Pain curves

An interesting phenomenon occurs when one sustains multiple injuries similar in severity. Different types of injuries have what I call different "pain curves". That is, physical sensation versus time. Some of them are sprinters, like the road rash was, quickly healing in a blaze of glory. Some of them are general all-arounders, like the wrist, gradually improving over weeks. And some of them are like RAAM riders, becoming totally unnoticeable when the other hotshots are around. But they're relentlessly steady, with no perceptible variation in pace over the weeks. That would be like my toe that the oxygen tank was dropped on. I could learn a thing or two about pacing from that thing.

If I didn't have several injuries healing simultaneously, I would feel like I was wasting the magical healing powers of youth. Heaven forbid.

Second opinion

Today, I was supposed to get a cast put on my hairline-fractured wrist. I brought my x-rays from the ER. The doc was not totally convinced by the x-rays. After feeling my wrist up, decided to get a second set of x-rays. My wrist had been feeling suspiciously good for being broken yesterday, so I was optimistic. After checking out the new pictures, the doctor informed me that I actually just have a sprain, not a fracture.

Naturally, my first question was when I could start racing again. He said two to three weeks or whenever it feels ok. I'm going to shoot for Muskego on May 10. Baraboo is this weekend, but, since I suck at it, that's not a race I look forward to. I'm secretly glad to have an excuse to avoid getting my soul crushed that weekend.

They gave me a splint, I think called a "cockup splint". The name is appropriate given how I inflicted the injury. I was hoping for a pink cast, but this is even better.

Back in the saddle

I talked to a doctor affiliated with the team yesterday. He said that given the type of injury I likely have, the only limitation to my riding will be my own comfort. Score. Tomorrow, I'm going in to get my splint replaced with a cast, and I'll find out for sure.

But today, I hooked up the aero bars and put in two easy hours on the trainer. Well, easy intensity anyway. I can't get comfortable on the bars. I was trying to focus on form and position. But the wrist was feeling great though. Muskego is in 11 days. I really wanted to do that one. But now I'm just getting greedy. I'm just glad I didn't end up having to spend too long off the bike. I guess it was only like two days, and I was already getting paranoid feelings of losing fitness. Ridiculous.

Can't ride, might as well start a blog

I pulled off a pretty stupid maneuver on Saturday in the Whitnall Park race. I got to the front of the pack, and actually forgot there was a turn. I just got to the front and started motoring with no regard for the upcoming corner. I don't remember how I went down, but I know I hit my right hand and right ass. I bounced up and walked over to my bike. People cheered when I got on it. That's cool. It's kind of like winning, except with more pity. I took a free lap. For the next 35 minutes, I just hung in the pack. Using the drops hurt and downshifting hurt. I tried not to do either one of those. I finished 11th.

I got an xray later where they found the hairline fracture. I may be on aero bars for the next 4 weeks. Like a triathlete. :(