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Look out! Newbie on the track

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Look out! Newbie on the track

Old 02-13-15, 08:09 AM
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Dan Burkhart 
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Look out! Newbie on the track

They've gone and built a new velodrome for the Pan Am games, and it's no more than a half hour drive from my house. So, of course, I had to go give track riding a try.
They require a two stage training course before one is allowed to participate, and Wednesday was my first training session.
It was going pretty good, I was able to execute all the exercises OK, although I was finding I was running out of gas by the end of it.
That may have played into what happened as we were beginning the final exercise, which was exchanges. If you don't know, that's where the lead rider goes up the boards and the line passes on the left, and the rider falls back in at the back of the line.
I was the lead rider heading out. We did one lap on the cote, and then we were to move up over the black line for a lap, and then begin the exchanges.
I guess I didn't have enough speed up when I went to cross the black line, and my pedal struck the boards. I heard a bang, and my first thought as I went down hard and fast was blowout. But of course, it wasn't.
Here is the mark I left.



Fortunately, the following riders were all able to avoid running over me, but I was immediately aware of intense pain in my left shoulder and chest. I was able to get to my feet by the time the coach came running asking if I was OK.
All I could say was, I'm not sure.
I stood leaning over the rail, and passed out momentarily. I awoke from a dream and it took a bit to gather my thoughts to remember where I was, and what had just happened.
However, through it all, I remained on my feet, so it was likely only a split second that I was out.
One of my classmates was kind enough to drive me to the ER where X rays determined nothing was broken or dislocated.
It's slowly getting better, although I won't be able to do any heavy lifting with my left arm for a while.
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Old 02-13-15, 08:18 AM
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Sorry to hear about the spill, but I'll bet you were having a blast right up to that point!

Take care of the shoulder, nothing broke doesn't mean nothing injured. I had to do PT for weeks and it was a few months before I was comfortable riding again.
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Old 02-13-15, 08:37 PM
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Please be careful about a possible concussion, Dan. My 2 Jan crash had my head bounce just momentarily, apparently. After a bit I put together what had transpired when the gentleman that took me home called to check up on me and I asked some questions of him about where was standing and my memory returned, slowly. Never realized that the head hit until afterwards, I still do not recall getting up, walking off the road, or removing my shattered helmet. If you feel some headaches you ought to get this checked, even with the ER checkout. Best wishes and hope you return to the boards, later.

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Old 02-13-15, 09:27 PM
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Does this mean you won't be able to ride with the national team?
Good luck on an uneventful recovery. If anything doesn't seem right, get it checked out.
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Old 02-14-15, 09:02 AM
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Holy Smokes! What a way to dash a dream of zipping along a track...reality check!

Maybe my velodrome dreams are fading a bit now. I've been wanting for a couple of years now, but we only have an outdoor venue in Cleveland.

I hope you're OK and still enthusiastic enough to go back for at least the second session! When things are more clear, let us know your best guess as to the cause.
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Old 02-14-15, 09:08 AM
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Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you are feeling better soon and heal up quickly.
Here is a video that shows the new facility in Milton and how steep the track is. 45º! Yikes!

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Old 02-14-15, 09:33 AM
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I assume that happened at the end banking?
I was just looking at the scheduling a few days ago and see that all of their classes are sold out and no new one's scheduled. I'd like to give it a try myself, just for fun. Years ago I went a few times with the Brampton Cycling club to Montreal where we rented the Olympic velodrome for the afternoon on Sat and Sun.
The Milton Velodrome is going to have an open house on Monday for family day.
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Old 02-14-15, 01:39 PM
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Physics suggests Riding fast enough and you are relatively perpendicular to the track surface..


PDX Should have an Indoor Velodrome , but it's Outside, summer only.. for so much Cycling and Money there IDK why Not.
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Old 02-14-15, 08:03 PM
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Originally Posted by qcpmsame
Please be careful about a possible concussion, Dan. My 2 Jan crash had my head bounce just momentarily, apparently. After a bit I put together what had transpired when the gentleman that took me home called to check up on me and I asked some questions of him about where was standing and my memory returned, slowly. Never realized that the head hit until afterwards, I still do not recall getting up, walking off the road, or removing my shattered helmet. If you feel some headaches you ought to get this checked, even with the ER checkout. Best wishes and hope you return to the boards, later.

Bill
Thanks for the concern Bill. Three days on, everything seems OK with the nogin. I'm quite sure it didn't take a direct hit.

Originally Posted by JanMM
Does this mean you won't be able to ride with the national team?
Good luck on an uneventful recovery. If anything doesn't seem right, get it checked out.
I can't imagine any national team hard up enough to want me on it. The shoulder is still stiff and sore, but getting better every day.

Originally Posted by North Coast Joe
Holy Smokes! What a way to dash a dream of zipping along a track...reality check!

Maybe my velodrome dreams are fading a bit now. I've been wanting for a couple of years now, but we only have an outdoor venue in Cleveland.

I hope you're OK and still enthusiastic enough to go back for at least the second session! When things are more clear, let us know your best guess as to the cause.
Oh yeah, I'll be back at it for sure. gotta try to get the fitness level up a bit first I think. I can't use February as an excuse all year.

Originally Posted by KLiNCK
Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you are feeling better soon and heal up quickly.
Here is a video that shows the new facility in Milton and how steep the track is. 45º! Yikes!

