I got clipped

It had to happen sooner or later but I got clipped by a car and down I went.

Last Thursday I had the day and went out on a training ride. I started a North Rd headed up to Port Melbourne and then down to Frankston. The wind from Port Melbourne to Frankston was a head wind. At Frankston I comment on Facebook I was hoping for a tail wind home, sure enough there was. As we approached Brighton Baths I felt good and happy, nice strong ride. At North Road I had to stop for a red light, I think there were 2 or 3 cars in front which I normally not pass on left or right, they are there first. The Lights changed and off we took both cars and rider, I had crossed North Road and I remember seeing the side mirror of a car and then seeing the road and water bottles flying and cars horn blowing. The guy in the 4x4 who was behind the guy who clipped me stopped and put it’s hazarded lights on. I unclipped picked myself up off the road along with my bike and bottles. I sat down on the grass and looked to see if I had broken anything. My head hurt which was from the helmet hit road. I took off my glove and helmet and sat there for what felt like forever but was only 30secs. The guy in the 4x4 came over to see if I was alright and he needed to call the ambos. I said I was alright at this point the drive who hit me walked back to see if I was ok. The guy in the 4x4 asked if I wanted his details but I said all good as the drive had stopped and we were going to exchange details, at this stage he left. The drive who hit me and I had a discussion as we walked up to his car about you must leave 1m of room, it’s the law. He was truly sorry for the hit and I took pictures on my iPhone of his car, number plates, rego and his driver’s license. We shook hands and he left.

I went back to my bike and sat down in the side of the road to think about what happened. I tried to call Ellie at work but she didn’t answer, so I sent her a txt and posted on Facebook that I got hit.

I look at my helmet and my bike except for some minor scraping, my shoulder and hip feeling sore from the hit with the road nothing broken. I WAS LUCKY! Very Lucky!

So far the repair goes like this

New Knee Warmers                       $50

New Helmet                                   $150  (was told to replace it regards of it looks ok)

Bike Service                                   $80

Bar Tape                                        $50

New chain                                      $80

For the record I did finish my ride it was not the way I wanted to finish. Furthermore after Ellie and I have both been hit we use our Roadid’s for Running and Cycling. If it’s just for touring, to training, to other always have it on.

I drive and I ride, I also try to make sure I leave 1m to half lane gap, all I can ask is everyone to be careful, both rides and drivers, accidents happen but let’s all be aware of each other.

The following day I did an open water swim which the body loved from a wound healing point and also from a muscle stiffness point of view. Later on Ellie and I headed out for a little spin nothing too serious but I got back on the horse…. Err. Bike.

For more information on rider safety and driver awareness see the following

www.roadid.com.au

www.amygillett.org.au

VicRoads

Dear Motorist

Run for the Kids Race Report

For years I have wanted to run the long course race and it’s for a good cause, The Royal Children’s Hospital. I previous raced the 5km course and that was good fun. Ellie and I both signed up for the 15km and part of Ellie’s Marathon training it said she needed to do 20km. The plan was for us both to race the 15km but as Ellie would finish before me she would do a run around The Tan and we would meet at our meeting point; a Portable Cool Room we picked out.

We watched the 5km start and finish before we did our final bathroom stops which was funny to see the Public Toilets at the Skate Park a line of women using the mens toilets as well as the womens,  I’ve never seen that before.

As we worked our way into our wave start area we bumped into Lee from our Tri Club along with Juliet who is from another Tri Club but we all know each other. Ellie said that she heard someone say these two (us) look super quick let’s find another place back further. The start was delayed as per normal with these big events, but that’s life. Before too long we started to walk towards the start line then we started to run.

Over the Swan St Bridge and down towards the Domain Tunnel entrance at this point Ellie bolted down the Tunnel. After the last weeks race my legs were still feeling trashed so went at my own pace. I have never run through the tunnel but I’ve driven it countless times. I would feel the air flow through the tunnel and it was also a good chance to see where the speed cameras are located. (by the 1km to exit signs towards the end) As we run up and out the tunnel I felt my Garmin reconnect back to the GSP sats, 1-2km was slow, but the 2-3km was like 1min. Clearly the Garmin was working out where it was. As we came up to the first water station you could see peeps ducking off the course into the bush for a wee and then come back on. I grabbed some water and kept on going up the ramp into the Bolte Bridge. At the top was great view which I took the view before heading down the bridge to Footscray road and through Docklands. My calf cramp up and need to stretch it out I stopped stretched and kept on going. Around the marina down past Channel 7 then into Colins St and down to Crown. We then headed along Southbank to rowing clubs then up into St Kilda Road to the finish line.

