It's up the mountain I go...again

It’s now 5 weeks post-accident and things are getting back to normal. I got out on the dirt on Saturday for the first time, albeit only on the fireroads. It’s pretty difficult riding past a trail-head when you know single track heaven is RIGHT THERE! My body will thank me later though I hope. I’ve timed my transition from the windtrainer to the road almost to perfection with only brief showers instead of torrential downpours now.

The psychological wounds are being unpicked with my first ride past ‘the corner’ where it all went wrong. I rode up to it, slowly, willing myself to get past it without collapsing in a heap and rocking back and forwards in the garden. Just as I approached it a group of about 30 cyclists came around the corner from the opposite direction, spread out across the path inviting another accident. KEEP LEFT PEOPLE! It’s bad enough the motorists try and pick us off without us preying on our own kind.

The official recovery was made this morning when I headed out for some Mt Cootha reps. Did someone make it steeper while I’ve been laid up? It was good to be on the familiar stretch of road that is the staple of any Brisbane cyclist. They were doing roadworks so I got stopped by a lollipop-man on the way up. I protested that I was “in the middle of an effort” to a guy that clearly had no idea what I was on about. Yep, I’m back.

Road to recovery

It’s been almost 4 weeks since ‘that morning’ and things are going as well as could be expected. My ribs still hurt...a lot. My shoulder stability doesn’t fill me with confidence but I’m working around it. I’ve done more time on the windtrainer in my garage that I care to mention and am getting out for a couple of rides on the road, albeit on my mountain bike. It feels a bit more stable until I stop moving (and feeling) like an old woman.

Being on the bike is not too bad but the first week back at work is a challenge. I’ve lost a lot of ‘massage fitness’ and the persistent injuries have me coming up with some different treating techniques. It never hurts to have a few more moves in the bag.

I am looking forward to getting back to racing but it’s going to be more of a psychological barrier than anything. If I go back racing too scared to take a tumble, it’s guaranteed I will end up in the dirt! So I’m just going to build up the confidence day by day until it all clicks.