Hey Gang,

Cyclo-cross was a terrific experience for me this year… It really was a last-minute idea — like the MTB, I coach many CX racers and thought it would be great to get out there and race with them and support them… Weeks ago at the West Point CX race, I finally started finding my legs and a good rhythm — the muddy sections were GNARLY and I was having success negotiating these tricky sections, something I previously wouldn’t have been able to do…

Two weeks ago, I raced the second day up at Sussex, took 5th in the A’s (Troy Kimball of Westwood was flying out there, took the win) and then the following day did a few hours up at Ringwood on the MTB… Day was going great, was riding most everything on the Blue and Red trails, finding new fluidity and bike-handling skills, and then near the end of the ride, on a slight descent, I took it a bit hot, skimmed a tree, and this sent me ultimately sideways, and I landed in a shallow creekbed, smashing my ear on a rock. Ouch.

Immediately, my vision went yellow, and I was deaf for a moment, and then I jumped to my feet. When I got back to the car, my friends saw how badly the ear was smashed — I already had elephant ear. It was ridiculously deformed and HUGE. Something didn’t feel right, like I felt like the ear had been torn off in a way, blah — first bad MTB crash, and I was glad I was okay. I always say when you get good, that’s when you start to crash — because you’re pushing the borders of everything…

Well, two days later, ear is getting back to normal, but I awake in the middle of the night, ready to vomit. I lay down, and the room is spinning… So… all signs of a concussion, the brain now swelling… I went to the doctor, and I was diagnosed with a Grade 2 concussion — he noted I DID land on my ear, and my helmet was virtually untouched — blunt trauma against the rock, ick. I went back a few days later for an Impact test, and I did miserably on it — he recommended I certainly get an MRI.

So that’s me. Getting an MRI this week… Haven’t been able to ride or lift at all in these last 14 days, just mellow yellow — can actually be a good thing with this unforeseen CX season in my legs! Been able to catch up on a lot of work — finished two books I was studying, polished off over 10 BioFiles, finally finished the summer and fall newsletter, and finished the two CX articles I was still researching…

VERY productive… but still have the signs of the concussion, kinda scary 14+ days later. Whenever I move for prolonged periods, I get nauseous, a very unpleasant feeling, just feel weak and dizzy… So we’ll see what the MRI says. If the head is clear, I plan to take 14+ days off, trekking to Oregon for the holidays, packing the days with light gym work, XC skiing, and snowshoeing, plenty of aerobic cross-training…

For 2011, I will surely be starting things a bit slower and steadier, will certainly not be as fit as I was in 2010 (so whoever wants to behead me in TTs in April, feel free!!! ), but this is fine: the heart of my season is late-May early-June and then… planning a full assault on the New England CX scene…

I will keep y’all posted… HUGE thanks for those of you who heard about the spill and sent me energy through phone calls and e-mails — VERY much appreciated… Hopefully I’ll see everyone on the road or trails soon…

Happy Holidays.

kens-signature

Coach's Diary | Wednesday, December 12th, 2012 | | |