Time Out

It’s been awhile since I have been able to dance, mid August when I was in Portland. I would have been suprised if you were to have told me that I wouldn’t dance again in more than a month.

Time out!

So, I’m sure you’re wondering what the fuck is up with you, I thought you liked ballet.

Well, you are correct there, I love ballet and I try to do it as often as I can. However, I’ve managed to really do a number on my ankle / foot areas. Somehow I kinda twisted / rolled said ankle area somewhere in northern California. I didn’t think much of it at the time and I really didn’t do to much about it aside from the standard ice bags and pills. Then the pain and discomfort just kinda lingerd, and really didn’t go away, not cool, but meh it happens. Plus, I still have the intermentant clicking noise and what feels like a bit like tendonitis both of which I’ve battled for years.

Then I go and crash really hard while cyclocross racing as I’m known to do. Aside from the crash that spit my knee open last year this was the worst crash I’ve ever had the mispleasure to have had. I don’t remember how it happened, all I remember is crawling off the course so I don’t get run over again by the guys who are behind me. All I know is I landed with all my weight onto my knee. It was a wreck that drew a crowd, those usually do not turn out well. I know I’m done immediatly and I might have actually done something bad to myself but nothing life threatning.

FYI Cyclocross crashes are quite common and rarely injure the rider. Trust me, it happens to me all the time.

Long story somewhat short I make an appointment with my doc to get checked out, basically trying to squeeze every ounce of my $20 co-pay. Let’s go nuts and x-ray everything. The knee is fine, just soft tissue damage but nothing that ice and more pills wont take care of. No bone spurs in the ankle, a possible cause of the clicking, but it could be arthritis (I thought that was just for old people). Oh, and a broken finger, a cracked bone in the joint of my left index finger. I’ll gladly take this diagnosis, a broken finger beats a broken knee cap any day of the week.

I’m sure my doctor thinks I’m out of my mind as I attempt to explain cyclocross, how I keep getting hurt crashing and my love of ballet. How many “hobbies” that take a tole on your legs and feet can I get myself into?

Anyway, he suggested that I should take another month or so off from ballet and I should quit crashing during cyclocross racing. It’s hasn’t been easy not taking my normal load of classes every week for the last month, and another month off seems like forever. What will I do?

I’m not in that video, but I have raced in several of the races shown, the US National Championships in particular.