Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Rude Awakening


MiwokSingleTrack
Miwok singletrack, bottom of a long downhill connecting to Redwood Creek trail.


Sunday I was 3 hours into a long run. Coming down the Miwok single track trail, headed for the Redwood Creek trail and Muir Beach Road. The trail was slightly muddy, some standing water. It was downhill and I was groovin, dancin left to right, leaping here and there, music was right on. I started thinking...no dreaming that if there was a highlight reel for my run this would be it. I was feeling very very good. Flowing down that trail like water; softly, quickly and gracefully. I could hear the crowds cheering in my head, "go Ricky go". Then it happened. {*poof} I was on the ground in an instant, before I could say "whoa". I hit a root obscured by vegetation. I must have half twisted in the air, probably still day dreaming all the way down. I crashed on my right shoulder first finally ending in my back. I didn't even have time to throw my arms out or anything. Lucky for me I landed in a soft patch of dirt and mud, no roots or rocks. Can you imagine? Whew. There's been times in runs where I've thought to myself "If I eat it here, I'm dead, hamburger meat". Maybe I should have been thinking that, I would've have been more careful. Well I was blessed, I came out unscathed - just a sore pride and even more sore shoulder.

Moral of the Story: No day dreaming on downhills!

7 comments:

  1. Ouch! You ARE a sucker for dirt path:) Hope the shoulder survives, as well as ego.

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  2. WHEW ! that could have been ugly, glad you are ok...

    GOOD RUN Bro

    Bob

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  3. Anonymous10:03 AM

    Hey, did you forget already? No dreaming about girls ;) You definitely deserve a cupcake.. or 4.

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  4. Man, if only I could have one of those cupcakes after every long run. That would be sweet.

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  5. Wow, glad you are OK, Rick! Wiping out is no fun at all, and I am glad you had a relatively soft landing. I fell during a trail race in Michigan last summer, and I still have the scar on my knee to prove it!

    And as I have note before with your photos, it is nice to see some green. Spring is one the way! :)

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  6. I could feel the dirt under my feet as you were talking about being in the groove. I love that feeling, not the falling on my face part though.

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  7. Glad you ended up with relatively minor injuries! Now pay more attention next time. : )

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