Monday, April 14, 2008

Back in Full Swing

Training has picked back up fairly quickly. After two days of moderate workouts I got back on my workout schedule on Saturday. I feel pretty good as far as riding goes. Today is an off day. In fact it is the only off day for the remainder of April. I will probably skip the Thursday race this week to give myself another week to get back up to form and shoot for racing the following Thursday.

The weather here has been spectacular (except for a bit of wind). It is supposed to rain on Wednesday and Thursday, but aside from that, this place has been great. I love living in Texas.


I picked up some riding clothing while in Europe. Pictured above is my favorite purchase from Bike Palast in Salzburg, Austria. If any of you ever get to Salzburg, you have to visit this shop. It is probably the best shop I have ever been to for road riders. The amount of actual inventory is astounding from frames to wheels to components. They have it all right there in stock.

And finally my procedure for effectively treating road rash:

1) After crashing wash the wound off with your water bottle and hand.
2) When you get home scrub the wound with a wash cloth and antibacterial soap.
3) Apply a generous amount of Neosporin to the wound.
4) Apply a Telfa pad to the wound and wrap with a stretch bandage.
5) Wash the wound and change the bandage for the next few days until weeping stops.
6) After the wound stops weeping, apply Tegaderm until the wound is healed.

Dislaimer: I am not a doctor, so follow this advice at your own risk!

When I have used the method above, I have never had a problem develop. The wounds heal fast and scab free. I didn't follow this procedure on my leg after this last crash and paid for it. Since I was heading to Europe a few days after my crash I tried to speed things along so that I wouldn't have to be bothered with bringing and changing bandages, etc. I put a Telfa pad and bandage on the wound for one day. The would was very weepy. After one day I started coating the wound with Second Skin spray to try to get it to stop weeping and to protect it. A day or two later I started having pain and the wound was still weeping. I then applied more Second Skin and more Second Skin, etc. After a few more days I was a hurting unit. So, in summary, give the wounds time to heal and take care of them the right way. You can clear most road rash up in one week if you stay on top of it.

Have a good week.

16 Comments:

Blogger Dan said...

That sounds like good advice for the wounds, Chris. The last one I had was after a car cut me off and I hit the side of it, then hit the road. Second skin stings like nothing else I've felt before when you spray it on an open wound, so I used the principle of "blow blow blow, I'm running out o breath but it's still hurting" and then I normally end up laughing because I must look really awkward, and then the pain subsides:p

4/14/08, 9:08 PM  
Blogger Lily on the Road said...

Nice duds dude...Tony the Tiger for sure....great advice for healing wounds. I'll start riding soon as I'm going to TryATry in August...thanks for the advice.

4/15/08, 3:24 AM  
Blogger bluecolnago said...

glad you healed up ok....

now, try to stay out of trouble for the rest of the season!

4/15/08, 4:53 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I think you're breaking my no white bike shorts rule with those shorts mister. Hopefully that orange panel decreases the amount of package pushing! :)

4/15/08, 7:52 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

You know, if you don't crash, all of that "procedure" is unnecessary! :^)
Glad to hear your healing and on the road to recovery (no pun intended).
Nice jammies there fella. You look like Tony the Tiger! :^) Isn't it great to get new stuff? And even more fun to shop at a place that is really serious about cycling.
Jealous of your weather and your riding. We are on the upswing now and I hope to be out there on a regular basis starting this week.

4/15/08, 10:00 AM  
Blogger chatterbox said...

rrrrrow! It's a tiger suit! Crazy. Glad to hear you are on the mend and getting back to the training schedule.

4/15/08, 4:34 PM  
Blogger Itinerant Rick said...

White shorts are a bad idea for two reasons. Perhaps a bit more orange next time.

Get back into form, then make those directions unnecessary by keeping your body off the pavement. Got to keep you healthy so we can get you out here for Foster City ;-)

Now if our weather will decide what it wants to do; mid 90's last weekend, low 60's or maybe 50's this weekend. Crazy.

4/15/08, 4:44 PM  
Blogger Chris said...

Whitey - Second Skin has gotten evicted from my road rash kit.

Lily - I look forward to hearing how the biking goes.

Blue - I am certain I will hit the deck again sometime in the near future.

Mallie - the organge gives modest coverage at best.

Oldman - my wife tells me the same thing. "Just don't wreck..."

Chatterbox - thanks

Rick - I am looking forward to Foster City. Do you know anything about the course?

4/15/08, 7:00 PM  
Blogger jahowie said...

Thanks for the road rash advice. Cool kit you've got there!!

4/16/08, 11:01 AM  
Blogger Itinerant Rick said...

No idea on what the Foster City course will be like; it is a new race this year. If/when the course info is available I can go over and check it out. I am sitting just west of Foster City as I type this :-)

4/16/08, 12:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sweet kit-age!

4/16/08, 6:16 PM  
Blogger Chris said...

Jahowie - hopefully you never need it.

Rick - cool. Let me know what it is like when you find out where it is.

Fendergal - thanks. Where you been?

4/16/08, 7:02 PM  
Blogger AMR said...

I don't like talking/reading about crashes. It brings real painful memories...
Good to know you are back and getting ready to race again!
Train hard and good luck!
Cheers!

4/16/08, 9:13 PM  
Blogger Groover said...

I like that kit. I'm getting white bibs on Saturday, too. Will show them off shortly :-)

Can't wait to read your race reports again soon.

4/17/08, 3:25 AM  
Blogger Donald said...

Sweet kit... Tony the Tiger-- my son loves it! If he could, I'm sure his 6 week old brother would agree. Glad to hear the wounds are better along with your weather.

4/17/08, 7:32 AM  
Blogger Eclectchick said...

Yeeeaaaaaaaa!!! Glad to hear you're back in the saddle.

Sweet kit - looks GRRRRRRRRRreat! (as Tony the Tiger would say)

4/21/08, 1:41 PM  

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