Around mile 30 and after the toughest climb and steepest descent, I laid the bike down on a dusty 90 degree corner made slick by the rain. I scrubbed all the speed I thought was required and as I was entering the turn, I found myself on the ground; it was that instantaneous. I'm pretty sure I yelled as I was falling and hit the pavement. I got up and the traffic officer asked if I was ok and was I going to continue. If so, I needed to head to the nearest medical tent, get cleaned up, and checked out. I obliged. The tent was nearby. I got rinsed a bit and was asked lots of cognitive questions. They checked my helmet (it didn't hit the ground apparently) and I was on my way.
I was wounded pretty badly, though I didn't know how bad until later. My bike was wounded... this I knew for certain. My front derailleur shifter had broken off, leaving me in the big ring. My rear derailleur was bent in and I couldn't shift to the top of the cassette without the derailleur hitting the spokes. If I was to finish, it would be me and my bike finishing wounded.
I could handle the descents ok, though in pain due to some major forearm bruising and bleeding, but the ascents were tough. I was zigzagging up the hills sometimes as low as 35 rpm. I chastised myself most of the way, telling myself I need to make back up the ground I lost and find a way to get to the run. It was all heart, good nutrition, and some good fitness that took me to the line. I got into T2 with a 2:49:50 bike split.
-----
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r1hI_JyvtUY/UAWDaPECcgI/AAAAAAAAAl0/fksLQy5EVa0/s320/DSC03811.jpg)
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DScAl9py0T4/UAWDbmj3N9I/AAAAAAAAAl8/gy1N79v_NdE/s320/DSC03812.jpg)
Even the weather couldn't get me down (yet) on race morning. I did my routine, got my food in, etc. Everything was falling into place.
The swim was good. I swam well but kept running into people from earlier heats. That's both a good and bad sign when you're running people over. Other than ending up underneath a course marker (scary) everything went to plan in the water and exited under 33 minutes.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e-RZkwhuX9g/UAWDc404WpI/AAAAAAAAAmE/l1EVi_glXCA/s320/DSC03813.jpg)
Then the crash. Then the salvaging.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MjOjCnq43Ro/UAWDhxIzdHI/AAAAAAAAAmc/K_N9iZt1C_E/s320/DSC03816.jpg)
5:09 and change, 18th in the 35-39 age group. In other years, it could/would have made Vegas. Today it didn't. Lake Stevens reduced their spots from 50 to 30. The two spots for my group went to first and second. No roll down.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8GXSeX9Y774/UAWE2GeZTGI/AAAAAAAAAms/ML7jYAcL-9A/s320/DSC03819.jpg)
So what now? I'd struggle to be ready for the other two qualifiers that are proximate (Calgary and Boulder). And even if I healed, could I get on the podium and get that Vegas spot? Not too sure.
One thing is for sure: I'm feeling a bit wounded physically and mentally.