My first bike race of the season

[Andy Velebil]

A great day for a race, clear skies, about 80 degrees, I couldn't wait to get the season underway. Everything was going well with me covering breaks so our sprinters would be fresh at the end. I was feeling great and riding at the front the whole race doing my assigned duties. With about 10 minutes left in the race I went to block an attack by another teams rider. We got tangled pretty bad and down I went, and hard. Broke my helmet in a few pieces, lost most of the skin on my right hip area, leg, and right shoulder/arm. Not the way I wanted to start the season out, but I'm hoping this will be my only crash of the season. Luckily my bike didn't appear to have much damage save for some scrapes on the pedals, brake hoods, and handle bar tape. Our team sponsor (a bike shop) took the bike to make any repairs tomorrow so I can get back in the saddle asap...got another race next weekend. No one said racing bicycles was a safe sport.

[Glenn E.]

Yikes!

Glad to hear most of the race went according to plan, sad to hear how it ended. Hopefully your injuries will heal quickly so you can get right back into top form!

[Moses Botbol]

Pictures?

Ouch. I was sick of crashing at bike races and was the main reason I stopped. You got have balls to dust off the lycra and keep going. Luckily no broken limbs and not loss of consciousness. Do you have the pony up on the helmet expense?

[Andy Velebil]

Thanks. No pictures but trust me when I say sitting down is painful

Amen for the guy who invented Tegaderm, the stuff works great and is way better than the old stuff we used to use.

[michael miller]

Too bad Andy, I hate to hear that. Especially the first race of the year. I know how that soreness lasts for weeks. At least most of the time crashes for me happen so fast that you are on the ground with no time to think. I have my first race in one month, hope it goes better. Good luck luck next week. This snow and cold weather we have been having is a f.cking nightmare. Ride for a couple of days, then go to the Y, or take the day off. I cannot get on the trainer. So far this year I have not had to get on it. Lots of hours on my cyclocross bike riding around the suburbs.

Michael

[Andy Velebil]

Michael,
Hear ya on that, I hate trainers and avoid them at all costs. I hope the weather clears and you get some good rides in before your season starts. Nothing worse than coming into the season behind. Good luck and i hope your race goes better than mine did.

[Moses Botbol]

I bought a Cycle-Ops that was a waste of money.

[michael miller]

So Andy, to have such an early starting season, does your base begins in November? What kind of weekly mileage do you normally get? Everyone here now is still in the gym doing weights! Just curious.

Michael

[Andy Velebil]

So Andy, to have such an early starting season, does your base begins in November? What kind of weekly mileage do you normally get? Everyone here now is still in the gym doing weights! Just curious.

Michael

I don't start serious training until about mid december. Right now I'm doing between about 200-300+ miles a week. But I tend to end my season a bit earlier, around the mid to end of August. By then I'm busy with work again and of course the Harvest Trip in late Sept or October takes at least a couple of weeks, so that just tends to be a good time to call it quits and give me a few easy months before I start training again.

[Eric Ifune]

Amen for the guy who invented Tegaderm, the stuff works great and is way better than the old stuff we used to use.

Tegaderm or Duoderm? Tegaderm is a clear plastic adherent film. Duoderm is the thicker, waxier stuff.
Sorry to hear about your crash. At least you were doing your job!

[Andy Velebil]

Amen for the guy who invented Tegaderm, the stuff works great and is way better than the old stuff we used to use.

Tegaderm or Duoderm? Tegaderm is a clear plastic adherent film. Duoderm is the thicker, waxier stuff.
Sorry to hear about your crash. At least you were doing your job!

Tegaderm, stuff works great and I found some large sizes (8" x 12") online that I ordered which should make patching up the hind quarters much easier

I haven't tried the Duoderm. Does it work better or about the same?

[michael miller]

Sounds good Andy, I did just over 2 hours in 32 degrees and 15 to 20 mile per hour wind. Thats all I could stand. I need to come out and do a training camp with you next winter

Michael

[Eric Ifune]

Depends what you want to do. I use tegaderm mainly to hold things in place, like gauze. Duoderm is thick and waxy, maybe 3 or 4 mm thick. I would think it cushions more on areas that get abraded.

[Andy Velebil]

Sounds good Andy, I did just over 2 hours in 32 degrees and 15 to 20 mile per hour wind. Thats all I could stand. I need to come out and do a training camp with you next winter

Michael

That's way too cold, come out and here and get some nice warm weather training in next year....and we can drink some Port too

[Andy Velebil]

Depends what you want to do. I use tegaderm mainly to hold things in place, like gauze. Duoderm is thick and waxy, maybe 3 or 4 mm thick. I would think it cushions more on areas that get abraded.

Good to know, I'll have to pick up some Duoderm for the next time. Thanks!

[Luc Gauthier]

So Andy, to have such an early starting season, does your base begins in November? What kind of weekly mileage do you normally get? Everyone here now is still in the gym doing weights! Just curious.

Michael

I don't start serious training until about mid december. Right now I'm doing between about 200-300+ miles a week. But I tend to end my season a bit earlier, around the mid to end of August. By then I'm busy with work again and of course the Harvest Trip in late Sept or October takes at least a couple of weeks, so that just tends to be a good time to call it quits and give me a few easy months before I start training again.[/quote

I haven't biked 200 miles in 48 years

[Andy Velebil]

I haven't biked 200 miles in 48 years

It's never too late to start Luc!

[Luc Gauthier]

I haven't biked 200 miles in 48 years

It's never too late to start Luc!

If I start biking , will this leed to an increase in Port consumption

[Andy Velebil]

I haven't biked 200 miles in 48 years

It's never too late to start Luc!

If I start biking , will this leed to an increase in Port consumption

I'm leading by example there

[Derek T.]

Andy,

I just read this thread and didn't realise you had been trying rip all your skin off again

Glad to see you applied the "not in the face" policy this time

Hope it's all healed up and you're back out thee soon.

Derek