Runner visits Emergency Room

Ok, so it is ironic that my last post was about bicycle safety. I found myself in the Emergency Room at a local hospital less than a week later trying to stem the flow of blood from my broken nose and assuring everyone around me that I was just fine. My pride and my vanity were actually hurt more than my nose, due to fact that I was sitting in a room full of strangers for hours on end in my bicycle shorts.

It started out as a beautiful fall morning with the sun just coming up over the horizon to set the stage for a nice 75 degree day along the seacoast. I figured I would take the day off from running- I'd already put in over 30 miles that week. I inflated the tires on my road bike, grabbed my water bottle, my helmet, an energy bar, and my phone and headed out. Note the phone... it is perhaps the most important piece of equipment to carry with you on a long ride.

I was really into a rhythm by mile 14. The pace was about 18-20 mph and I was feeling strong. I crested a hill and things changed instantly. The first thing I saw was a vehicle stopped in the opposite lane. The driver had taken it upon himself to stop and wave two walkers across the road. Nobody behind him, nobody ahead of him. Why he stopped and felt the need to direct traffic is beyond me.

The first walker stepped out into my lane. I am 60 feet away. She looks at me and steps quickly across the road into the safety of the other lane. I am 40 feet away. Walker number two looks at me and steps into my lane. I am 25 feet away. Walker number two waves her hands and steps back off the road. I am 10 feet away. Inexplicably, walker number two decides to cross the road after all. I am 0 feet away. We collide as I try to avoid her and bail to the left. My nose hits the cross bar and I leave some skin on the asphalt. My brake lever gets twisted and my chain derails.

As I said, I was feeling strong. My blood was coursing through my veins. Now, it was pouring out of my nose and dripping on the white paint of the cross walk. The pain hadn't set in yet, it was just the ticklish sensation of the blood falling in drips from the end of my nose that told me something wasn't right.

I checked on the pedestrian that I had knocked over. She was fine with the exception of a sprained ankle. I told her the fault was mine as well as hers. It was simply an accident. I called my wife and told her my location and asked that she hurry if possible. That was enough to get my message across. The details would only cause her to worry.

That's how this runner ended up in the emergency room. Be safe out there. Run, cycle, and walk defensively. Nobody cares about your safety as much as you do. Remember that.

Oh- and the car that stopped and waved the walkers across the road.. it took off immediately after seeing the accident. No offer to assist, no apology, no class.

A Runner on a Bicycle

Last weekend I decided to take the bike off of the indoor trainer and out for a quick 10 mile spin. I am not a cyclist, but I maintain a average speed of about 18mph on most of my rides. That's quite a bit faster than my legs will carry me.

I decided to go out again the next day for a 24 mile bike ride instead of my planned 8 mile run. It was difficult by the time I hit 15 miles. I pushed hard and turned it into a decent workout. My legs were a bit wobbly, my triceps were toast from holding up my body weight, and I only drank 1/3 of the water bottle I brought along.

The traffic was tough. The drivers were selfish and rarely considered the plight of the naked biker. Naked in the sense that bikers are out there in the open with a 30 pound aluminum frame between them and all of the 6,000 pound vehicles moving by them at 50 mph. Please be considerate if you see a cyclist out on the roads.

I wasn't sure how the biking would translate into my running. I found out yesterday when I attempted a 6 mile tempo run. My quads were shredded and my calves were spent. I managed a nice chi-style shuffle for 6 miles at 8 minute pace. So, I would say that cycling definitely qualifies a cross-training. If nothing else it provides some explosive strength conditioning.

I think I'll continue to work in a nice ride every week. It was fun to do something different, and I'm hoping that strength conditioning will pay off in future races.