CROSS + ? = GROSS

You know those word puzzles where you change a letter each time to get from one word to another? Well, you can get from cross to gross in one turn!! And I did that - one hard right hand, off camber turn at Pike Peaks Supercross last Saturday turned cross into gross for me. This was my first race of the season, and I was psyched. I won the first lap prime and wanted to get a bigger gap so kept the speed high. There were a total of four barrier sections, two singles on run ups and doubles on the flat sections. Flat for me means go fast! So I was going fast, and wow, then there's a hard right, downhill, off camber turn. The first time, I kind overshot it and went into the "rough" but recovered. The second time I went down. I quickly realized nothing was broken, and I got back on my bike. Soon, my arm started hurting. Then I was flicking blood off my arm because I didn't like feeling it dripping down my arm. Then I looked at it. Ick. Big gash. I kept going to the start/finish line and stopped. Nine hours later, I had 20 or so stitches (several layers - cut to the muscle fascia) in my arm and a few in my knee. If you want the bloody details, here's the picture that I had the RN snap with my phone before she cleaned it out. No, I don't know what that is hanging out of my wound. Pretty gross, huh? Not all was lost. I was totally happy with my form. I wasn't stutter stepping when I mounted the bike and I was getting over the barriers quickly. Now to get my handling skills where my fitness is.

I am doing OK and even made it to cyclocross practice this afternoon. My form wasn't great, but I was glad to be out there. Don't think I'll race this weekend which means I'll have to hit the Frisco races the first weekend in October!