Jen Has A Boo… (First Crash)

I wasn’t planning a post today. I don’t really like to do them two days in a row. Especially after my Great Expectations epic effort yesterday but I had to share with you… I had my first cycling stack. EVER! I didn’t even crash my bike when I was learning to ride.

I was speeding along and a car pulled out in front of me forcing me to brake in a hurry and I called the driver an asshole. And verbalised it. Me being a big believer in karma thought “that wasn’t nice… it’ll come back to you.” Then I crossed over to the traffic island hit it at the wrong angle and voila!

 

CRASH!

HURTS LIKE BEJIGGERS

I have to say though, I’m so damned proud of myself. I’d had a difficult weekend and a very challenging day at work. I was really enjoying my ride and I am not a tough girl. I’m a bit of a wimp. Pain is not my friend. That’s probably the biggest reason I don’t exercise. Because it hurts. Unfortunately I’ve gotten to the ripe old age of almost-41 and not exercising hurts more than exercising as joints ache and muscles hurt and I get puffed on a little walk. Something had to motivate me!

Getting back to the point. When I got up I didn’t hurt at all. I was more hoping that if someone happened to film the incident that they didn’t get a close up of my face as I fell. But five minutes after the fall, my left hand’s knuckles started to ache in the wind, and I got shakey and then I got upset. My immediate thought was “Yay! No I can reward myself with some junk food and a good stiff drink” and I got my phone out to call my husband to come and get me.

But then I bitch slapped myself and logic-ed it out. I hopped off my bike to give my body a minute to shake and realise it was ok, then I got my phone out and took the above photo and sent a copy to Mr JDF and posted a copy to Instagram. While I was doing this I reminded myself that my rides are a lot easier now and how much pain I’ve been in on previous rides. I shifted my focus to my fingers to see how bad the pain really was and it wasn’t that bad. I noticed that the pain in my leg was much worse even though I couldn’t see anything but it was bearable. Then I thought how defeated I’d feel if I got taken home in a car as opposed to how great I’d feel if I rode home.

I have to say I should have actually called Mr JDF to come and get me because it got dark really quickly after that and I’d forgotten to put my bike lights in my seat-bag. So the second half of my ride home I spent thinking “please see me, please see me”. So when I actually did arrive home, it was a mixture of “YAY!” for riding when I could have gotten out of it and “”YOU.STUPID.IDIOT!!!” for riding in the dark in dark clothing with no bike lights. Mr JDF was not happy with me for riding without my lights. He loves me!

That’s the second time in a matter of days that I can say that riding my bike has helped me override a sense of helplessness and overwhelm and remain calm and make good choices. I’m really pleased with my efforts. El Shrinko will be mucho impressedo!