After a brisk 3 mile walk on Saturday, Sunday saw my first real gym workout since my fall.  I did my usual 10 minute warmup and then 30 minute real workout (although eased up on the peak 60 sec, didn’t bump up the last couple of levels), so as not to overdo things.

The scab seemed unaffected by it and there was no pain afterward.  Fingers are now crossed for enough progress in the wound to allow a bike commute late in the week and then a 40 to 50 mile ride over the Labor Day Weekend.  While this would certainly set me up confidently for the 62 mile start, it would at least put me in a position to attempt the 100 mile ride.

All the spots at the 62 mile start are full, but there’s always the SAG wagon to help out if I’m dragging too much.

After waiting the  amount of time prescribed by my doctor, and boosted by the observation that the wound seemed to be starting to have enough of a scab to weather overnight, I’ve ditched the special non-stick dressing with the whole forearm being wrapped (see Aug 19 post).

As you can see, it’s is very much improved.  Also good are some things not pictured here.  Gone is the scab on my nose.  Almost gone are the bruises and scabs on the back of my shoulders and upper arms.  Given the size of the bruises near my right knee that have progressed since the Aug 19 post, I’d say that my knee brace likely saved me from a hell of a lot more road rash there!

Hopefully this will continue to improve and I can work up to a gym recumbent bike cardio workout on Sunday.  Unfortunately the scab on the left arm is not yet robust enough for an outdoor ride.  Labor Day weekend will be the only weekend where I’ll have the opportunity to get in any distance riding.

The last couple of days have been much better than Sunday evening – largely without pain and only very low levels (mainly just mild discomfort) over short periods.

There have also been signs of the would starting to scab up.  While moist after the bandages being removed and rinsed, a thin layer of hardened surface has been forming over most of the areas.  The rest seems to be close to a possible transition directly to normal skin.

I’m hoping tonight I’ll get more concrete signs that I’m going to be able to remove the bandages by the weekend and start my training again.  There are only 2 more weekends before the actual event.

As can be expected, progress has been slow; but I did feel up to trying my first post-crash workout on Sunday.

With doctor’s instructions to wipe down immediately after the workout (and written instructions from the urgent care to avoid sunlight for 6 mo.), it seemed best to do it at home using my commuting bike and my trainer.

The workout was great (usual 10 min. light warmup cardio, 40 min. stretch, then 30 min real workout) and performed with the bandages on (could not perform a number of the stretches properly with the bandages off).  Unfortunately the wound was really painful afterward (even after wipedown) and I needed to take extra pain meds & put the bandages back on much sooner that planned (not much airing out).  After consulting with the doctor, he confirmed my suspicion that having some days where it gets worse as the nerves are starting to reestablish themselves.  He then suggested more ibuprofen and giving it a rest (no exercise) for a while.

As there is no discharge and the wounds still seem to be progressing, I’m hoping that I’ll still be able take of the bandages for good on Thursday evening as planned.

Once again, we had a fun night with my dart tournament fundraiser for Best Buddies.  Between entry fees and side donations, over $200 was raised.

Thanks from me and Best Buddies to Dan A, Dan M., Fred, Gadi, Eduardo, Nanci, Paul, Kalindi, John & Sam and everyone else who cheered us on.

A special shout out goes to Ye Olde King’s Head, who have graciously hosted this tournament since its inception, and provided a sweetener to the prized for the winners.

This year the entry pool was very experienced.  With the number of entries not being too large, the format was luck-of-the-draw doubles (both pairing partners and bracket assignment) and the game was Chicago (best of 3: 501, Cricket, and, if necessary, 301)

Our winning team was Gadi & Eduardo, who did not lose a match.  Right when the draw was made, these guys were heavy favorites to be in the money.  In addition to their share of the prize pool, they each got a certificate for a dinner for two to Ye Olde King’s Head.

In second place, our losers bracket winning team (also 2nd place in the winners bracket) was John & Sam.  They gave Gadi & Eduardo a run for the money, but G&E were just too strong.

