Biking accident

sahara, I'm so sorry to hear about your accident. I've never been in one. My only thought is that you will want to play it more cautious the next time you are riding.l Sounds good to me.

Sandy, I hope you get better real soon! I've never had that bad of a bike accident, but I know all about concussions. You can't let that monster beat you!

Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high. Keep your ol' eyes fixed, where the trail meets the sky. Live like you ain't afraid to die. Don't be scared, just enjoy the ride. -Chris Ledoux

I'm so sorry that you are injured -and understandably afraid to get back in the saddle.. I'd wait and see before assuming that when the time comes you'll still be afraid. You might be... which would just tell us that you had a doozy of an accident, which you already know. Or... you might be so stir crazy from the forced rest, that a short ride around the neighborhood -wearing the new helmet you're going to buy!- will be just the ticket. The fact that you're shaken up at this point just sounds like a sensible reaction to me.

sending healing thoughts your way....

Andrea

I hear where you are coming from Sandy...it's tough recovering from the crash. Over my racing career I was involved in 5 crashes. The most serious was in a race in Portsmouth New Hampshire, where I hit the road while racing in a pack of 120 riders. I was knocked unconscious and spent 24 hours in the intensive care unit with head injuries. The helmets we used then were inferior to what is used today (this was in the early 80's) but I probably wouldn't be here today without it. Take it easy on your comeback, I went through a period of lightheadedness, and you don't want to go through another crash involing a dizzy spell or something like that. Best thing to do is get back on the bike slowly, take your time, ride on nice flat roads, build up your confidence. Try riding with friends so you will have the group to chat with and you'll be less conscious of your anxiety. It will come back to you, just don't try to do it all in one day. Since my bad crashes, I've gotten over the fear of going down again, and have no trouble doing high speed descents now, once hitting a top speed in Colorado of 63 mph.

Just take it slow and don't rush things. I think the companionship on rides is the best emotional recovery tool...everything is easier when you have friends around.

Max

Edited by max 2004-04-13 1:37 AM

Sandy,  Thank goodness you are okay! It may take some time to bounce back. Several years ago while my hubby and I were dating, (before we ever thought of doing tri's or du's) We bought a couple Huffy bikes and decided we would race each other. We happen to be racing downhill around a curve when I got off into some fine gravel on the side of the road, my bike flipped and I went straight down on my knees. I did not have a helmet on (dumb I know now) but I was able to tuck myself into a ball  and roll. I was pretty much hamburger. It has taken quite a while to get over that, I still, to this day, have some fear when going down steep hills. It will take some time, just take it easy, and take it slow until you feel comfortable.

I haven't done any road rides or races yet. That will start soon. But I have lots of experience in Mountain Bike riding and racing. I have crashed more times than I can count. A few of the more memorable ones...

- I hit a slipery rock on the side of a mountain that was a 50 degree drop to a sheer drop off down to a rapid rock filled river 50 feet below that. The front wheel went out and down, and made the bike twist me off... down the hill. I tubled for a little while trying to regain control. based a leg and my shoulder pretty good. I'm real surprised I didn't break anything. I tried grabbing several passing trees on my way towards warp speed. Fallen leaves act more like a lubricant, than anything else. Finally I got one of the last trees, about 30 feet or so from the edge. I walked down to the edge and looked over. Had I gone, I wouldn't have survived. My bike was smart enough to grab one of the first trees it encountered. So I was able to make some small repairs and ride out. Not riding anymore after that never crossed my mind. I loved the sport too much.

- I was riding home from work. I didn't wear a helmet back then (High School) cause I was too cool to wear one to work. The little old lady never saw me when she hit me, when my head hit the window and spidered cracked half of it, or when my body rolled down the side of her car. I layed unconsious in the middle of an intersection. I was messed up pretty bad in the face and back. Luckily they were able to stitch me up pretty good, and I looked better than ever. You may know me as Brad Pit! :-P

Anyway, after several months of recovery time, I climbed back on the bike. I took it slow. I rode around the neighborhood. THen on some local trails in parks and bike paths and the sort. Then I stepped it up a little here and a little there. I rode with friends a lot, and just had as much fun as possible. Before I knew it I was back into shape.

Advise: Recover. Don't think about, look at, or smell (What, you've never smelled your bike? Weirdos!) the bike. Stay away from it for a little while. You aren't mad at her. You just need to occupy your brain with other thoughts. She'll understand. Trust me. When you are ready to start training again, you aren't ready. Go to spinning class instead. She'll understand. Trust me. Then, one day, take her out for a little spin. Apologize for not riding her. (Chicks love it when you grovel) Get back in the grove nice and slow. Invite a friend along. (kinky, eh?) Don't train hard. Don't go fast. Concentrate on having a good time and relaxing. Do that for a while... you know... the group thing... ;-) It will help you relax back in the saddle and, in the long run, improve your training and speed.

