Accident Recovery Day 26 – New Goals

Saturday, and Day 26 post-bike accident.

The half cast for my pinky will stay on for at least another three weeks but my ortho doc wants me to take it off a few times a day and do hand exercises. Without the cast I can type a little bit faster, and therefore, I am able to write this post, finally.

Race Schedule Update

Due to the injury I was able to roll my Mountain Man Long Course race to next August. It’s going to be a long road to get back on a bike.

I’ve been thinking of new goals and trying new things. I have some exciting activities planned for this new lifestyle: 

I am a travelling, endurance athlete-writer.

1 – A Marathon In Every State

I love to travel. I want to see and do everything. I also want to visit friends and family along the way. I want to run in the places where friends can show me their world, their place!

Since I’m taking a break from biking and racing triathlon, I want to run. I want to trail run and I want to road run.

My new goal: I will finish a marathon distance or longer in every state by 12/31/2019.

I have already finished a marathon in Colorado and Arizona. I’m not counting the marathons completed as part of an Ironman; the race must be a standalone marathon or ultra distance running race.

2014
I am registered for the Duke City Marathon in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the Hoover Dam Marathon in Nevada. In Nevada I will hang out with my friend Meghan who lives in Las Vegas. I'm trying to convince her to run one of the races! Just do it! 

2015
I plan to sign up for the Mississippi Blues Marathon in Jackson, MS in January. This location was decided because I get to see my friend Rich. He has visited me in every state I’ve lived in since moving from New Hampshire. He lives just outside of Jackson now and I can’t wait to see him and take a tour of his southern place. Rich says he will run the quarter marathon! It's going to be an awesome week in Jackson.

I plan to run the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, California in February since I have yet to see the California seacoast.

I will finish a few marathons before signing up for more in 2015.

Pinterest - Follow My Journey on Pinterest

2 – Yoga, Pilates, and Spin classes

I have been training and racing triathlon for 10 years. This lifestyle didn’t leave any time or energy for group, indoor activity. In May I started weekly Yoga and Pilates classes at the Northwest YMCA at the urging of my friend, Libby. I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved the classes and instructors. Now, these classes have become part of my new lifestyle post-injury/crash. I've convinced my friend Kassandra to come to the weekly Power Yoga class and she has added it to her weekly training plan. She is training for her first Marathon - Tucson Marathon in December. (woot!) I also attended my first spin class since moving to Tucson last week and really liked it, too. I never thought I’d need a spin class since I always thought I’d be biking outside in Tucson.

Adapt – Change – Discover

A Bike Crash and Broken Finger

When life gives you lemons – I say make a smoothie:

My new saying doesn’t flow like the original.

On the morning of July ,1 I crashed on my tri bike breaking my left pinky. 

How it happened:

I was finishing my last four minute interval in aero position when I hit a patch of sand to the right of the white line on Moore Rd in Oro Valley. I watched my front tire lose contact with the ground sending me head first into the road. 

My head, shoulder and arm are fine; amazingly. Amazing, lucky, blessed. 

My left pinky didn’t fare as well. It was pointed in a direction no pinky should ever point. 

At the ER I had four stitches near my elbow and my pinky was pulled back into place. I have a lot of road rash on my left side. 

After a visit to Tucson Orthopedic two days later, the doctor reset the pinky bone, again, (i.e. pulled back into place) and I have a new splint on it.

Hopefully by next week the pinky bone will stay in place. If not – surgery.

A big thanks to:
The random guy, Alex who saw me crash and drove me home.
Dan, who always answers his phone when I call.  
Torie, who drove me to the ER.
Missy, who walked my dogs while in the ER and gave support.
Vanessa, who picked me up and took me to get the good pain meds.

I have a great support system and am so thankful.

I don’t think I will be biking for a very long time but I have all my faculties, I can still train and race in other sports, and will practice yoga and Pilates more.

I am now one-armed and feel a new sense of gratitude and wonder. It’s hard to multitask so I’m slowing down and living in the moment more than I ever have. 

Anyone interested in a pink, Quintana Roo tri bike? Size Medium?