Can my aching collarbone plate be cured?

If you read my blog regularly you will know I broke my collarbone in July 2011. I had a titanium plate put in a couple of weeks later and from that point healing was quick and I was able to use my arm again almost fully within weeks.


During the week before first meeting my surgeon/consultant, I was contemplating whether or not it should be plated. Should I leave it to possibly heal itself overlapped with a large lump and with one shoulder shorter than the other, or should I have it plated, with screws showing and potential permanent loss of feeling where the insicion is made.......?! Touch decision. Except the consultant made it for me. It was a bad enough break for him to say 'this needs fixing'. So stress over, at least I didn't have to think about it anymore. The scar is clean and straight. Looks pretty good actually.

However, I'm not left without problems... I have had it in now almost 5 months and the injury is still giving me some trouble. The bone has healed no problem, and I can ride a bike to the standard I could before. But the skin around my shoulder still has no feeling and the plate itself aches. Could possibly be something to do with the cold or that my skin feels like it should feel something but can't...? Either way, I don’t really fancy doing the Madison at the Velodrome any time soon. The madison training sessions were the only one’s I rarely missed and always enjoyed. Nor am I 100% committed to racing. Although perhaps this is something I will have to get used to again...

Anyone else out there had similar problems? Please let me know... any help/advice would be much appreciated.

Nicola x

The weekend my cranks fell off and I got blown off the bike!

Saturday I set off out to do a nice couple of hours round Cheshire near Poynton up the Brickworks and back round through Chinley. I couldn’t persuade the Couch Potato to come out so set off alone.

I got just past Poynton when I could feel the pedals coming loose.  I looked down and my crank was hanging off!! I called Richard who set to the rescue with a large Allen key, whilst I relaxed in Costa with a Cappuccino!

Once he had arrived we rode back to Sam’s at SVC in New Mills to get it looked at (after stopping two more times to screw the cranks back on again). Just needed a new bolt! Sorted! Thanks Sam.

I had only managed 16 miles and it was dark now. Never mind I thought.. at least I would get a nice hilly 3 hrs in the next day, as we had decided we would ride the Onix Twitter Ride.

We met at 9am with Mel and Alex this morning at Macclesfield Forest to start the loop. It was freezing but I was wearing my Maxgear Champion Systems Tech Fleece Thermoshield Jacket, so I was toasty warm. The start was slow with 4 punctures in the first 5k. Once we got going the guys at the front decided it was too windy and cut the route short. It turned out to be a good decision.



Leading out with @thetrouser http://www.flickr.com/photos/crankphoto/

We turned off the planned route to head back into Macclesfield to ride up the Cat and Fiddle. We had help from a very strong tail wind – according to Mel’s speedo and we were clocking 25kph uphill with ease! As we approached the last corner before the pub at the top Dave Harmon suddenly went sideways into the grass. I thought he might just have fancied a bit of cyclo-cross, then Richard (the couch potato) followed. As I reached the point they had veered off I hit a sideways gust of VERY strong wind and suddenly found my bike pulling towards the back of Richard’s, who had now stopped at the side of the road. I was putting all my body weight in to try and steer it away but it wasn’t enough! I got blown closer and closer to Richard’s back wheel and couldn't avoid it!!!

I hit him and ended up off the bike! Fortunately I landed on my feet though this time and not the collarbone! Phew! We weren’t the only ones to get blown off either, although fortunately no-one was hurt.

All in all it was a fun day riding with some interesting people.

Winter Begins

After the national hill climb, I had an enjoyable wind down weekend in the Peak District. I had my hair done and went for a couple of easy rides one with my Mum over long hill (a regular at the Vets SQT’s at Manchester) and a longer ride on the Sunday with the couch potato and Buxton CC into Cheshire.

I like this time of year where I can just simply enjoy riding the bike again – this year more so than usual! Not very easy sometimes on my heavy steel winter bike.

The following weekend we took a long trip up to Ingleton (about 30mins North of Lancaster on the Lancs/Yorks border) with just under 20 Buxton CC riders. Their weekends away are always tough. The Saturday ride was 65 miles and included the rather steep Beggermans Road between Hawes and Buckden (although the view down the other side was well worth the climb). We stopped at the bottom in Buckden at The West Winds Yorkshire Tea Rooms where we were treated to homemade sandwiches, soup, apple pie and UNLIMITED COFFEE!!

The Sunday run was a more rolling route into Sedbergh. Being on Eve’s home turf she joined us for the ride and showed most of the boys how to climb!

All in all an enjoyable weekend (although will perhaps opt for a B&B over a Hostel next time).

