That is a good thing and a bad thing I guess. You didn't have that split second of panic at least. But, you had no time to react and have even a tiny bit of control over the situation.

How is your healing/progress so far?

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

are your boys treated with prophylaxis, or on demand?

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

1) I previously rode a Merlin XLM, but I'm waiting to take delivery of a Specialized SWorks Stumpjumper 29er.

2) I'll run Speedplay Frogs, unless the new Zero MTB pedals are far enough along. Do NOT ride road pedals on your MTB.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

I think it's pretty good. And I think it's pretty bad. Depends on what moment of the day. :)

I have no real frame of reference. It's been almost a decade since I've been this out of shape. And it's the first time I've ever had to come back from a traumatic injury. So I really can't tell. Some days, I feel good. Other days, i do not. But I'm trying to take the equally, so I don't get either too excited or too down.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

I've come back from many many injuries over the years. Thankfully, none as serious as yours. Attitude makes a big difference on the final level of recovery I think.

I wish you well, and a continued recovery. I hope you get back to full race capability soon. Keep smiling!

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

I'm sure Jill has been a rock for you in your emotional and mental recovery. I'm wondering if her M.A.T. training has helped in your physical recovery and your return to training and racing. Any weird patterning or balance issues that you have noticed that need correcting after your lay-off.

I'll be racing the Vancouver Half next week and it sure would be nice to see you there defending your title - it's great to know that you'll be back at 'er later in the season.

Cheers, Ian

First, we are glad you are healing! I live in Simi and have ridden in the area you crashed for over 30 years and ride Lewis rode just about every weekend since it was widdened and repaved. It is as safe as any place I can think of to ride. So I am very thankful every time I get on the streets to ride that I make it back safely.
There are a lot of great Mt biking areas in the Thousand Oaks area. Having seen the accidents from my mountain bike friends, I wonder if it is that much safer?
I have learned to appreciate the computrainer even more since your accident. I know there isn't any way to train completely safely.
Good luck, get well soon!

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Team Zoot So Cal

MAT has been - without question - the most valuable asset I've had for recovery. I'm actually surprisingly f'ed up in the same way that I was beforehand. ;) Interestingly, I've ALWAYS crashed the same way - I've always hit my left side. So I've definitely messed up things as a result of the accident, but the patterns are the same. But MAT has been amazing. The best was the look on the faces of the PT when the saw the improvement week to week. I never had the heart to tell them it had almost nothing to do with them...

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

MTB tends to be dangerous because of YOUR stupidity, not someone else's. I plan to ride my MTB a lot more because I trust my own judgement a lot more than most drivers. I've never hurt myself on my MTB and not said "yup, that was stupid" afterwards.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Currently on demand but only because of their fear of needles (it is amazing how strong a 6yr old can be when they don't want something). The plan is to get them on prophylaxis by the end of the year.

The nice thing is that I can encourage them to get into swimming without being guilty of forcing them to do my sport.

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____________________________________________

"which is like watching one of your buddies announce that he's quitting booze and cigarettes, switching to a Vegan diet and training for triathalons ... but he's going to keep snorting heroin." Bill Simmons, ESPN

I've decided to go down to our local Blood Center and donate then send a card letting them know and best wishes for recovery. It won't help him but it will help someone else.

I'm really glad to see you coming back online, figuratively and literally.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

Are you taking the risk to ride very technical mtb courses with downhills that forces you to go to the limits of your technical abilities and steep difficult climbs to force you way out of your comfort zone if you don't want to walk?

Or are you going to stay well within your abilies and take a course where you can always control the risk and your effort.

bless your heart. i guess the one silver lining in all this is that prophylaxis is only going to improve as they continue to grow and age. i'll bet you were cheering for the lifting of the lifetime cap on insurance policies, were you not? i'll be thinking about you and your boys.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Hey Jordan - I just wanted to reach out and say whatsup. I'm a 2time IM Placid finisher and was training for hopefully my 3rd this July 25 (believe me I'm a below avg. age grouper). I was doing it for charity - Hole in the Wall Gang Camp (a camp for kids with chronic and life threatening illness). Anyway, wanted to touch base with you because i was hit by a car pretty badly this past saturday 6/19 while on a training ride. I was going north on a nice rolling street (real similar to Haselton rd if anyone's done placid) with an intersecting road to my right. I had right of way. Three cars coming south on my road were waiting to turn left. First car went, 2nd car went and really cut it close. 3rd car just followed the 2nd car. I had been in my aerobars going about 25mph approaching, when the 2nd car turned i got up to access my brakes but it was too late - witnesses said when he turned into the intersection i was about 30 feet away going that speed. I hit almost head on, flipped up into his windshield, caved it in w/my head and shoulder, flipped off car and skidded down the road - bike was thrown ~50 feet. Helmet saved my life of course. I'm so lucky because i have mostly skin and bone injuries - a lot of stitches, a concussion, broken shoulder blade, lots of contusions and abrasions, but nothing structural (we think) and my neck/spine are clear.

