Recovery and Return to Racing

I met with my doctors at Craig Hospital last week to get another CAT scan and devise a time frame for my return to racing.  We did a CAT scan instead of an MRI because my neurologist wanted to see if there was any new bleeding or anything that may have caused my massive week of fatigue and depression.  Luckily there was nothing remarkable on the scan except that the scar has developed from the hematoma.  This doesn’t really mean much other than it is just there and is a representation of the severity of the injury.  Just as a scar from road rash or something doesn’t mean your elbow is more likely to burst at the seams, it just means that you got some road rash.  That was encouraging and an indication that my healing has progressed but the things I’m still trying to correct will just take more time and rest.  Consulting with my neurologists, my team doctor, my coach , and my family, I’ve decided to not participate in any further races for this season.  I will, however, take the line at the US Professional National Championships in Greenville, SC in the individual time trial.  Having nationals as a goal is a good way to keep me sane for now while I am training to return to competition.  It will fit in well with what I have been capable of training at this point. Lately I have been able to do short hard rides, and long easy rides, but long AND hard rides are still a little much for me as it takes days to recover.  However, that’s not a big deal with a 40 minute time trial.  So this month I have been training for that.  I’m hoping my legs can come around in the next couple weeks and I can put in a good ride, but if not that’s ok too, because really the biggest victory is just to be back to my team  and competition.  I’m really looking forward to pinning on a number again soon.

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