Tommy Godwin Memorial Road Race 2014

I chose this race as a target race due to the fact that it has a 'classic' feel to it. Rural Warwickshire, close to Stratford upon Avon, on an early summer's day with fair weather and deceiving  'bergs' meant for serious but highly enjoyable racing.

I pulled out of the Steve Gutteridge race on the grounds that I dont have the nerve to race on wet roads anymore.
I cannot afford to have another crash and possibly do more damage to myself.
As it is I will have a long stint in the gym to rebuild my shoulder physique after the 2014 season is over.

I shall keep working away on the trainer to keep my fitness up. I have entered a race on the 8th June but again I will be looking for good conditions to race or I will be a non starter.



 

Preparation Week for Steve Gutteridge Memorial RR - LVRC

The effect of long road miles creates huge stress. Short burst training on the following days can help monitor the body's response to the fatigue and the recovery can be tracked. The emphasis is on short burst training - a maximum of 30 minutes. Anymore will just prolong fatigue and demoralise. Repeating the same workout helps the analysis.
My own response is the need for me to have 96 hours before I can get close to performing at my threshold once more. This has repercussions if I intend to do a double header weekends racing. This weekend is just one race over 50 miles on an undulating circuit.

Encouraging trend...

An encouraging trend appearing after analysis of the last few days of race and training data.
Power numbers seem to be returning.
The default gauge is 5 minute peak power which can neatly encapsulate the requirements of road racing - high demand but followed by recoveries.

 

The decline after my crash does appear to be halted and helped by more focussed training.

Swynnerton Race - 3 1/2 laps, 40 miles

This was the first race since my accident at Pinvin and this was a race where it controlled me not the other way around.
I survived - just- but I was hanging on.
An injury has that effect of stripping away the top end and on the lumpy Swynnerton circuit I felt the lack of power.

 The heart rate/power trace shows how hard it was for me.
So, not really back into competitive form but it is progress.
At least my bike looks the part even if I don't!

A decision to race or not

This weekend is the Stone Wheelers circuit race but now to be held on the Swynnerton road circuit.
Physio visit :

 
 After 36 hours, I am getting some neck pain on the other side. The K tape is very tight keeping the damaged AC joint 'step' down.










I gave myself the target of a minimum 60 minute workout.
This is decide if I have have the 'form' to race on Sunday.
 


I shall now see if I can get a good night's rest before making decision.

Pinvin Aftermath

! week after my crash and I am still on pain relief at night time.
My shoulder looks worse than it is but it is still a level 2/3 AC tear

This summarizes the injury and the choices for treatment:

Mechanism of injury
The most common cause for a separation of the AC joint is from a fall directly onto the shoulder. The fall injures the ligaments that surround and stabilize the AC joint.
If the force is severe enough, the ligaments attaching to the underside of the clavicle are torn. This causes the "separation" of the collarbone and wingbone. The wingbone actually moves downward from the weight of the arm. This creates a "bump" or bulge above the shoulder.

This figure shows the intact ligaments around the acromioclavicular joint. The red arrow points to the ligaments that are around the joint itself. The gray arrow points out the important stabilizing ligaments underneath the collarbone.

The injury can range from a little change in configuration with mild pain, to quite deforming and very painful. Good pain-free function often returns even with a lot of deformity. The greater the deformity, the longer it takes for pain-free function to return.

• A mild shoulder separation involves a sprain of the AC ligament that does not move the collarbone and looks normal on X-rays.
• A more serious injury tears the AC ligament and sprains or slightly tears the coracoclavicular (CC) ligament, putting the collarbone out of alignment to some extent.
• The most severe shoulder separation completely tears both the AC and CC ligaments and puts the AC joint noticeably out of position.

Diagnosis

The injury is easy to identify when it causes deformity. When there is less deformity, the location of pain and X-rays help the doctor make the diagnosis. Sometimes having the patient hold a weight in the hand can increase the deformity, which makes the injury more obvious on X-rays.