Once you've successfully recovered from a tough crash, you can walk a little taller. You've gone to the edge... and you came back!

They don't call me CRASH for nuthin. ;-)

my biking accident was back in June 03 on my BMX , learning one handed jumps i landed , but on the flat and tore my Schapho lunate ligament in my left wrist. I then had to wait 9 Months for an operation here in England. I did some form of training all the time i was injured[including swimming]. I have now had my surgery to repair the ligament , I cant get my cast wet or ride my bikes outdoors. So what i'm saying is dont get too down . I have got rid of the bmx bought a turbo trainer and i am now concentrating on my running. i will get my cast taken off at the start of june , so a full year and my recovery is just starting.
I'm not saying its easy but you can and will get past this ;)

Sorry to hear about your crash, I can definately identify with how your feeling as I am less than a week removed from my crash. Give yourself some time and heal up and then worry about getting back on the bike. We already crashed, nothing but good things from here on Get well!

Sorry to hear about your crash. If it were me, I'd spend some time on a trainer, then spend some time in a gentle, non-threatening area. I used to race dirt bikes but after a bad wreck that landed me in the hospital, I made the mistake of taking far too much time off. When I finally went back to i (4 years later), I was just too timid and it wasn't any fun. I think back now that if I'd tried sooner, I would have been able to get past it.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, physical & mental. I sure understand how tough those mental/emotional wounds can be.

Sorry to hear about your crash. Take the time to heal up.

i was in an accident back in 98. i commuted back and forth to work, even through minnesota winters. even thought seriously about doing iditasport on my bike. one icy morning i had to swerve to get out of the way of an oncoming car that didn't have any lights on (it was 7am and pitch black). i hit black ice and crashed, dislocating and fracturing my left elbow. i ended up having to have surgery and still have a bolt in my elbow. i know it could have been much worse. i could have been hit, or it could have been my head instead of my elbow...but at the time, i was working as a certified sign language interpreter (asl), so my hand and arms were my livelihood. as soon as my physical therapist gave me the thumbs up to ride a bit, i got back on my bike. she thought i was going to ride on the trainer...but i ended up riding in a blizzard with my new studded tires instead. that probably wasn't the most responsible thing, but i'm VERY glad i got back on a bike one way or another, to get over my fear. don't push yourself too hard, but when your doctor thinks its okay, get on the trainer or even go for a quiet ride on a paved bike path some place pretty. best of luck to you and a speedy recovery.

Max,

Thanks for your reply, and for everyone else's for that matter. It helped to here about your accident and to know your back to where you are. This horrible type A personality is getting in the way, it's been almost a week, I'm dying to get back but know I'm physically not able, I'm still having a problem walking because of the dizziness.

Thanks for sharing your story,

Sandy

Crash Man,
Thanks for the good advice, I can't even look at the bike I was riding without feeling sick, a friend took it away for awhile, to be check out. Thre bike actually landed on top of me and without a scratch. And of coarse when I came to at the hospital the first thing I asked a friend was where's my bike. Is that a sickness or what Anyway biking inside for alittle while won't hurt when I'm feeling better. I'm a spinning instructor so I know where to find a good class.

Sandy

I am sorry to hear of your accident.
I worked in brain injury rehabilitation for a while. Even with mild brain trauma, you may be really wiped out for a while...so take it easy. It might be more difficult to have normal balance, to concentrate, and to handle multiple stimuli for a while - safety out on the road might be compromised. I would check with your doctor re. exercise recommendatins and if it is OK to cycle, use the indoor trainer.
I sound like a worrywart, but that's just my 2 cents!!
Jen

"...when I came to at the hospital the first thing I asked a friend was where's my bike..."

That statement right there proves to me that you will be a-ok! Thats how you know if a Mountain Biker is seriously injured. If he/she askes about thier bike, then they will be fine!

i had to laugh reading the 'where's my bike?'. when i was in my accident, instead of tending my broken wing, i cradled it with on arm and pushed my bike off the road with my feet. :-O

Autumn,

Thanks for the laugh, I love to here I'm not alone in this craziness, because I can totally relate to that.

Edited by sahara 2004-04-13 9:10 PM

Jen,

Thanks for the advice. My Dr. won't let me do anything physical until I have a MRI they want to make sure I don't set anything off that might have occured during the accident. I'm still to dizzy, and have a headache that comes and goes.

Sandy

What a great moral support you all are!!

Thanks again,
Sandy

I get that too. But it usually stops a few hours after I put down the vodka bottle. (or drop it when I fall over. Which ever comes first)