Training Log Archive: AC

Good warm-up - feeling fit.

Nationale Sud-Est - Foret des Echarmeaux near Macon. H55, 7th place. Pooh, buggar, bum. Dramatic end to the race meant that I missed out on the win, had a trip in an ambulance and got 4 stitches in my head. This was a tough and hilly race and I got off to a reasonably solid start. Hit #1 okay and then a long 1.3km leg to #2 that involved a 20 contour climb up to a track and then a long track run to close to the control. Missed 30 secs on the short #3 by being a bit off to the left on a downhill leg, then got #4 and #5 okay, although not particularly fast. Then a long uphill leg (another 20 contour climb) to #6 and slpits show I was quite slow on this - walked the first partof the uphill and then ran slowly for the rest, so not hard to see where I dropped a minute + to eth fastest really. #7, #8, #9 went fine without much trouble, although they were in green and quite tricky. Downhill finish to the course thank goodness and had a short climb followed by long 1km downhill track run to get to #10. Had teh fastest split on that leg and the next to #11 and was fairly flying along. Was in 2nd place and closing fast on 1st, only 30 secs down with 400m to run and finishing strongly. Headed into #12 and weaving my way through some largish boulders and saw the control off to the right. Then ...

... the next thing I remember is talking to the ambulance officers in the first aid tent. Blood everywhere and a pounding headache. Apparently I emerged from the forest after somehow finishing the course, and jogged in to the finish. I chatted to Lisa, Freya and others and they had guided me to the first aid tent. Lisa reckons I lost about an hour of memory and that I just kept asking how I got out of the forest and where are we. Anyway, long story short, I got a trip in the ambulance to the local hospital (siren and everything), a 3 hour wait in emergency and 4 stitches in the left side of my head just above my temple. There was quite a bit of skin damage to the left side of my face and bruising and cuts to my left arm and left leg. I remember nothing of crashing, but I clearly had a big fall onto rocks or a branch at #12 and bounced my brain around a bit.

Long drive back to Paris (someone else was driving thank goodness) and a very sore head and body this week. No lasting damage I hope, but haven't felt up to running or cycling so far this week as the headaches haven't settled down as yet. Bit of an adventure, but mostly pissed off that I missed out on the win, which was there for the taking with my fast finish :-).