24 June 2009 Broken collarbone / Clavicle - 7 days since break

The first is straight on from the front



The second is at 30deg above from the front

17 June 2009 - Broken collarbone / clavicle today :(

The first is straight on from the front



The second is at 30deg above from the front

Wednesday morning when out for my regular session with the boys I hit a bump on a descent at about 22mph (35kmph), left hand slipped off the bars and I went down on my left side like a sack of spuds. Seemed to take the bulk of the impact on my shoulder then head whipped and helmet hit the deck. Instant headache, shoulder sore and various bits or skin missing from here and there. AND, the new kit I’d just purchased and worn twice was ripped and torn, yep all three pieces, knicks, jersey and gilet. :(

ALSO, discovered on arriving home that the helmet has huge crack, (crack or not) it’s a throw away, it did its job, thanks to the manufacturers CATLIKE. Adam asked if I was ok and although I suggested I’d keep riding he suggested I head home. Regardless I pressed on for another 30 minutes, shoulder not giving me major issues BUT during this time I lost my chain of thought mid sentence on two occasions,.. mmm,,,...... decided this was not normal and headed home.


Once home Nicole suggested we head to the Hospital to get a check up, she said I was pretty scattered, telling her the same thing more than once. So the concern was the head impact, I certainly wasn't expecting the bad news of a broken collar bone.

That certainly spoils my chances of racing IRONMAN SWITZERLAND in 3.5 weeks with Jimi, Fanta and Marcus. Been running exceptionally well and my weight was in check- NOT HAPPY.

The remainder of yesterday I just sat on the couch and dozed intermittently, much of the day now is quite patchy in my memory - the hospital said it can take a few weeks to get over a big knock to the head.

Woke this Thu morning with new aches and pains, it hurts to breath, thinks my ribs are bruised. Shoulder/collar bone area very swollen,, reasonable arm movement with no pain until hit the point when it hits me OOOOUUUUUCCCCHHHH

Anyway have appointment with the fracture clinic tomorrow am, will see what their thoughts are. There is a large chip of bone off in addition to the break but hospital said they rarely operate to correct this stuff. Also will quiz them on the repair time – 6weeks they say.Must say, although I'm a broken boy, I'm still alive and it could always be a lot worse.

I'm a lucky boy with wife and friends who care for me.

Think I'm ready for more sleep.


PS. After getting the broken collarbone news yesterday, we left the hospital to jump on a bus home. Nicole was consoling me, our bus arrived and we boarded. We sat in the area reserved for elderly and disabled passengers; I did have the sling on so figured it was justified and slumped into the chair with the considerable weight of doom and gloom over me. I then raised my gaze to see a guy in a wheel chair, sure I been in many London buses before and knew they could pick up wheelchair passengers, but this was the first time in over 4 years in London I’d actually seen one on a bus. This guy had one arm and one leg,.. not even any stumps in sight,.. arm missing from the shoulder, leg missing at the hip. I really do have nothing to complain about.

“McGANGBANG” anyone ?

The timing of this would not be much worse, hv just agreed to a mini – 2 week “biggest loser” comp…..

“McGANGBANG”

Sounds like p*rn, but not, actually a sublime creation using two burgers at the low end of the McDonalds Menu.

I like cheeseburgers,.. I like chicken,….this is GENIOUS,.. I’m having one of these post IM Switzerland.

Great article, some people have actually successfully ordered a “McGANGBANG” in store.

http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/03/the-mcgangbang-a-mcchicken-sandwich-inside-a-double-cheeseburger/

One issue for Aussie and maybe UK people (I’ll need to check the menu) is that I’m unsure a Chicken Sandwich exists on the menu (as opposed to the “McChicken” which would make the creation fiscally unreasonable).

“The Dirty Capitano” - can this be legal ??

“The Dirty Capitano”

by Captain Crank It !

1 April 2009

(yes I know it’s April fools day, but this is serious mate, forREAL, I had the first EVA this morning).

Required

• High end – TOP QUALITY Coffee


• Full Fat Coke


• Bidden

Preparation

Making Dirty Coffee - The day before

• Take HIGH END – TOP QUALITY coffee and place in low end - dodgy drip or try-hard espresso machine – brew that 5HIT UP !!


• If espresso machine add hot water so you have volume approximating a small mug


• Let stand for 24 ish hours for a REALLY Dirty Coffee (dirty being old and stale - 12 ish hours will do if you’re pushed for time)

THE MIX - Ride / Race / Exam day

• Half fill a cycling bidden – 300-350ml with DIRTY COFFEE


• Add 300-350ml Full Fat Coke

BINGO BANGO, you’re done.

My first sampling was this morning, had a 3 hour spin on very tired legs, started sipping on the Dirty Capitano about 90 minutes in ,,,

BANG,

SHAH_ZAM

5HIT Bi-ATCH-es,

It’s got a kick like a MULE that's on Dirty Capitanos – it’ll blow your head clean off !!

Just got stronger and stronger as the ride progressed, seemed to have a greater effect than coffee alone, coke alone, even Redbull alone. FELT PHARKING SENSATIONAL,.. that said,,,.. unsure what I’ll be like once the uncontrollable shaking wears off.


This is going to change the world boys, the day will come when you’ll see the “Dirty Capitano” gracing the boards of many a fine coffee house, sitting along side the Doppio Espresso, Cappuccino, Café late & Macchiato.


