the consequence of overconfidence

Yesterday, the 4th day of my 3rd and final naseba7 training test … in the middle of the best training week of my life, I got too comfortable and lost focus just for a split second and crashed on my bike.

It was the first crash I have ever had cycling … although I have only been cycling for about 18 months total in my life.

With the film crew riding next to me, filming .. maybe at the time, I was dreaming of being on the Discovery Channel … my pedal hit the curb and I crashed.

At first, because I couldn’t move my right leg, I thought I broke it, or dislocated my hip.

But after a minute or so of laying in the dirt, I felt ok and with the help from Bob, I stood up.
My favorite bike shorts were ruined, and I had gravel in a gash in my leg and elbow and both hands…

Mario told me the first thing I asked him as I was laying on the ground was “how is my bike?”

Luckily, my bike, including the rims and tires are not damaged, maybe a scratch on the handle bars, but thats it.

Irroncially, Mario and I had an argument the day before about my helmet.

I wanted to wear my new Mavic helmet, but Bob had forgotten it in the hotel room … so I had to wear another helmet which I bought in Austria, the lightest helmet on the market, but its so light that I do not see how it can protect ones head in an accident.

Mario said it would be fine because the helmet has been “tested”
… but, I replied that there is no way the ridiculously light helmet would protect my head in a crash, and I annoyingly, said “there is no way” and changed the subject.

In the crash, I hit my head hard against the ground, and the helmet lived up to Mario’s confident prediction.
Mario – you were right.

Riding in Fujairah is not like riding on a gorgeous bike path in Austria or on the streets in the south of France.

Every day so far this week, either I or Mario had almost been hit by a car so I was very nervous about getting into an accident.

However, this day – I had a fast, but easy and enjoyable swim …  felt great on the bike and was being filmed so probably was too comfortable, and lost my focus.

A friend told me when discussing my accident,  “it just happened…”

but I explained, “it only happened” because I was not focused enough …
a great example of being too confident; too comfortable, thus a silly mistake is made.

Immediately, after the accident….

At the time, my leg was sore, but not too sore.
I have road rash all the way from my forearm up to my shoulder, my hip is split open somewhat deeply, and both my hands and knees are cut from the fall, but I wanted to finish the 160 km ride.

And I told the film crew, “when you fall down, you have to get back up and keep climbing…”

We rode to a pharmacy, bought some things to clean my wounds and then rode on for another 36 km, until Mario stopped me for the day.

He wanted me to go to the emergency room, but I assured him I was ok,  just banged up and bruised.

We went back to the hotel, and he scrubbed my road rash with a wash cloth and hot soapy water (it burned so badly that I screamed like a girl)

By 7pm, my right leg was very sore and I could no longer walk, (not at all) because of the extreme pain in my inner-thigh.  It hurt just to lay in bed.

Mario announced that the test was canceled and we would go back to Dubai in the morning for me to go see my Doctor (Dr. Yusef, who operated on my knees)

I slept terribly, with my right leg and hip in severe pain.
It took me 3-5 minutes to walk 50-75 meters to the car … and I had to hold onto Bob like I was an old man or something.

We drove back to Dubai and went to Well Care.
As I expected, I have no broken bones, just badly bruised right leg.

I have 23 days until I attempt to complete something extraordinarily, difficult .. and I can’t stand up from the dinner table without someone helping me up…

I was too confident.  I was too comfortable.

We will post several videos over the next couple of days of the crash, and the rehabilitation I am doing to ensure I am recovered by the November 24th.  We think it will be interesting to share how I am managing this set back.

Recently, one person in America sent me a comment, “you prepared so well, it looks too easy…”

I am grateful for this extra challenge life has thrown me.

Although I am laying in bed with my right hip and inner thigh throbbing with pain…

I am more focused than ever on completing this challenge.