Heading down Colin's St

Finish Line

After finishing I got some water then headed to the meeting point and waited for Ellie. During this time I stretched and sat in the sun, when Ellie got back we headed home and spent some time with Max my grandson.

Max and me doing selfies

My Final time was 1 hr 34 mins 04 secs

Teamup Race 5 Race Report

With the Tri Race Season at end and my race season a wreck after breaking my toe I looked at what I could do. With recently completing the final sprint race of the season and an Olympic Distance Tri being the final race in Melbourne I thought ok, I missed St Kilda’s OD, let’s do this one. I called the coaches to see if I could get a discount code and luck for me they managed to arrange a free race entry, score! Friday before the race our office was moving offices. So I worked both Friday and Saturday to help move our office, lots of manual work. During the Saturday afternoon I headed down to Mordy and collected both my race kit and Ellie’s. Ellie was completing the Sprint distance after coming first in the mini in the previous race. After finishing work Ellie and I headed out for a pasta dinner and I gave her race kit to her.

Sunday morning I picked up Ellie and we headed down to Mordy. After parking and grabbing our gear we headed down to the transition area and headed in to rack our bikes. After setting up my bike and gear I headed over to see how Ellie was going. After we finished our setups we headed over to the team tent to drop off our transition bags. Needed a bathroom before the race I headed over to the public toilets and waited in line while Ellie went for a coffee. However only 500m away was another public toilet. I was hoping no-one knew about this one and lucky for me it was not in use. After a quick use of the facilities I headed back to the tent and started to change into my wetsuit and headed down to the beach. I bumped into Jess from Casey Tri Club, Jess just completed or tried to finish IM Melbourne but after a crash on the bike she didn’t complete the run. She wished me good luck and I headed down for a warm up swim, the water was chilly but not cold, I did my warm up swim and lined up with the rest in my age group.

Swim Start Warm up - how clear is the water

Race Time!

The horn sounded and off we went the bay was flat and the swim felt fast and I felt strong. Anna, my swim coach, prep’d me well I followed her plan for my swim and felt great at the end of the 1500m. The water was flat and clear, you could see the bottom most of the way along with a few jellyfish. I ran up the beach into transition got my wetsuit off, aero helmet on and I grabbed my bike. As I headed out and started to ride up towards Sandringham I started to think I’ll be doing 2/3 of the Challenge MelbourneBike course twice. In my mind it set in I need to learn every bump, crack, etc before the race next February. I felt fast and strong on the bike as I approached Royal Ave and turn around I saw my target another rider in front. After the turn back into aero and I pushed hard, I passed the rider as we hit Black Rock and powered up the hill towards Ricketts Point. These rolling hills I know and I have hated and loved them, today was love.

Bike Turn Around - Photo by CCTS Tri Club

 

At Mentone It’s a clear almost straight piece of road towards Mordy. Just short of transition you could see the turn point, as I approached I could hear people calling out my name. I had to be careful to stay right on the turn as other athletes who started in later waves / races where coming through on the left. I got back into aero and powered through the second lap. The 2^nd lap felt better than the 1^st, I was having a great race and loving it; as we came back to Mordy for the 2^nd time I dismounted the bike and ran into transition. I re-racked my bike off with the helmet on with my shoes grabbed my visor and out on the run we went. My legs hurt badly, they felt heavy and tied, I started to ask did I push too much on the bike, was my legs still lacking KM’s after the broken toe.  As I headed out along beach road my pace was not great but I told myself I can do this. As we moved from the road to beach path I started to cramp up. I stopped stretched and carried on, at the end of the beach path was a hill switch back path up to the road, I tried to run, jog up it in the end I walked up part of it. At the top was a water station which I grabbed water and then headed down towards the turn. At the turn I headed back at the water station I grabbed some water and kept on pushing until we came back down the path. I legs were cramping and hating me, I had to stop at least 3 times. When I was stretching who should pass me on the short course, but Ellie I told her to keep going; I kept going and crossed the line. Cramps didn’t feel great in my legs, I grabbed a few bottles of water and headed over to the tent. I sat on the ground in pain cramp and stretching out. So 2/3’s of the race where great so what went wrong with the run. Firstly of the office most likely over loaded the legs, secondly I think my legs are not at race pace after the broken toe. Lots of work ahead in the winter.

