So Much Pain for one moments Stupidity

Todays blog entry was going to be about how splendid my preparation is going as with just 4 weeks to go now I have been doing around 300 miles a week for the last for the last 8 weeks, made up generally of around 150 miles in the week over three or four days and then a hundred mile ride and a fifty-ish mile ride over the weekend.

Generally feeling tired most of the time but not too bad considering and my body seems to be accepting this regime with my dodgy knee’s coping with the strain.  Appreciating that 300 miles over five/six days is nothing like the 969 miles over nine days I will be asking of my body shortly, but feel I have done all I can to get my body ready for the mileage.

Further good news is that following a hundred mile ride yesterday I took the opportunity to sleep in the tent in the back garden last night to test out my new sleeping bag as clear skies forecasted a drop in temperature overnight and I figure it’s going to be cold as we head up north in September so need to make sure I am going to be warm enough.

Slept quite well although can see that getting the temperature is going to be tricky each night as whilst my upper body will be feeling the cold, my legs will be radiating heat from the days exertion so made good use of the ability to open the zip from the bottom of the bag last night, allowing my legs to poke out of the bag with my body still covered up.

Unfortunately I was a complete numpty today.  I was 20 miles into a 60 mile route when I stopped to select a pre-determined course to follow for the rest of the ride as was entering an area I do not know so well.  I would normally have selected the course by navigating through the menu’s on the cycle computer whilst riding along, but I felt I should be cautious and stop to do this in order to avoid potential hazards of trying to do both at the same time.

I was on a country lane, in the middle of nowhere stationary with my left foot unclipped from the pedal and supporting me on the floor.  I selected the course, pressed go and was letting the computer calculate the route when I heard the noise of an approaching vehicle.  Being considerate I thought best to get myself over to the side of the road as I was a couple foot over from the verge at the time, so I took a step to get out of the way.  

Problem is that I stepped over with my right foot, that’s the one still clipped to the bike!  Next thing I know I am on the floor with the bike half on top of me (I am still attached) and my right elbow pressing hard onto my ribs.  I was winded by the fall and when I do try and breath there is a whole load of pain in my chest.

I could hear the vehicle getting closer so untangle myself from the bike and hobbled to the side of the road.  The vehicle passed and I finally manage to get my breath back to find I am greeted by a whole load of pain, which unfortunately I have experience of from many times* before and know what this means.

So either my ribs are cracked or bruised and I am up for a whole lot of pain for the next week at least but hopefully it is just bruising and the pain will start to subside after that and I can get back on the bike without too much discomfort within a week. 

*For anyone who does not know I rode skateboard in big concrete bowls and pools until I was 37 and have taken lots of hard body slams onto the crete, many with an elbow digging into my ribs with the pain that follows this and no ability to do much about it other than rest.