1. The bike you have is fine.
2. The regional crit championships are this weekend on a wide open course. Go give that a shot. Cat 5s go off at 9. It's within an hour and a half from your house. You can race and be home by lunch time.

I'm feeling OK right now but definitely going to play it by ear. Been taking some creatine daily as I hear that it helps. Haven't yet been back on the bike, but doing some z2 today and some vo2max intervals tomorrow that should tell me where I'm at.

I suggest some research on brain injury and the amount of time to recovery. Check out the impact of multiple concussions. Then decide whether to race.

I agree.

Back home in the states (MT) for a month from Scotland. Jumped in the Tuesday race series last night and won from a 2up breakaway. We were away for most of the race and the finish was an uphill sprint. My break mate was a college kid, which is gratifying for a 43 year old like myself. The competition was not the same level as back in the UK, but a win always feels sooooo sweet, and it's been a while.

I have and I am definitely not taking it lightly. The part I'm struggling with is if my symptoms were serious enough to even be considered an 'actual' concussion, or enough to be concerned about. My actual symptoms were very mild compared to other accounts I've heard. I answered all the questions and did the follow the pen test that the first-aid folks gave me immediately after the crash. I had some sensitivity to light on the way home and felt a bit 'off', but that could be attributed to having crashed in general. I had trouble sleeping and a headache the next day, but I also had road rash and bruises making me uncomfortable and, didn't have any coffee (due to it potentially inhibiting recovery) which I know for a fact gives me a headache when I cut down from my usual 2-3 cups a day. So I guess I'm mainly worried that I'm making a mountain out of a molehill here. If I had more serious/obvious symptoms like forgetting words or dizziness or nausea, it would be a definite no to racing again.

Intelligentsia was supposed to be a last hurrah race for me before I hang up the bike for a few years, and I'm hesitant to skip it for fear of having regrets about not making use of the best fitness I've ever had (and good chance best I may ever have) to try to get some results.

Classic case of YOLO vs YOGOB (you only get one brain)

WKT - I've hit my head a couple of times in race crashes, with broken helmets. I didn't get any noticeable concussion symptoms from those - though I did lose hearing in my left ear after the last one. (It's possible the hearing loss was caused by something else, but we're not sure.)

But, I did also smack my head on a door frame while taking my dog out - it's a long story - and that definitely gave me a concussion as I was suffering from a massive headache and nausea for two days.

At this point, I tend to lean toward better safe than sorry, but if you're not experiencing any symptoms, you may be OK.

Mt. Tabor race series final race, 50+ - I entered the race in first place with enough points so that I could lose to the rider in 2nd and still win the series, but if anyone finished between us, he would win the series. So, I raced a bland race of basically making sure I stayed with the racer in 2nd. Other than right out of the gate on the uphill start, I kept completely out of the wind as did Mr. 2nd place. In the end I finished 3rd in the race, and won the series. A series win with no individual race wins feels a little empty, but I was the most consistent with 5 3rds, a 2nd and a 4th. My only win this year, so I'll take it.

I find this interesting. Some or all hearing?

Most of it. I can still hear certain frequencies but not well. If I sleep on my right side, I don't really hear anything. I have to wear a hearing aid in pretty much all public settings to be able to clearly hear people, and even then, in some settings, I have a very hard time following what is being said.

You don't have to win a race to win a series. If you won the TdF but didn't win any stages, would you feel bad?

No, but I’d be embarrassed if I won a UCI World Championship by winning a fondo.

Oh wait, no I wouldn’t.

:D

I suppose I would feel OK with that. I'll keep my chin up! :)

Did the Boise Twilight pro crit on Saturday! Well, most of it.. got crashed out with 20 minutes to go in the 90 minute race.

It's a four-corner crit with flat and super smooth/wide roads. Super exciting (and hard) race, ended up with a 31 mph average.

A teammate & I were asked to guest ride on a local Domestic Elite team (that gets callups at this USA Crits series), and I signed up at the last minute to do it, even though it was a terrible idea being less than a week to go until Intelligentsia Cup.

It was of course a huge risk, but what's life without risk right? Well the risk didn't pay off, I got crashed out, broke a bone... now I'm out for Intelligentsia. Super bummer.