Run Finish

 My final time was 2 hours 49 mins and 58 secs, just 2mins off a PB. 

Race Report - St Kilda Gatorade Race 5

Last weekend saw both Ellie and I race in the last Gatorade race of the 13/14 season. Ellie signed up for the mini and I signed up for the Sprint. Last race of the season is always big, lots of people, party time and yes, a race.

Saturday morning I did our squad’s pre race program, ride, run and swim, followed by putting up the TA Taj. Around lunch time Ellie and I headed back down to St Kilda for her to register and for us both to collect our kits, I felt racey after the morning’s session. On the way back to the car we walked through transition found our racks then spent the rest of the day went spent having lunch and a movie.

Saturday Morning Prep

 

Sunday morning at 4:30am the alarm up off, I got up had breakfast, shower and shaved, changed and then headed off to pickup Ellie and her gear and then we headed off to St Kilda, race day! We parked close by got our gear out of the car then headed over to the TA Taj where we found our Head Coach needing coffee and a sleep. You can see why in the photo below.

Ollie in need of Cofee

Ellie and I arranged our Transition gear then headed in transition. After I racked and got my transition area sorted I headed over to help Ellie out. She had most of her stuff right, except I offered a suggestion of racking her bike by the seat instead of the handle bars. She took my advice and swapped the bike around.

We headed back to the tent to chill out before Ellie’s race. Ellie changed into her wetsuit and we walked down to race start. About 2 mins before her wave start I sent her for a warm up swim. As she lined up for her wave start Dave from Supersprint did he’s standard yet me know if there are any loved one’s in the wave. I said Go Grubby, (her nick name) and Dave said “Go Grubby? you can’t call her that!” which I replied with you don’t live with her.

Ellie and TA Girls at the Swim Start

 

Ellie’s swim looked good but seemed to have issues getting out of her wetsuit as she headed into transition. I raced across the park to the road to catch her as she passed on the bike. Sadly I had to head back to my own race briefing I waited for her on the run but I had to head back to the tent to change.

Ellie heading for T1

Few of us walked down to the swim start got in and did our warm up swims before lining up. The horn sounded and off we went, I felt strong through the whole swim and applied Anna’s my swim coach swim techniques to the swim, the water was flat and fast. I came out of the water ran up the beach into transition, I got my wetsuit off grabbed my sunglass and helmet, unracked my bike and headed out, as I headed out to the ride the bike jumped loose from my hand but I caught it and kept going. Over the mount line and off we went.

Me at the swim start

Flying on the bike

I felt racey and fast and I was, I pushed hard and felt good. I passed lots of athletes and team mates. As I came back my the venue I heard the TA cheer squad (aka the Ironman Crew) yelling out. I dismounted with a little bit of kaos with a few people dismounting. I re-racked my bike and headed out on the run. I didn’t feel great I need a bathroom badly, I passed Julia and Pam found the bathroom did what was needed and kept on running.

TA Cheer Squad

Me on the run home

 

My run is still crap since breaking my toe. I reached the turn around and headed back to the finish, I could feel something rubbing I thought it was the timing belt so I stopped moved it and started to run again. As I came close to the finishing line the TA cheer squad was at its best; I ran as fast as I could over the line. As I walked a back to the tent feeling sore and happy I saw Ellie who run up and tried to talk me out telling me she had win her event. I was happy for her but I foot was hurting and I wanted to get my shoes off. I sat down took my shoe off and found that the back of my shoe had rubber the back of my foot and caused it to bleed a little. I waited in line for a post race massage and Karn did his best on my lower body. As people finished we all chatted about our races swapping stories when Ollie pulled out a big eskie of beer. Party time, photos were taken beer was drunk and then the podiums started. TA picked up our standard haul of medals and awards. 

Karn doing his work

Ellie and I getting our Pic

 

Beers

End of Season Team Pic

Ellie and I

My time ? well 1hr 24m and 50sec not my fast sprint race but a good solid effort.