Treatment

Nonsurgical Treatment

Nonsurgical treatments, such as a sling, cold packs, and medications can often help manage the pain. Sometimes, a doctor may use more complicated supports to help lessen AC joint motion and lessen pain.

Most people return to near full function with this injury, even if there is a persistent, significant deformity. Some people have continued pain in the area of the AC joint, even with only a mild deformity. This may be due to:

• Abnormal contact between the bone ends when the joint is in motion
• Development of arthritis
• Injury to a disk-like piece of cushioning cartilage that is often found between the bone ends of this joint

It is often worthwhile to wait and see if reasonable function returns without surgical treatment.

Surgical Treatment

Surgery can be considered if pain persists or the deformity is severe. A surgeon might recommend trimming back the end of the collarbone so that it does not rub against the acromion.

Where there is significant deformity, reconstructing the ligaments that attach to the underside of the collarbone is helpful. This type of surgery works well even if it is done long after the problem started.
Whether treated conservatively or with surgery, the shoulder will require rehabilitation to restore and rebuild motion, strength, and flexibility. 

At the moment I have chosen to wait and see method as the injury is causing not so much pain as mild discomfort and awkwardness in moving the left shoulder girdle.

Pinvin Lvrc

Pinvin - short and sweet.... 15 miles or so in and settled into a chasing group, hit a greasy spot on a fast ish LH bend and down we goes.
Scrapes to body and bike. My bony shoulder survived but has a massive contusion that is restricting movement a bit - but it is not broken.
Road rash on hip needs a huge wound pad to cover it!
2 weeks to next race - we shall how the pain subsides.
The fun part is that I have 5 spin classes to lead, starting to morrow night!
Yippee..  show me the money!

Have had to mull over why my accident happened when the front wheel washed out.
I had gone from the start and built up a gap and was bridged to by a team buddy. That gap lasted 7 or 8 miles but eventually chased down by someone who was racing out of category. In my opnion if you race out of category - especially if you are younger! you do not initiate chase downs or drive the bunch back.
When the bunch passed a group of 6 went through.
When I came down I was doing my damndest to get back to this group again. Probably fully anaerobic, my judgement for a dodgy corner was lax and my speed was excessive.
I admit my fault at the end of the day - but - still not happy!

Trend

The trend line for 5 and 20 minute power after the winter training season is very similar to the end of 2013 season.
This is a positive result for all the hard work over winter. Hard work in the sense of motivation to stick to the training regime.

 

Racing Season 2014

Saturday 8th - Darley Moor

Dealing with injury

Accidents whilst training or racing are not inevitable but are nevertheless an ever present risk.
How do the professionals cope? With mixed results could be the answer.
Johnny Hoogerland - ribs and spine 2013
Cancellara - collarbone 2012
Schleck, Andy - pelvis 2012

Those are the headlines but away from the newspapers there is a lot of bruising and a lot of damage that nobody talks about which is obvious when you really think about how an unprotected body hitting a hard and unforgiving surface at speed.
Never understimate an injury. Depending on the severity of the accident you may have to wait weeks before you can get back on a bike.
Hoogerland had to wait a month, Cancellara a week and Schleck's post accident tribulations are well documented.

Getting on the bike with pain is a recipe for overcompensating and developing muscle imbalances or tendonitis. The drive to get back on the bike is hard wired in a cyclist. The thought of a full winter's training all for nothing can be a blight.
So if fitness evaporates, all is not lost. 
As a general rule of thumb, one week off the bike requires 3 weeks consistent training to regain. Top end peak power is the victim. Those short punchy climbs turning legs into blocks of concrete. Holding on in the bunch for 100km is not the issue, it is those 2 minutes of surges that can happen in a blink of an eye that opens up the holes in fitness.
However, too much too soon equals overreaching and that can lead to chronic fatigue.
Hoogerland and Cancellara have got through their accident trauma to notch up subsequent wins. For Schleck, his rehab has been fraught but still with a place on a Pro Tour team he can still be confident that an athlete's ability to regain pre accident form is more the norm than not.