Ah barrio. My favorite race is now tarnished with an avoidable crash. I'm glad it was my fault because now I don't have to feel angry at anyone besides myself. And I'm also glad I didn't take out anyone else, as I'm not sure how one can live with that guilt. I'm not quite sure how to stomach my error. It was a momentary lapse in judgement. A look I should not have taken. And a painful reminder to look through the corner even after the road straightens out.
Kyle and I had a good warmup, riding to the race from OB. Got my number, passed my donated BWR entry fee for prime $$ onto Ralph for the w3/4, and got some spin ups and mini sprints done on the roads around the area. Did the warmup lap and felt okay. Wind would be a factor and I knew sitting in would be my only plan of the day.
It wasn't as fast from the gun as usual. Paraded around the first couple of corners and got to the bottom of the hill. After the turn up, in the straights, 2 Skyflash girls and a monster media girl went down. Not sure what happened but it was enough in front of me that I easily avoided it. Had to work a bit to catch back on, but nothing major. Monster media girl eventually got back in after a trip to the wheel pit, and I asked her if she was okay. A couple laps later and there was a $50 cash prime lap. Moved up after corner 1,2,3 and was sitting 3rd wheel going down the hill which I thought was too close to the front. The lead girl pulled for much longer than expected so I decided to make my move wide just before the final corner. Stood and sprinted about as hard as I would in a final sprint because gosh darnit I wanted that cash. Got it. And strung out the field.
Paid for it in the next 3 laps. Deanna was encouraging as I was quickly moving backward, to hang on and that she wouldn't let me get gapped. I was breathing like a large exhausted dog, and I'm sure others around me were concerned, or pleased. Sadly, my prime set up the attacks groups of 2/3 girls kept jumping from our bunch. As soon as I saw Joy go I knew I had to go, but wasn't recovered enough and knew my race was over.
Dislodged the most disgusting loogie in my life onto the entire left side of my face and sunglasses. That was seriously gross.
More laps of "is this over yet?" And "not sure how much longer I can hang on" and "I guess this isn't too bad"
I think I crashed with what would have been 3 laps to go. Headed into the final corner between two girls, the one on my right was further back. Wasn't anything abnormal or sketchy at all. I think I looked over my right shoulder as the corner was ending, because I had decided I wanted to move up. When I looked forward again I was heading right into the middle of the girl next to me on my left. Shit. She was following the pack and taking the corner extra wide and I had already started to straighten out, up the hill. I was in my drops, yet lost control of my front wheel as I rammed her. Props to her for keeping it up. All I remember seeing was someone's bar end cap in slow mo, falling through the air. And then I was down with my bike going over top of me.
Lots of internal swear words, or maybe I thought they were internal. JT and some random man scooped me onto the sidewalk as I was more concerned about being in the way of the lead pack. Head/neck felt fine, but my back/hips were in a lot of pain.
A terrible ambulance experience, 2 botched IV tries, a worse experience in X-ray, an hour wait at the pharmacy, and 30 min in the McDonald's drive through downtown and I was at my worst by the time we got home after midnight.
I have a very bruised low back/pelvis area, nothing broken. Got milk?
Laying down hurts. Sitting hurts. Nothing is comfortable, but especially not a metal scoop basket, an X-ray plastic board, and a toilet seat. Fml.
Thank you to JT who filled out the paperwork and took Kyle and my bike back home so Kyle could get the car. Thanks to Andrea for riding with me in the ambulance and listening to my craziness while on drugs. Thanks for the words of encouragement.
Should've put this at the top, cause this is all that really matters, but apparently my bike is okay!
Very sadly, they had to skin me of my skinsuit. The consolidation prizes? I got photographed by Danny Munson and I won a $50 prime.
