A Tough Day in the Saddle

It was a miserable day, plenty of rain and overall crappy weather. Most of my club mates were away racing: some at smaller events here in Ireland, others tackling half-Ironmans, and a few of my best friends were in Hamburg for a full Ironman, where the conditions were looking just as grim. I figured I should get out anyway and at least knock out my usual 40 km loop. Well, I probably should have stayed indoors.

Just about 10 km in, I was daydreaming a bit and suddenly realized I was too close to the edge of the tarmac. By the time I tried to correct it, it was too late, and I ended up crashing onto the road. Irene reminded me later that my last serious bike accident was on the exact same day 13 years ago, a strange coincidence.

Luckily, there were no cars nearby, so I was able to get up and limp off the road to check myself and the bike. I’ve got some nasty cuts on my elbow and knee, but thankfully the bike seems okay. A friendly driver who had seen me limping off the road came back to offer me a lift home. I’ve spent the rest of the day licking my wounds and following my teammates' progress on the Ironman app instead.