This weekend was spent back home in Manchester. I went to cheer the girls on, who were racing at the Friday night track league (MTRL). Then a nice leisurely 10.30 (ish) start the next day for a ride out to Rivington with Mel, followed by a few hours on the turbo at the Maxgear stand at the revolution - yes, another excuse to wear the awesome WASP speedsuit in public (and got a good view of the racing). You didn’t need to see the track to know when Cav won the scratch race – I’ve only heard the crowd roar so loud when Chris Hoy races.

A great night was topped off with a hot dog and chips!

National Championship, Fixed Collarbone and the WASP 'supersuit'

After almost a month off the bike following my last race and barely any road miles in my legs, it was time to ride the National Hill Climb Championships. I was nervous to say the least, particularly given I’d timed myself up the climb the week before and it took me over 23 minutes (which would have got me the lantern rouge this weekend).
Since my big crash I used the Nationals mainly as a goal to work for to make sure I rode the turbo to keep myself fit, but as always I wanted to do well.

The morning before the competition, I rode the hill with the guys from Buxton CC. It was definitely going to be a headwind!! As the hill was only 3% and only 4.5 miles long it was borderline timetrial/hill climb. I decided to opt for my road race bike with tri-bars.

On Saturday evening we (the couch potato and I) went off to Manchester Velodrome to support the Maxgear team at the Revolution Series. It was a great evening for Maxgear with plenty of impressive teamwork from Chris Lawless and the others in the future star boys and a fantastic 2^nd place in the points race from Megan Boyd smashing all the competition to take the final lap! She also bagged 3^rd places in the other two races – the 6 lap dash and the 20 lap scratch!
As well as the entertaining racing, Mel was riding the rollers (for two hours no less) wearing the new WASP time trial speedsuit - recently developed by Maxgear/Champion Systems, which looked awesome. I really wanted to try one for the nationals and managed to persuade Wayne (@MaxgearRT) to let me have one for the National Hill Climb!

On the day the wind was less strong than it had been the day before, but it was still a headwind. I pulled on my WASP speedsuit (which stands for Wattage saving, Aerodynamic, Speed Products) and it felt like I was putting on a superhero outfit – the perfect mental preparation for a hill climb! The skinsuit was super-fitted and had awesome WASP like abs on the front! It gave me the boost I needed and I was really excited and ready to race!! I got on the turbo to do a proper warm up (although I didn’t have any profiteroles for race fuel unlike new Female Junior HC Champ Eve!) and raced over to the start! The climb was tough – the wind was strong and blowing a cross head in gusts. As I reached the half way point there was a large crowd shouting support which spurred me on just as I hit the mile long straight into a block headwind - ouch. I finished 13^th of total 19 ladies and I had beaten the dreaded 23 minutes getting a respectable 18.23. I’ve raced the hill before and it isn’t my PB, but I think given the events of the last few months being less than a minute slower than the ladies I’ve been racing with throughout the year isn’t too shabby! Maybe it was the supersuit that helped?!

Big shout out to my good friend Sarah Byrne who signed with Horizon Fitness for 2012, won the BUCS hill climb and come third in the Nationals - not a bad week! 

Richard does the Red Bull Minidrome

Today I went to Victoria Baths on Hathersage road with Richard and his track bike (plus very small chain ring) to watch him attempt the Red Bull Minidrome - 10 laps of a 25 metre track.
When I got there he went to sign on and I went to find the track. It was really, really small with tight corners. I watched some of the other competitors there were more DNF's than riders completing the 10 laps! Riders were going over the top of the tiny track, sliding down the banking in the first lap and falling off whilst trying to stop!

I became extremely nervous and didn't want him to ride it, but he was up for the challenge. As he did his 6 'warm up' laps, it was clear he was riding too high up the track but on each lap he got lower and lower - closer to the faster red line. He stopped after the 6 laps and got ready to race his 10 hoping to qualify for the evening knock out session. The beeps went and he shot off. The first lap was good - nice and low, but he was going too fast. On his first time past the start finish line he drifted up onto the blue and beyond - straight over the top! Fortunately he didn't hurt himself too bad, landing on the crash mats. It looked pretty funny though.. see for yourself!

