Two types of cyclists...

Back in Australia we used to wryly observe that there were two types of cyclists – those that have been hit by a car, and those that are going to be.

Whilst said flippantly, there was always an element of truth and dread in that statement, and I know, or know of, too many people for whom the result has been anything but funny.

Anyway, I got hit again this weekend. I say ‘again’ because I had my first run in with a car a few years back, and it is the second time this year. So far I have been pretty lucky, involved in only minor skirmishes rather than anything more serious.

But I used up another of my nine lives on Sunday. It was one of those strange training days anyway. Winds around force 6 or 7, sunshine, then clouds, and then a hail storm. It was still raining as I came in to Vinkeveen, a small village south of Amsterdam. A crowd was pouring out of church, so I slowed down, but not enough to miss the car that pulled out of its parking spot and straight in to my path.

I did see it early enough to swerve and miss the worst of the crunch, but I still got hit. Miraculously, I managed to stay on the bike, although I have no idea how. Shaken, I bolted off the road, finding my main injury to be a golf ball sized lump on my shin. The driver was terribly apologetic, and I managed to be nice in return, despite my seething anger at being hit. Fear and shock are pretty useful in taking the edge off being pissed off. She gave me a ride back to Amsterdam, we had a nice chat, although there is a certain social awkwardness at such a moment!

So Sunday afternoon was spent on the couch with ice on my bumps, instead of piling on the extra kilometres I wanted to do. Also spent time fixing my bike. The damage was not too bad – my rear tyre rolled off the rim, and more spectacularly, the cleat from my right shoe (the side she hit me) was busted in to pieces. Given how strong these cleats are, there were obviously some pretty serious forces in this collision.

Of course, the morning after is always much worse – sore bits everywhere, a throbbing knee, and pain all through my back. Martin, the physio I know, fitted me in on short notice, and was happy to report that all seems to be in order – my knee is stable, my pelvis is not out of alignment, and aside from bruising, he reckoned I would be right in a few days.

And he seems to be right – I managed to run gently last night, and put away a strong 90km session on the bike this morning, so things are back on track.

A lucky escape just three weeks out from Ironman…

Shane