Clipless pedals are our friends, (or grippy pedals & shoes). I broke my ankle Labor Day weekend by riding unclipped. I was going up a super steep hill. It was so steep that I had only a 50/50 chance of getting to the top. I thought that I was being proactive by riding with one of my feet unclipped so that I could get it down fast if I lost too much momentum. The plan backfired. I was pushing SOOOOO hard on the pedals that my foot slipped off of the small pedal platform and slammed into the ground at an ugly angle, breaking off the two boney projections on either side of my ankle.
The irony is that the worst thing that would have happened had I been clipped in & couldn't get my foot out in time is that I would have simply tipped over at slow speed & gotten a bruise or two. Another irony is that being clipped in would have given me more power with less risk of having to stop in the first place.
The good news is that I made it to the top of the two REALLY steep hills that immediately preceded the hill that got me. The first hill had been my nemesis all summer but I managed to nail TWO of them during the last ride before I fell!
So now I have another 5 weeks of analyzing what I did wrong & figure out how to do it better next time. My broken ankle sometimes makes it hard to fall asleep at night. I lie there & "re-ride" the obstacles on my favorite trails. I can't wait to get back on my bike!
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Thread: Ankle vs Hill - The Hill Won
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09-13-2011, 07:31 AM #1
Nice People Rock!
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Ankle vs Hill - The Hill Won
LORI
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09-13-2011, 07:40 AM #2
Meow!
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Oh, that sucks Artista. I hope your ankle heals quickly and without complication. Hang in there!
Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn. Appreciate your friends. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.
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09-13-2011, 08:25 AM #3
Team Embolism
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Wow - that break sounds hideous!
Heal well.
Sarah
When it's easy, ride hard; when it's hard, ride easy.
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09-13-2011, 10:08 AM #4
What's over that hill?
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Oh my, that sounds painful & I hope you heal quickly!
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09-13-2011, 10:24 AM #5
Registered User
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Oh awful, that makes me queasy just thinking about it. Hope you heal up soon! Let us know if you need anything!!
"I never met a donut I didn't like" - Dave Wiens
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09-13-2011, 10:34 AM #6
Homegrown
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Ugh! Avulsion fracture? Sounds like about the right healing time. I've done that to my ankle in a 'cross race - wasn;t going to make a hill, put my foot out [on the downhill side] and avulsively fractured the ankle.
It will heal, but be careful with it. I did too much, too soon (you know, 'cause I'm like that), and it still bothers me. No more 'cross racing for me without an ankle brace!
Heal up!
SheFly"Well behaved women rarely make history." including me!
http://twoadventures.blogspot.com
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