on the lap around the track where/when the finish line was. I was pretty upset with my finish time, just about half of my 10k time when I had been sick, and I finished 33 overall. I should say that before the race I stood with some of the old folks, and we commented on how it looked like a high school cross country meet. I ended up 33/72 overall (I told you it was small), but no age group breakdown is available. There was some rumblings about the course being long. I didn't have a GPS or anything to make an official judgment, but I too thought it was long. If I ran that fast on my usual run I know I would finish 3 miles much quicker than this race. Whatever...

With my race a bust, I was really looking forward to getting out on my new bike for just the second time. I packed it all up Sunday morning to head to Magnolia for some rolling hills. During the 30 minute drive I watched the temperature constantly drop to 33 at the starting point. Bundling up with all that I had brought I set out for a 2.5 hour ride. Eight minutes later I was back at my car packing up again. 33 is just too cold for my blood.

Once back home I quickly set up the trainer for a 90 minute ride in front of the TV, maybe time for a movie! Just five minutes into the ride I gave up. My heart wasn't into a trainer ride, I wanted to be out on the road. After a couple of hours it was finally warm enough that I thought I could do my ride locally. There is a loop not far from the house that I can do in about 15 minutes. I figure 9 laps would be ok for the day. I think my bike does much better in the aero postion, so I spent most of my time hunkered down and going after it. At lap 6 my neck was getting pretty stiff. I convinced myself I could do 2 more laps and then head home. I was able to stretch my neck out at the end of that lap, so I decided to do all 9 laps.

Heading into the 9th lap I was tired, not just my neck and legs, but mentally. I was ready to finish up and head home. Then it happened. I lost my focus for a split second and found myself going off the edge of the road. The road itself was about 4 inches above ground, and the ground quickly went down into a ditch filled with water. The next thing I knew the wheels were out from under me, I was sliding on the road, and then bounced my helmet off the road. I've never been so grateful for my helmet before as the outcome would have been very different. Picking up my bike and stumbling to a parking lot I mumbled something to passerbys about being ok. I was ok, at least ok enough to ride myself home. I was mostly concerned about my bike, but it was minimally scuffed. I, on the other hand, didn't fare quite so well. I would have sworn that I'd broken my wrist. The ER said yes, but today's doctor said no. I'm not sure whom I believe, but the one who told me to "take two asprin and call me in the morning" is basically full of crap! He didn't really say that, but I feel like that is how he treated me.

I've been cleared to do whatever I feel like, and today I want to go for a short run. I'm not sure how it will go, but it will definately be better than had I cracked my head on the ground or a trailing car run me over!

Tough weekend, but I'm still in the game!