See Richards report

Also see redbull's version

Cycling Come Back from my broken collarbone

So the couch potato has enjoyed the last couple of months not having to ride with me. The first few days I felt (and apparently looked) like I’d been hit by a truck. Everything was so sore it was almost numb. A couple of days later I started to feel my shoulder, it hurt like crazy and felt really unstable. I couldn’t sit up or lay down by myself and needed a pillow when sitting on the sofa to tuck behind my shoulder. I couldn’t be a passenger in the car – any bump was agony. I wasn’t able to do much so stayed at my parents, shuffling around the house and getting help dressing. After about a week, as the bones were starting to connect, the began rubbing over each other making a horrid grinding noise and sensation. The painkillers made me feel ill so decided to man up and take the pain instead. I was so fed up by the end of the second week i forced myself back into work.

Xray from Abergavenny Hospital

 I have spent the last 8 weeks off the road - 3 weeks complete rest, holding my shoulder and not being able to properly move, progressing (if you can call it that) to 5 weeks suffering on the turbo trainer. I had my collarbone pinned on 6^th August – quite scary as I’d never been to hospital let alone have an operation. All went well, I have 9 screws and a titanium plate in my shoulder. I spent most of the first Monday night Track League comparing war wounds (obviously not racing) although everyone was enjoying reminding me that Wiggins had come third in the Vuelta with a freshly pinned collarbone. I did get to laugh at the couch potato however, complaining for being put in the fast group http://richardtowse.blogspot.com/2011/09/track-league.html .

I’ve been in close contact with the other girls who broke bones that day, in particular Tanya Hunt who also broke her collarbone. She did a better job than me though, breaking it into 5 pieces one of which shattered – mine was just in 3 bits!

Generally everyone has been really helpful and I’ve recovered very quickly. I even got back on my bike last weekend – total of 50 miles including 30 in the wet (don’t tell the surgeon). Although the couch potato, was ‘too busy’ to make it out in the rain. The turbo seems to have done the trick and I look forward to riding in my new Champion Systems Speedsuit at the National Hill Climb Championships at the end of the month!

See you there?

End of season 2011 (literally) - Abergavenny RR

With Abergavenny coming up and yet another uphill finish, my aim was to race a more active race.  I knew that my chances were good as long as I could keep in contact with the front.  There were several lone attacks early on, including Eve who got away in the first lap, but all attacks were brought back by the bunch.  A few laps later there was a big attack, I tried to go with it and in doing so almost dropped off the back of the back of the bunch!  The break did not get away, although Sarah Byrne did, gaining over 2 minutes on the bunch at one point. It all came back together again and on the final lap I could sit on the front no problem and I was feeling really good.  By the time we got near the bottom of the finishing climb, I had managed to end up at the back again.  I spotted one of the other girls riding up the bunch to the front and followed.  With 1km to go I was on the front, this was my chance....

All too soon reality struck. I was lying in the middle of the road on my back holding my shoulder. There had been a crash and I had broken my collarbone. Gutted.

I had looked round (as much as my injured body would allow) to see what had happened. Most of the bunch were also on the floor. I could see my bike in the verge in the distance with the front wheel bent in two.

The couch potato did a really good job organising everything including getting my parents to travel down from Manchester to come and pick my car up from South Wales.  I think he was a little gutted that he didn’t get to go in the helicopter, but relived I wasn’t badly injured.

After speaking to other riders at the Preston National Crit Championships the following week (in which Eve got 10^th!!!!) we learned a rider on the left of the road hooked handle bars with another rider which sent them crashing across the road flinging me over the handlebars. The rest of the girls had nowhere to go and had run into the back of us.

I’m really grateful to all the help from everyone at the race who helped from the NEG riders, commissares, the Dixon’s, The Weaver’s, The Shenton’s along with the paramedics and medical staff at the Hospital in Abergavenny.  Sorry if I’ve forgotten you but I am thankful for your help.

Total races for the year: 11
Races completed in top 20: 2
Total races completed in the bunch: 5
DNFs: 1
Broken bones: 1
Frames written off: 1

Total races completed by the couch potato: 2 (he’s happy)

Mid Season - Part 2

From Bedford my performances continued to get stronger with bunch finishes in Bashall Eaves (30^th), Stratford (15th) and Naseby (16th). At Naseby Mel Bury had made her come back following 5 months of illness and Eve was looking extremely strong and was ‘beasting it on the front’ – Mels words, not mine. All got a bunch finish including Maxgear triathlete Heather (who immediately went for a run after finishing the race, which looked more like a sprint than a run if you ask me!!!!) and Eve just missed out on the podium with 4^th.