Anyway, i wanted to reach out to someone who experienced it. I don't know how i'm gonna feel getting on the bike again. How did you? Any other advice while i heal? I mean, it's only been 96 hours since the accident...

I am in Canada - no lifetime cap :) But I don't complain about my taxes anymore...

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____________________________________________

"which is like watching one of your buddies announce that he's quitting booze and cigarettes, switching to a Vegan diet and training for triathalons ... but he's going to keep snorting heroin." Bill Simmons, ESPN

I like challenging, but I prefer rides that challenge me physiologically rather than technically. I certainly don't push the envelope on how tech the rides I do are. I don't mind not being able to control the effort. I do mind not being able to control the risk (within reason).

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

First off, very glad you are generally okay and don't seem to have any serious injuries. I am sure you are feeling very lucky to be alive, but also pretty stressed by the whole experience. Whatever you feel, I would think it'd be normal whether it was anger/depression/confusion/all-of-the-above.

96hrs after my accident, I was still on, IIRC, 10mg of morphine per hour, so I was feeling pretty good, but I also don't remember too much...

The big advice I would have is that a LOT of very important muscles anchor on your shoulder blade. Your lat is a big one. So until that heals fully, your lat is going to be compromised somewhat. So be VERY conservative starting out running and swimming, but especially running. The lat is one of the most important muscles in your body, so if it's not fully functional, you can develop some bad habits or injure yourself.

The other thing to remember is that, chemically, your body responds to trauma in dramatic fashion. So your body is definitely not going to be "normal" for a while. There are days that you might feel way more tired that you should or vice versa.

I haven't ridden outside yet, so I can't give any insight. But be careful. Be cautious. Be patient.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Lots of good stuff here Jordan - thanks.

Any thoughts on use of a mirror - I use one in all training rides and feel very vulnerable without it. Certainly makes me more aware of what's behind, and maybe generally all around, as it's a reminder...

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Coach at KonaCoach Multisport

Jordan your last line of your post is the best advice, thank you. As you probably know we athletes can get ahead of ourselves and push too hard sometimes. I mean, in the ER the morning of the accident i was still thinking how I could do Ironman LP in 5 weeks. I will do my best to be cautious, careful and patient. Thank you for the insight. I haven't seen the details of your accident but it sounds much worse - I was discharged the same day after some discussion from the neurosurgeon about watching my low grade concussion overnight. I was on fentanyl in the ER (lol, that's good stuff), and just have continued on a course of percocet at home.

So you've been riding on a trainer? I think that's how I'll ease back into it but as you said with the muscles around the scapula (shoulder blade), it'll be tough even supporting myself in aerobars. I'm also going to get involved with Share the Road campaigns and speak to kids about wearing helmets - if you know of any good organizations in the regard please let me know.

Thanks for starting this thread, its therapeutic just discussing it in the open with athletes who understand and with someone else who's been there.

Riding the trainer felt very awkward at first. I felt like i was supporting the vast majority of my body weight with my right arm, which made things relatively uncomfortable. It's better now. But at first, it was not my legs - but my upper body - that kept me off the trainer. That may - or may not (hope not) - be the same for you.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

I haven't, because I just worry mostly about things in front of me. It just seems there are far fewer hit-from-behind accidents. Of course, there are still those and a mirror could certainly help with that, but in general, it does seem that it's cars in front of you that **SEEM** to be the biggest risk from what I've read. But I would definitely consider a mirror. I try to use my ears a lot to tell me what's coming from behind, though that's obviously not perfect.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Thanks for starting this thread.

First - I'm glad everything has turned out well (generally), and your're safe.

Second - I gained a lot of knowledge and perspective while reading this thread particularly about safety on the bike and things to think about while riding.



You mentioned that you may start doing more intervals on the trainer. Personally I have a much harder time when doing hard intervals on the trainier - I can usually hit and maintain my FTP for the desired duration - it's just very unpleasant as compared to outside. Any thoughts on what you are going to do to help mitigate that or the loss of power due to cooling/etc?

MASSIVE fan. And probably building some sort of training room - with an air conditioner - maybe in the garage. And just work with my coach to adjust the workouts as needed. There is also no coasting on a trainer and no distractions. So I think there's a good balance. Riding outside is different than inside. And should be treated as such. So you just have to adapt the workouts. I'm sure it'll be a work in progress. Fortunately, with a Danish coach, he's used to having people train inside. So I'll rely on his expertise.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

"I plan on getting a SPOT GPS locator, though I wouldn't have even been able to push the "help" button on that in the condition I was in. I was going to die if someone didn't show up. Thankfully, someone did."


I know you mentioned the SPOT GPS locator. Do you have one yet? If so, could you provide some insight? After hearing about your accident and generally being a worrier, my fiance wants me to look into this type of product.

I haven't ordered it yet, but it's in my amazon cart. Just waiting until I get back to the US to get it. I will report back...

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp