These past two weeks have been quite a grind. Cascade Cycling Classic was tossed out the window and for good reason too. We started getting ready for Aufderheide the night before, driving down to Eugene to stay with my coach and his wife before our 5:00 AM start to go pickup teammates Rob and Lee. It's about an hour drive to Westfir, OR. and there were notices of construction delay. Race starts at 8:00 AM so we would arrive with enough time not to be too rushed.
This is our first race together with our new teammate Adam Kennedy and a guest rider making it 5 gents flying English Cycles, the most we've ever had. We're all super excited, the goal was to put one of our guys on the podium and win the team classification. We're milling around Lauren's car sharing stories, hiding out from the sudden rain storms until it's time to head to the start line. After receiving our race instructions from the chief official we're off. English Cycles is all over the front of the race, controlling the pace, marking all attacks making sure nothing goes too far without our control. Lee launches a big attack with another guy and we let that go up the road for a while while keeping things under control in the peloton. Rob has a schoolboys grin across his face and we're all really having fun racing at this point.
There's one large climb before we turn around and head back home and the plan was to drill it at the base and make the selection for the day, before that happened we had a large attack from a Rolf Prima rider, Rob went, along with our guest rider and a few other guys plus Lee up the road already, made six altogether. Signed, sealed and delivered that was the day. Adam and I got right to the front, kept the pace high enough so nobody could get away and we'd ride it in with the rest of the group, managing the front for the rest of the day.
We reach the turn around point at mile 50 something, refuel and head for the finish line. This course has some big descents and with wet roads, a little moss and lot's of sun/shade spots it was a bit tricky to manage. About 30 miles from the line I backed off on the downhill knowing I'd be able to catch back on when it flattened out. Coming around a corner at 40+ mph I see my teammate Lee standing on the side of the road, another guy on the ground and bikes in the bushes. There's no way I could have pressed on knowing someone's hurt on the side of the road and I know how to help. Scrubbing my speed I turn around, climb back up the road, see Lee and see my teammate Rob. He's gone down...hard.
There's a switch that's thrown, changing from bike racer into guy-with-highly-advanced-medical-training (I can't say EMT because I am no longer), but my WFR is still current. Another guy with his wife on a tandem stopped and he happens to be a paramedic with Eugene/Springfield EMS so the two of us work on getting Rob situated, a few minutes later the on-call Westfir Fire Chief drives up, with his trauma bag, we're able to get Rob a bit more comfortable, have an ambulance tapped out, provide some oxygen, check vitals and keep him stable until they arrive nearly 2hrs later.
Until this point English Cycles was poised to have 5 of us finishing in the top ten spots. We did have our guest rider win the race in the EC kit but at this point, nobody cares. He's just some guy with a medal and a few extra bucks in his pocket that doesn't really matter.
Lauren, Lee and myself wait for the fire chief to bring Rob's bike back so we can load it and drop off at his house. We load up and make our way home, trying to avoid talking to people. Bidding adieu to our newest teammate Adam, making sure to keep him in the loop and wishing we had bonded under better circumstances.
After all that, Rob ended up spending a week in the ICU, 12 broken ribs, perforated lung, broken collarbone, scapula, tailbone, nerve damage to his left arm and a extremely long road to recovery. For those of you reading this I ask you to help show your support toward this amazing guy and his family. Some folks have put together a fund where all proceeds go toward Rob and his wife. Their life has come to a screeching halt and it will likely be a while until he's able to work again. Anything helps, the link is attached below.
Rob English's Medical and Recovery Fund
This is our first race together with our new teammate Adam Kennedy and a guest rider making it 5 gents flying English Cycles, the most we've ever had. We're all super excited, the goal was to put one of our guys on the podium and win the team classification. We're milling around Lauren's car sharing stories, hiding out from the sudden rain storms until it's time to head to the start line. After receiving our race instructions from the chief official we're off. English Cycles is all over the front of the race, controlling the pace, marking all attacks making sure nothing goes too far without our control. Lee launches a big attack with another guy and we let that go up the road for a while while keeping things under control in the peloton. Rob has a schoolboys grin across his face and we're all really having fun racing at this point.
There's one large climb before we turn around and head back home and the plan was to drill it at the base and make the selection for the day, before that happened we had a large attack from a Rolf Prima rider, Rob went, along with our guest rider and a few other guys plus Lee up the road already, made six altogether. Signed, sealed and delivered that was the day. Adam and I got right to the front, kept the pace high enough so nobody could get away and we'd ride it in with the rest of the group, managing the front for the rest of the day.