The third place pairing was Fred & Dan.  After losing their first match, they caught fire and steamrolled through the loser’s bracket but just didn’t have enough left in the tank to down the relatively fresh John & Sam.

Just to give a flavor for the evening, I’ve included below a few pictures that I took when I had the chance.

But first, for those of you who would like to give a donation to Best Buddies and have not yet had the chance, click this link to go to my donation page or go to http://myhc.bestbuddieschallenge.org/davidstampleman

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David

As Promised, here are some pictures of my scrapes.

There were enough scrapes where the urgent care and my primary doctor all felt it was easier to just wrap the whole forearm rather than tape down specific pads.

Here’s a quick view of what’s under that gause.

I’ll spare you all some more graphic close ups of these from different angles to get the full picture (couldn’t show it all at one angle).  but I will show a smattering of the other scrapes and bruises.

The other shoulder got something similar to that above, and the fingers weren’t spared either.

The good news is that with airing it all out in then evening, they expect the scab to be complete by next week.  So I may only miss one weekend of raid training (bike aside, of course).  I got off pretty easy given this crash.

Still waiting to hear about the official report on the bike damage.

Well, the bike may be toast.  Dropped by the bike shop and the initial tentative quick overview was:

Definitely replace:  Front Wheel, Handlebar, Right Shifter

Probably replace:  Rear Wheel, Left Shifter

More detailed evaluation to come:  Confirm above, check out remainder of bike, especially the carbon frame – expected within a couple of days.

Since I had just purchased new wheels (only approx. 4 rides to date – $500) and the other parts about looked to be over another $500 (none of this includes labor), a new bike may be in the picture after all is said and done (initially cost ~$1800).

Better that I replace bike parts than my parts.

More info to come next post, likely with some pictures too (mainly of the assessment of the damage to me, forgot to take bike pix before the drop off).  My primary doc will also be making a follow up

Was doing my relatively light ride as part of the bruised hip recovery (out and back to Trancas Canyon – no climbs, wouldn’t have even if fit as the temps were in the mid-90s at the ocean and who knows what in the valley) and things were going pretty well.

The hip bruise only had the occasional soreness, but decided to play it safe and not overdo it by going further or climbing.

Unfortunately on the way home, I did not see a sizeable rock when doing the short steep decent from Pepperdine down toward Cross Creek.  It must have blended well with the pavement.  I took a big spill likely around 35 mph.

Fortunately the handlebar and the wheels broke a lot of the initial fall.  There were no broken bones, concussions or stitches but lots of abraisions.  My forearms took the brunt of that and are covered in bandages, but the back of my shoulders and butt took a little bit of a hit too.

Fortunately there was an urgent care nearby and a nice family stopped to help me get there.

Doc says that the bigger scrapes might take 2 weeks or more to heal (close over).  We’ll see over the coming days what the fallout will be with my healing, any overlooked injuries and damage to the bike.  More details to come this coming week.

While the thigh and hip are still a little swollen and the bruise is HUGE (from hip and butt cheek down to knee), the bruises seem to be starting to thin rather that getting bigger and darker.

So I successfully did a 3 mile run on Saturday.  It occasionally got a little sore, but seems to be healing well.

Tomorrow we’ll see how well it goes with a light ride.

The preparations this year turn out to be a lot different than in prior years.

Previously I have tried to follow an 8 week training grid (would have started July 19 this time around).  In the early years for various reasons (at first being novice, then due to untimely injuries), I’d only be able to do very low mileage at the start of this 8 week period.

While this year there have been a number of urgent activities that have prevented me from getting in the number of rides suggested for the first half of the grid (and any long rides in June or early July), I was fortunate enough to be injury free and able to jump right in with rides of 30 and 40 miles.

The key will be trying to fit in enough workouts midweek, to work my way to 100 miles injury free by September 12.

So now the real training begins.

Last weekend’s ride is a great example of this challenge.  While I was able to get in 55 miles (to top of Latigo Cyn and back), a low speed spill has left me with a pretty badly bruised hip and some contusions on my fore arm.  This may keep me from training until the weekend while I let things heal.