Lots of Firsts

And no...this post is not going to start with "my First UCI win!!!"

 How about these lifetime "firsts" for you...

My first major crash.

My first trip in an ambulance on a backboard with a neck collar.

My first visit to an emergency room.

My first DNF.

Yep...every year, the Liberty Classic hands me a different pill to swallow. This year, all of the good luck and good training put me in a great chase group during the 2nd lap. I would have had my highest finish ever alongside two or three teammates. I would have enjoyed a massive party on Lemon Hill with delicious beers and screaming fans. I would have been writing a blog post with a zillion smiley faces and many synonymns for "happy."

Instead, I spent two and a half hours in the emergency room after smashing into a giant pothole at the end of lap 2.

I am ok.

I have severe straining and bruising to my left shoulder.

I have a small amount of road rash.

I have a broken helmet and a broken shifter and a broken brand new Zipp 303 wheel (thank you, Zipp, for your amazing crash replacement program).

On the bright side, I have amazing friends and teammates who check up on me on constantly. I have gotten wonderful shout outs of encouragement on Facebook. And, I have the knowledge at I was having a great race and that sometimes these things just happen.

I am not broken.

I am not defeated.

I am just delayed for a little while.

Ride on...Ride Hard!!