OH, it only gets better - this on “Il Capitano” from Wiki

“Il Capitano often talks at length about made up conquests of both the militaristic and carnal nature in attempts to impress others, but often only ends up impressing himself. He gets easily carried away in his tales and doesn't realise when those around him don't buy his act. He would be the first to run away from any and all battles and he has trouble enough talking to and being around women.”

No way….. Princess IS “Il Capitano”,... perhaps the mascot for the new brand.

MONEY - at the SPA ....

OH it sounds nice,.,.. maybe it's even more P*rn from the "Princess",……well.. mmmm,. not really

Unsure if you guys have this functionality with Melb maps.// but check this link then come back and read the rest of the email.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2687068
CHOOSE SATELLITE (assuming it does not already come up).

This is where I spend my Tuesday nights doing THE MONEY SET 10x 1km efforts with 2 min float. (BTW, this is a Dennis set (via Princess) never net the guy, but all I’ve heard he’s one tough nut – yep, the set HURTS).

So what you see on the map is a park in an area called “Bermondsey SPA”…. not far from my place here in Bermondsey/ London,… It has a path that could LOOSELY be described as a running track,.. I’ve been running there since moving into our new place here in Aug 2008, so that’s pre Kona 2008 and also included some runs with Princess when he was staying with us (some one KM intervals from the Becker program).

As Princess will testify there are marking plates at what looks like random intervals around the track,.. ... If you ran one lap this is the order you’d see the plates...

Start/1000, 700, 400, 100, 800, 500, 200, 900, 600, 300, Start/1000

So if you start at the start/1000 and run the distances in order you get

Lap 1 Start/1000, 100, 200, 300

Lap 2, 400, 500, 600,

Lap 3 700, 800, 900, Start/1000

ANYWAY, when Princess and I first ran it pre Kona, we guessed it was 4isk Kms based on our times to complete three laps,.. but were unsure how accurate the distance was….UNTIL I marked it up on gmap-pedometer
334.6 per lap ....... so 1002 mtrs for 3 laps - GIDDY UP

I’m sure if I HUGGED the inside I’d get it down to 333.3333333333333333333 per lap.

FYI - - it has a VERY slight rise for half a lap, and there is no way I would have guessed it was a perfect circle before seeing the Satellite image - ZOOM IN,.. it’s a VERY VERY circle CIRCLE :)

Any London town visitors come and experience this wonderful track first hand. Caff boy, Ross ??? … when are you in town… I’ll be sure to make it a Tuesday ;)

Ok, so I thought it was cool,…. You can all go back to work now if you want.

2008 Ironman World Championships Kona - 11 October 2008 - IT'S DONE

We'll I've finished here again, it's really just an honour to race on this iconic course with so may top athletes.

Thankful to not have had any bike mechanical issues and ultimately crossed the line for another 10 hour finish,... that's 6 from 6 IM's.

Although this one being my third fastest time at 10:15 and some change it was my most satisfying.

TOP 100 in my age group (JUST,.. 99TH) OUT OF 237 which was one goal for the World Championships.

Also wanted to go sub 10 hours with a sub 5 hour bike being a bonus,,.. unfortunately neither happened.

The Island served up a brutal day weather wise, severe winds on the bike leg, oppressive humidity along Alii Dr at the start of the marathon and then hitting 40deg in the Natural energy lab which is 28ish ks in with 14 to run.

The tough bike conditions were evidenced by Pro's riding 10-15 minutes slower than "normal" Kona conditions, so that translates to 20ish minutes slower on the bike for "mere mortal" age groupers... so I reckon the conditions cheated me out of my sub 5 hour bike time and sub 10, 9 hour finish. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

My running has come along nicely since 2007 so although I did slow mid-marathon I ran the final 14 k's in 1 hour 11 minutes which is JUST about 5 minutes per k. Crossed the line for a 3;40 marathon which I'm wrapped with - ALL GOOD.

AWESOME spectator support from Nicole, BAB'S, Komo and Traeges,- HUGE THANK YOU....
....AND great support from the numerous other Aussies spectating and randoms that took a liking to the "Captain Crank it" across my butt.

SWIM 1:08:03
BIKE 5:19:30
RUN 3:40:46
OVERALL 10:15:41


Now time to kick back and eat ice cream,...my next challenge will be keeping off the pud'n.

Will be back in London Monday 20th.

OVER AND OUT

2008 KONA - Undie Run -- Two days til,.. PAIN DAY

It's Thu 9th Oct, 8.40PM and it's my bed time,... such a tiring day.

Two sleeps until the SMASH FEST.

Race starts 7am Hawaii Time

- 4 hours behind NYC

- 11 hours behind the UK

- 12 Hours behind Germany

- 20 Hours behind East Coast Australia

You can follow my progress on

http://www.ironman.com/

Follow the link the the live feed - AND/OR, select ATHLETE tracking and type in my race number 1214. (or, Surname)

My Goal is to finish again- BUT with good conditions I'd hope to better my 2007 time and sneak in under 10 hours,... yep something starting with a nine would be nice.

This morning was the the annual Kona Hawaii "UNDIE RUN" ,.. couldn't resist getting my gear off again,....... also some of me doing "my thing" by the pool afterwards..... accounting?!?!? my talent is wasted.