I saw that. It's a hoot. He did one at the Forest City track a while back.

Originally Posted by Slash5
I assume that happened at the end banking?
I was just looking at the scheduling a few days ago and see that all of their classes are sold out and no new one's scheduled. I'd like to give it a try myself, just for fun. Years ago I went a few times with the Brampton Cycling club to Montreal where we rented the Olympic velodrome for the afternoon on Sat and Sun.
The Milton Velodrome is going to have an open house on Monday for family day.
I was planning to go with some friends on Monday, and I still might, but I have quite a bit of work piled up, so we'll see.
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Old 02-15-15, 08:53 AM
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In the last two years an over 50 rider died at the Kenosha Velodrome and another one died at the Colorado Springs Velodrome...I'm glad I got the urge out of my system before I turned 20. A velodrome is for youngsters....
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Old 02-15-15, 10:33 AM
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Originally Posted by Mr IGH
A velodrome is for youngsters....
Nonsense, three of my old teammates were on the podium at their district track championships this year.
Riding track is safer than dicing with automobiles on the public roads.
The velodrome is a controlled environment with everyone playing from the same book.
The consequences of a wreck certainly hurt but one is not then run over by a texting dump truck driver.....

Dan,
Recover and have at it again!

-Bandera
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Old 02-15-15, 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by KLiNCK
Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you are feeling better soon and heal up quickly.
Here is a video that shows the new facility in Milton and how steep the track is. 45º! Yikes!

I almost quit watching this. The guy's fake personality is really annoying. But it gets good at the 3 minute mark. He actually rode the banking--good for him.
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Old 02-15-15, 12:14 PM
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I used to ride on an outdoor concrete track in the late 1960s. I haven't got the speed or confidence to ride even on a wooden indoor track these days.

Kudos to the op for trying.
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Old 02-15-15, 01:10 PM
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I touched base with the coach to ask if he thought I could move on to the second part of the training, or if it would be better to do the first part over.
He said pretty much what I expected, that I really should take it over as I'm not ready to move on to the next step until I'm confident enough to do exchanges.
Not sure why I felt the need to ask his opinion on that, because it's kind of a no brainer.
I think I'm going to hold off for a while and try to get my fitness and endurance back up a bit first.
BUT, I will be back.
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Old 02-15-15, 01:37 PM
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Whew! It's amazing how instantaneously one can go from upright to on the deck. Glad you weren't hurt Dan. You've got lots of pluck! Cheers!
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Old 02-15-15, 01:44 PM
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Strngely, I keep imagining that someone will market a quasi-durable bubble-wrap type passive bumper pad layer in a short and jersey, to decrease the force on one's shoulders and hip as one slams onto the pavement or deck. Aerodynamics be damned - keep the femur and shoulder from breaking. Just an impractical dream, I know.
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Old 02-15-15, 01:53 PM
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So they hand you the sanding block and some touch up varnish and Black paint?
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Old 02-15-15, 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Mr IGH
Bubble, LOL. I don't ride the double black diamond trails, not because I live in a bubble. I avoid them because I know my limits. You should learn yours before you really get hurt.
Jeezus, what an attitude.
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Old 02-15-15, 02:36 PM
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We have a relatively new outdoor velodrome just south of Charotte. Ours is a concrete surface instead of wood. I have a number of cycling friends who use the facility regularly. It sounds like if you're unfortunate enough to take a spill it's a very hard contact with the concrete winning. One my buddies took a spill and broke his shoulder and collarbone. I'm sure it's a great time but just hasn't grabbed my interest enough just yet.
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Old 02-15-15, 04:42 PM
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
So they hand you the sanding block and some touch up varnish and Black paint?
No, not so far. They know how to get ahold of me if they want me to fix the damage.
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Old 02-15-15, 05:09 PM
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Glad that you feel fine, Dan. Agree100% with you and the others about getting out, or back on the boards, we need to live our lives, not be slinking around ruining others with the scare tactics. I'm sure we know what our limits are and are mature enough to back off when its the time to do so.

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Old 02-15-15, 09:49 PM
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I did some clean up. Everyone has their own comfort level when it comes to risk-taking and there's nothing wrong with that.
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Old 02-16-15, 05:11 AM
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Originally Posted by CbadRider
I did some clean up. Everyone has their own comfort level when it comes to risk-taking and there's nothing wrong with that.
Thanks to "reply with quote" facility the clean-up wasn't 100% successful!

I'm sure that if Dan is strong and brave enough to want to return to the track after injury he can take a few negative comments in his stride (and as far as I can see they are in a minority of one). The positive comments, rightfully, far outweigh the negative, and critical contributions don't need censoring unless they are slanderous/racist etc. in tone.
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Old 02-16-15, 06:23 AM
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At least you weren't run over. Heal quickly.
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Old 02-16-15, 08:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Gerryattrick
Thanks to "reply with quote" facility the clean-up wasn't 100% successful!

I'm sure that if Dan is strong and brave enough to want to return to the track after injury he can take a few negative comments in his stride (and as far as I can see they are in a minority of one). The positive comments, rightfully, far outweigh the negative, and critical contributions don't need censoring unless they are slanderous/racist etc. in tone.
Yeah, I don't get the need to sanitize every conversation when negative comments show up. They reflect the views of one poster, and I respect his right to express those views even if I do not agree.
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