18 May 2008 | Race Reports
Or Maybe Not…. NMBS #3 Race Report
Well, the XC at NMBS #3 didn’t exactly go as planned at all. It was REALLY hot, so I didn’t bother warming up on the trainer, and instead rode the first part of the lap I(about 10 mins) two times. The race started out well, I got the hole shot, got a little gap on the first climb and then stretched it out for the rest of the first lap and part of the second lap…
Then I came to, and there were people standing over me asking me questions like “what month is it? what year is it? what’s your last name? where are you?” Honestly, some of the questions I couldn’t even answer- I had no idea what had happened, and I was pretty scared because everyone kept telling me I crashed really hard, and my lower back hurt pretty bad (I think that was just from the race though). It was a very surreal experience, my brain was working really really slowly, and it took me awhile to answer simple questions. A medic picked me up and drove me down to the venue where I stayed for awhile in the medical tent- I think waiting for the ambulance to arrive. While I was there I got an IV, was strapped to a back board, and once the ambulance got there, I took an ambulance trip to the local hospital. After a few hours and a few IV bags, I was a little more coherent and started remembering a little bit more of what happened.
I was on the last climb of the course (maybe 2 miles from the finish) and I started riding off the trail (the DOUBLETRACK trail). I would ride off into the weeds on one side and then overcorrect and ride off into the weeds on the other side. I got really dizzy and tipped over a bunch of times, then tried just pushing my bike, but I couldn’t even do that without tipping over. And that’s about all I remember. Apparently I talked to some people as they rode by, but I don’t remember that at all. When the medics got to me I wasn’t even sweating- I was completely dry. I guess my plan to embrace the heat didn’t really work out so well…
I am feeling much better today- almost totally back to normal. Waldek put the kibosh on me racing the short track, but hopefully I will be able to go watch the race and cheer for my teammates. Nowhere to go but up from here!