I actually felt good during the race - and it was SUPER fun. One of those races where I had a smile (maybe combined with a grimace) the whole time. They said 50k spectators, and it seemed like it - a wall of sound the whole time. Tons of $50 & $100 primes - I never got the chance to go for any but really should have. Looking back I was basically just hanging out and biding my time.

Anyway coming through the start/finish I was taking a drink (with hand off the bars) while in the group and a few riders ahead somone got their front wheel taken out - so before I knew it there was a dude in the fetal position on the ground in front of me.. flipped over the bars, landed on my shoulder/back pretty hard. Shoulder was in lots of pain immediately, but no obvious collar-bone breakage - maybe the plate I have in there from a few years ago saved me?

I couldn't move my arm without pain after that and was immediately out of the race. The medical tent folks though I just had a "sublexacion?", but after I flew back on Sunday and got an x-ray it looks to be a fracture of the "acromion," a bone I never knew I had. It kind of connects the collar bone to your shoulder I guess. Anyway going to a specialist tomorrow and will get details, either way my arm's in a sling and I'm out of commission for a few weeks.

It was worth it though.

Dude that sucks, sorry you're out for intelligentsia :(

Also, we can be broken acromion buddies now!

Just because I hit 'like' doesn't mean I'm a fan of the broken bone :(

Also did you get to be on the team that swears all the time on youtube? Those guys are like the Cobra Kai of cycling.

@mattm Heal up fast. I am looking for the yuck button.

Nah I appreciate that you like my story. One day I'll write a book, hopefully you'll buy it! (and like it)

Ha is that Chris Tolley/Elbowz? They weren't there. I love his videos though.

We were riding for Marc Pro.

Wait I thought you hit your head at CBR, you broke a bone too? Ugh.

Either way that sucks, we all need to heal the F up. I'm hoping I'll magically heal up and do the last few days of Intelli but that's about as likely as me playing in the World Series.

Nah the acromion was years ago on the mountain bike, you're just the first person I know who has also broken theirs.

Fingers crossed! Are you still coming out?

These guys (Butcherbox). Tolley's video's are like some dude went on an all night bender at a frat party and then decided to narrate a youtube video.

Heal well mattm. Glad the race was such a good time until it wasn't.

Junior got 3rd Sunday. Family went to pick kid up from school for summer break and his 21st birthday Fri. He and sister when Bolder (CO) "bar hopping" Sat night before.

Fortunately I think he's more interested in the novelty of being able to drink than drinking. But stupid move before a race, although not sure it had any effect. Maybe in the heat department.

We agreed no such foolishness before Manhattan Beach Crit this weekend.


The crit was interesting in that being a kinda end-of-season/local one there were about half a dozen of out-of-state riders, a WT pro riding in a T-shirt, and "Hollywood" fresh off track nats. I met a BF poster.

Junior went out hard trying to create some breaks and thought being that a few know him now some might go with him. They did, but only lasted a few laps. He had a huge overheating issue and dropped to back for most the rest of the race. A Norcal rider who got 2nd was allowed to drive it off the front with some different partners. They eventually got caught. With 5 laps to go a the prime was used to launch another attack - same NotCal guy won it and kept going with everyone looking at each other the next 2-3 laps. Just before the end Hollywood goes and junior jumps on. I don't know what happened on the back side, junior just said no one was there. Our two leaders got 1 and 2 and junior came in for 3rd.

There was a bit of a sprint around the last corner but really looked like the decisions were made before the corner.


I posted a Crash video and 400 views already. People like crashes.



Here is a long copy.




https://legacy.usacycling.org/results/index.php?permit=2019-1718&bypass=1

That was Lachlan Morton in the T-shirt, on his gravel bike. Hilarious. Solid racing from your son. Mike's Bikes kid rides collegiately for CU, and he was a beast in that race with his relentless attacking. But biggest kudos has to go to my teammate for getting the W. :)

This crit was the CO masters championship so personally I did 2 of those. The long back straight proved decisive as I was overtaken and lost my position just before the last corner and finished 4th in first race. I was stupid. Wanted that jersey. Second race cramps got the better of me so I was only good for a participation award.