Or maybe three “cracks” and a bang. Finally got to my A race. Crit… great position coming into the final sprint and woman deviated hard into me. Clavical broken in 3 places, but they are saying no need for surgery (just lots of drugs… holy hell it hurts).
I was already not sure what to do with my first post season. I was leaning toward regular weightlifting and keeping my zone 2 commutes, then progressively adding more long z2 over time to do my first proper “base” before reducing weights to add back in intervals by fall.
Now? Heal, obviously. But I think I can get on the trainer as soon as this week (after follow up appointment with 2nd opinion on surgery-- yay surgeon teammates). While weights and commutes are out. Should I just start back with sweet spot base? Just zone 2?
Fwiw, fall fondo season starts in early september. Race season starts back up in January. Estimated recovery in ~8-12 weeks.
It takes energy for bones to heal. Having cracked a clavicle and many ribs I’ve learned if I stay off the bike for a while I come back more energized and really ready to train (mentally and physically). In the long run I think I’ve come out ahead compared to riding sub optimally injured. ymmv
Thanks guys. Will 100% be listening to doctors. Thankful to gave such great people on my team who have hooked me up with care.
I’m trying to find something to look forward to after I am appropriately cleared to work. If my summer-of-weightlifting plan is out, I’m wondering how to pace myself, looking out the next ~9 months, so I’m ready for cat 3 (mandatory upgrade I don’t actually have the watts for) by january. Maybe I should just count on this injury + upgrade making 2024 a bust for me.
Well this was a loooooong time ago but after breaking a bone in my foot (stress fracture that decided to. become a full fracture) I was in a boot for 6 weeks. Had to start back easy with walking… then jogging… and really didn’t back to where I was til a year later. The “comeback” was really, really hard. Going from couch to trying to get in shape for the fall season was brutal. Not much I could have done in a boot but if I could, I would have done something.
Injuries suck. After a few weeks to let the bone fuse and once the doctor gives the ok I don’t see any issue with doing something. Even if it is just hiking or some form of exercise… if nothing else for your sanity.
First off, just chill a little bit. You’re worried about an upgrade and having watts nine months from now. You can be a completely different rider in nine months, so you need to be focused on shorter term progress.
First, no riding until you can support weight on the arm. Give your body time to heal. You’re not a pro. You have no races coming up. Take a couple of weeks off the bike. Totally off the bike. No trainer. If you had races coming up sponsors were watching you for, my answer might be a little different, but you need to rest and heal.
When you start back, I would start back easy until you’re off of NSAIDS. Training with intensity and NSAIDs don’t mix. If you need them to manage pain, you shouldn’t be training hard.
There’s really no reason you can’t get back into lifting. A lot of your PT will be strength work, just maybe not heavy stuff like you hoped right away.
As for your training once you get through all that, well, people will have different opinions based on what their preferred methods are and I’ll just abstain from that part since you’re a TR user - others can help more there. Otherwise, I wish you luck and moreover PATIENCE with your recovery! Good luck!
Thanks everyone for the advice. Still open to ideas or anecdotes if anyone has them. Lack of exercise is destroying me mentally.
Surgery was Thursday. Went off NSAIDs over the weekend, and no other meds since a little tylenol yesterday morning. I am supposed to be stuck in a sling for ~6 weeks and am not allowed to bear weight or lift my upper arm on the right side indefinitely. I did one 30-minute very easy recovery spin on the trainer yesterday, and that went fine. I cannot imagine doing anything more than that with one hand.
I’ve picked up doing bodyweight squats and lunges, though that’s a very inefficient way to try to build any muscle. I know they make weight vests. Do they make weight pants??
At the risk of continuing to talk to myself in this thread… I’d love if anyone else wants to chime in on what to do for my off season.
I’ve been almost entirely off the bike for more than two weeks, but was just authorized to start trainer rides again. Nothing outside for 6-8 more weeks (ugh… goodbye summer), and no significant weight training over a similar time. No running or swimming for 2 more weeks.
I’m leaning toward re-upping with TR and just starting back with a polarized plan just to have something to do since my endurance+weights summer plan was upended. But I was looking forward to a change of pace. Other ideas?
Nature doesn’t like an echo chamber so I’ll throw in what I would do… Broke my clavicle/collarbone 8 years ago, and with doctor’s blessing within 2 weeks I was wearing my sling and walking + in the gym for spin classes. My motto is ‘don’t stop moving’ so if it happened again, I’d probably start by riding easy in the gym (spin class), or on Zwift, and throw in a few accelerations. Slowly ramp up. No reason to NOT do endurance riding and some cross-training. I’d probably be in the pool swimming laps plus some weight lifting based on what the PT recommends.
