Bikes & Butt Bruises

I have the biggest bruise ever. I bruise easily so I kind of get used to them, but nothing compares to the massive blue, purple mess that is on my rear end.

Last Saturday, I rode in the Harmon's MS bike tour. The MS ride is a fundraiser for Multiple sclerosis. It is a 2 day ride with different lengths for your riding comfort. Saturday you can choose from 40, 75 or 100 miles. Sunday only the 40 and 75 mile rides are offered. This was my 4th year riding and as you may have read in my post "Little Red Riding Hood & The Big Bad" there has been tears in previous years. Last year I rode in my first century ride (100 miles) at the ULCER. So this year my goal was to ride at least 2 centuries; the MS and ULCER.

The week before the ride, I did a 60 mile ride with my friend Jeff. I was testing out a new saddle and I'm not sure if it was the nasty wind and rain or the new saddle (without a bike fit), but my knee was killing me. I basically limped back to our cars. I was hoping to ride 100 at the MS, but I just didn't know.

I drove up to Logan Friday night to camp at the fairground (race start) with the Orbit team. Everyone was asking how far I was going. I would just say I would decide on the ride depending on how my knee was feeling.

FYI the volunteers at the MS ride are great. Orbit sponsors a rest stop which won best rest stop in 2008. Also there are the MS volunteers of which my cute friend Ashley is one. She has been volunteering as long as I have been riding in the MS. Funny I didn't know her until this year.

Ashley (#1 volunteer) and me night before the race.

Anyway, the ride was great. It wasn't until I was 30 miles into the ride that I made the mental decision to go for 100. I rode the entire ride, 100 miles, with my old boss Ben. He is a funny guy and it was fun to have a buddy to ride with.

So back to the butt bruise. About 60 miles into the ride my legs were super tired. My butt was going numb and I still had 12 miles before lunch. We stopped at a rest stop so I could grab some jell. I unclipped my left pedal as usual, but instead of putting my foot down, I leaned to the right and put all my weight on my right (still clipped in) foot. As you can guess I had an "oh no" moment and fell over. I took the entire weight of the fall on my butt. Luckily (or unluckily) this is my 3rd time falling with clipless pedals so I am getting used to looking like an idiot. I got gravel in my hand and a few bruises on my knees. At this point I didn't realize that I had fallen that hard on my butt. Ben went to get a band aid and the EMT came over with my band aid. He wrapped my hand and my knee and then we were off.

Ben and I at the finish after 100 miles

I did it! 100 miles! Minus the pedal problem the ride was great. There were no tears. (I'm now 50% for tears on the MS ride.) I keep hydrated and ate enough food to keep me going. It wasn't until I got home Saturday night and was about to hop in the shower when I noticed a big black spot on my butt. My butt had been tender, but I just thought it was from the saddle. I didn't think that I had a bruise the size of my fist on my rear end. There will be no picture of the bruise, but don't think I haven't thought about taking one (for posterity).