We reach the turn around point at mile 50 something, refuel and head for the finish line. This course has some big descents and with wet roads, a little moss and lot's of sun/shade spots it was a bit tricky to manage. About 30 miles from the line I backed off on the downhill knowing I'd be able to catch back on when it flattened out. Coming around a corner at 40+ mph I see my teammate Lee standing on the side of the road, another guy on the ground and bikes in the bushes. There's no way I could have pressed on knowing someone's hurt on the side of the road and I know how to help. Scrubbing my speed I turn around, climb back up the road, see Lee and see my teammate Rob. He's gone down...hard.
There's a switch that's thrown, changing from bike racer into guy-with-highly-advanced-medical-training (I can't say EMT because I am no longer), but my WFR is still current. Another guy with his wife on a tandem stopped and he happens to be a paramedic with Eugene/Springfield EMS so the two of us work on getting Rob situated, a few minutes later the on-call Westfir Fire Chief drives up, with his trauma bag, we're able to get Rob a bit more comfortable, have an ambulance tapped out, provide some oxygen, check vitals and keep him stable until they arrive nearly 2hrs later.
Until this point English Cycles was poised to have 5 of us finishing in the top ten spots. We did have our guest rider win the race in the EC kit but at this point, nobody cares. He's just some guy with a medal and a few extra bucks in his pocket that doesn't really matter.
Lauren, Lee and myself wait for the fire chief to bring Rob's bike back so we can load it and drop off at his house. We load up and make our way home, trying to avoid talking to people. Bidding adieu to our newest teammate Adam, making sure to keep him in the loop and wishing we had bonded under better circumstances.
After all that, Rob ended up spending a week in the ICU, 12 broken ribs, perforated lung, broken collarbone, scapula, tailbone, nerve damage to his left arm and a extremely long road to recovery. For those of you reading this I ask you to help show your support toward this amazing guy and his family. Some folks have put together a fund where all proceeds go toward Rob and his wife. Their life has come to a screeching halt and it will likely be a while until he's able to work again. Anything helps, the link is attached below.
Rob English's Medical and Recovery Fund
As I'm finishing writing this post, it's been nearly 3 weeks since the incident, Rob is finally home and able to continue his recovery. Right after Aufderheide I was set to race Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, Or. That didn't happen, Lauren and I decided it was best to take a break, we went for a quick backpacking overnight to decompress and relax instead.
This has raised some real questions as to how much I want to push this sport I love so dearly, once again: my Cat 2 upgrade will most likely elude me this year but that doesn't mean it won't happen. It just make take a little longer than expected and I'm OK with that.
Up next is the OBRA Time Trial Championships that I'm preparing for, this is a course designed for Rob and I'm partly excited to put out my best effort wearing his kit. After that is the Eugene Celebration Stage Race, with a little luck maybe he'll be up to coming out to watch the race in his backyard.
I'm on my bike again after a week off and doing some structured training, keeping my motivation up is definitely a struggle as I've gained some new perspective. This guy and his family are close friends to us and I suppose the silver lining to these events is we're a stronger team and better friends.
That's about all for now, apologies again for the lack of posts but life hasn't gone according to plan lately. Now things are calming down and we can regain focus.
I'll post at the end of this week with a training update and how things are going, tune in next time.
Cheers,
-Andrew-
This has raised some real questions as to how much I want to push this sport I love so dearly, once again: my Cat 2 upgrade will most likely elude me this year but that doesn't mean it won't happen. It just make take a little longer than expected and I'm OK with that.
Up next is the OBRA Time Trial Championships that I'm preparing for, this is a course designed for Rob and I'm partly excited to put out my best effort wearing his kit. After that is the Eugene Celebration Stage Race, with a little luck maybe he'll be up to coming out to watch the race in his backyard.
I'm on my bike again after a week off and doing some structured training, keeping my motivation up is definitely a struggle as I've gained some new perspective. This guy and his family are close friends to us and I suppose the silver lining to these events is we're a stronger team and better friends.
That's about all for now, apologies again for the lack of posts but life hasn't gone according to plan lately. Now things are calming down and we can regain focus.
I'll post at the end of this week with a training update and how things are going, tune in next time.
Cheers,
-Andrew-