Mid season also included the well publicised Johnson Heath Tech Series as part of the Halfords Tour Series. The Maxgear girls raced in the local events in Stoke and Oldham. Both events had a big crowds and we had podium photos taken as a team. On the start line Snap ‘I’ve got the Power’ boomed out of the speakers and the crowd bashed the barriers to the beat. That song still gives me chills when it pops up on shuffle on the turbo .
With not much experience in crits, I overgeared and got dropped, although was only lapped by the breakaway on both occasions. Still the experience was awesome – in particular Oldham was exciting with a steep decent into a sharp corner at the bottom with a reverse camber. A cobbled climb made up the rest of the 1k circuit. Both crits were great fun to ride, the music and the atmosphere was second to none. I will definitely be back next year.

Total races for the year: 10
Races completed in top 20: 2
Total races completed in the bunch: 5

Total races completed by the couch potato: 1 (He's proud of it, he insisted I include this)

Mid Season Part 1 - Bedford 2 day

Since the race in Cheshire I had been looking for more women’s races to enter and come across Maxgear RT who needed more female riders to compete in the National Women’s Team Series. I immediately snapped up the chance to ride for a cool and successful team – one which had won the Revolution series in the previous winter.

My first race riding for Maxgear was the Bedford 2 day. The best two days racing of my life and my favourite race of the calendar so far.

I was very excited to receive my new Champions System Kit. The couch potato thought it was a bit too florescent, but I loved it. It was extremely comfortable and fit perfectly! I was nervous and worried about not being able to keep up and making the team look bad. I’m not sure if was this drive not to let the team down, or enhanced confidence following the Cheshire Classic, but I need not have worried.

Stage 1 was the team time trial. 9 miles and all of them uphill!! We finished 11th of 18 teams which wasn’t bad considering we’d never ridden together before.

Stage 2 was a 50mile road race around an interesting lumpy circuit with a hard uphill finish. Warm up had been short and I was extremely nervous waiting on the start line. The race was quick and windy. The pace was set by World Champion Sarah Storey and who managed on the first lap to shell out over half the field.

As I counted down the laps, determined I would not be dropped too.  Despite hitting the same large pothole on each of the four laps, there were no punctures and I survived until the bell lap. A wave of excitement went through me - I was about to finish a road race in the bunch for the first time. Nor was I going to let my team down!  By the last climb I had ended up at the back, but of a bunch of around 40 I still managed to finish 25th. I was ecstatic! 

Day two was harder still, with legs like lead from the previous day and a windy individual TT of two laps of the bowl at Millbrook test track, followed by a tough race up 6 laps of the Alpine course. I finished just a few minutes down on the race leaders finishing 30th in the overall standings. A fantastic result!

Early Season 2011

Before this year I was fairly new to road racing but not a novice in bike racing.  I had competed on the Velodrome for a number of seasons and had won the women’s ACT track league in 2010 but I had always liked road and it was time to race a full road race season.

My professional accountancy final exams had forced me to take a break from cycling during the back end of 2010 – not a great end to a cycling season.  For anyone who likes numbers (the easiest way for me to communicate as an accountant) my 2010 road race stats look like this:

Total races in 2010: 4
Punctures: 1
Crashes: 1
Races in which was lapped: 2

It was all worthwhile avoiding racing and taking time out off the bike, as I passed all my final exams and I submitted all my documents last week to become a fully qualified chartered accountant!  Typically this time off the bike was followed by a long period of heavy snow and general bad weather.  A very slow start to 2011.

My first two races of 2011 were the 3rd/4th cat CDNW races at Pimbo and Saighton - very early on in the year and dominated by men!!!.  After a stifled winter, this was a very bad idea. Unsurprisingly I was dropped and lapped multiple times – never mind.

The first serious race was the Cheshire Classic - part of the women’s national series. This was one of the four events I had entered in the previous year. The race was a series of ten laps of a circuit which included a short, sharp climb through Acton Bridge - also the finish.

Last year I had been dropped on the first climb up to Action Bridge and lapped by what was left of the main group. I was determined this wasn’t going to happen this time. I gritted my teeth and hung on to the top of the climb. I couldn’t believe it when I was still in the main group, we turned the corner at the top and I hung on as the group was pushing up the false flat. Then I punctured, typical.

 I got a wheel change off the neutral service and continued to find the group had been stopped just up the road after a horrendous crash had taken place on the main road in an incident involving a car and around 10 riders. I stopped to make sure everyone was ok. Richard (my couch potato boyfriend) had turned up, unbelievably on his bike, to watch and was helping the injured and told me to carry on.  Once the race had restarted I managed to stay with the main group for a couple of laps before dropping off the back.  I ended up finishing in a small group just a few minutes down on the lead group.  I left the race feeling good – a vast improvement on the previous year’s performance.

Total races in 2011: 3
Races finished on the same lap: 1