Bike Accident Part II: Injury update

So, I spent the Thanksgiving weekend layed up on my boyfriends couch trying to recoup a knee injury from my bike accident instead of out riding and running. It was relaxing and cozy, but not exactly great for training...or maybe it was great for training, since I am getting better every day now. Seems the hardest part of being a profeesional athlete (or any athlete, for that matter) is resting when it is really necessary. Still, it wasnt so bad. When was the last time I chilled out by a fire, watched movies and took naps? Maybe the last time I was in a bike accident 6 years ago!

I went to the Orthopedic today (Thanks to my friend and incredible PT, Don Rourke) and it seems that I have some contusions to the knee, but nothing broken or torn. Don is working on getting me back as soon as possible (especially since he happens to be one of my training partners). We did some electric stim, ice, stretching and he had me doing some hip and "core" exercises. No mercy for Don...which is great! In the meantime, it's swimming with a pull buoy for me, with the hopes of getting on the trainer this week and hopefully water jogging as well.

George bounced back very quickly from being hit by an S.U.V. He was out riding the next day and ran an biked over the weekend. He was banged up and the muscles seem "beat up" and tight, but, in all he's pretty tough and feeling good. I am indebted to him for being so great this weekend. It isn't always easy dealing with an injured athlete who has to chill out and recover when she's used to training all day! Again, I must say that we are very lucky! Looks like the bikes may have gotten it worse than we did...

First Blog Entry...races, bike accidents, future plans...

Picture is me on the bike in my first pro race, Florida 70.3.

So this is the first entry of my new Blog. So far 2007 has been a great year. It was my first year racing triathlon as a pro, and the results were fantastic! I raced Florida70.3 (6th female pro), Buffalo Springs 70.3 (7th female pro), Pat Griskus Sprint Tri (1st Female Overall...love this race!), IM Lake Placid (7th Female Pro), Jarden Westchester Olympic Distance (3rd Female Pro) and most recently the Ironman World Championships in Kona! It was my 5th time racintg Kona, but first year in the pro ranks. I finished 23rd overall pro female there. The finish at Kona made me hungry for next year! It was a tight race between the women finishing 13th-25th place in Kona and I couldn't have been more happy with the way it went. I expect bigger and better results from the upcoming seasons! Kona race report is coming soon!

Right now, it is Thanksgiving and I wish I could say that I was out right now with my boyfriend, George; my coach, Mike and a group of friends doing a long ride in the mild NY weather, but I am not. I got into a bike accident with an S.U.V. yesterday and I guess you can say that I feel like I've been hit by a truck today! George and I were riding out East passing through South Hampton, when I woman in a truck made a left turn into us (didn't see us, of course). George rammed into the side of the truck and I hit the front and side of the truck, rolled onto the hood and crashed onto the ground in front of the truck. George had a "good hit" and managed to escape any major injury. He did get banged up and the experience was traumatic, but thankfully, he was OK and coherent right away.

The first thing I felt? My knee!!! It was pretty excruciating at the time and while other parts of my body hurt, the pain of the knee definitely overrode any other pain. I got rushed to South Hampton Hospital, an lucky me, no broken bones!!

I am worried about the knee, and plan on an MRI. So far it is swollen and I cannot put pressure on it, but I think I may be OK (fingers crossed). When I think about it...we are VERY lucky! Could have been much worse. So, I am sitting here on a beautiful day recuperating, instead of being out on my bike, but I think I should be back on the trainer and jogging in the pool in a matter of days. I'm getting the MRI for peace of mind. Again, it could have been MUCH WORSE!

So the first entry has some bad news, but nothing too terrible. I am still on track for an exciting 2008! I'm planning on going to train in Tuscon Arizona this February or March, plan on going to watch the Tour of California in February (Geo and I went last year and it was AWESOME to follow the race and ride out there), then I'll be racing California 70.3 on March 29th, followed by a trip with Geo (and hopefully our friends Jim and Danielle) to Gerona, Spain for some cycling in the Pyrenees Mts, and then comes Ironman Brazil on may 25th!! Busy beginning of the year for me and I'm psyched!