Spoke with Jean on the phone this morning -- she's OK. She's at home and each day is easier than the last. I was happy and relieved to hear from her. Hope she heals as quickly as possible -- and I hope she can get back to enjoying her bike at some point.

I also spoke with my teammate Brian who was hit by a car last week and had to have surgery on his ankle -- the same surgery my mom had where they install metal plates with screws to hold your broken bones together. Serious stuff -- but I'm grateful its only his ankle that was shattered. He's going to have a long healing process too -- and he's the sort of guy that never sits still, so this is really hard on him. But it sounds like he's got his technique on the crutches down.

OK LOTS of nasty bruises. And a stiff neck. But considering all the serious injuries my teammates and fellow racers have suffered, I have nothing to complain about.

Had a nice training ride this morning with Bob & Gigi -- her elbow is healing nicely -- and then had brunch with Robin, who is pining to get back on her bike.

I'm happy my rest week is over and I can get back to business.

Raced the Fall Fling road race today. We started out with about 10 in the women's masters category -- mixed 40+, 50+, 60+ and 70+. I was feeling good and had no problem following the moves. By the second turn of our last lap, we were down to 5 -- and none of us were going to drop any of the others. It would come down to who could sprint the best after all the attacking on the hills after turn 3.

But before we got that far, the two women ahead of me touched wheels, one went down and took me out in the process. Which, c'mon! -there were only 5 of us! It shouldn't happen. But a moment of inattention, a bit of nerves . . . and there you are.

My first thought was to jump up and chase. Then I saw that the racer on the ground next to me -- Jean -- was hurt. Really hurt. She was making the same kind of moaning noise that Stocky was making right after his crash at camp. All thought of racing gone, I tried to help her best I could.

Then the men's cat 4 field crested the hill behind us -- we were in the middle of the road and not going anywhere. The guys on the front started shouting surprised warnings and the moto guy helped wave them around us. Poor Jean was in a lot of pain, was having trouble breathing and was panicking a bit. The first aid guy and I did out best to comfort her and keep her still. Finally the ambulance got there. I spent a couple hours at the hospital with Jean and her husband. She'd landed hard and broken her collar bone in 4 places, broken [and overlapped] a couple ribs and had a concussion. She'll heal, but she has a couple weeks of pain ahead of her.

Driving myself home, I started to feel my bruises. Happily, they're minor -- I don't even have any road rash. Jean took me down, but also broke my fall. I'm disappointed that we didn't get to finish the race. And I'm sick of crashing! But I'm very lucky I wasn't hurt. My bike seems to have survived intact as well.

So, there's my road racing season.

Migraine.

I hate rest weeks. No matter how much I need it, it screws everything up. I end up tired and sick and totally out of synch with my usual schedule. I feel more burned out right now than I have since Downer's Grove.

It might partially be the migraine pills, which make me logy. I had this headache all yesterday, just not quite bad enough to take a pill. Then it woke me up last night, full strength. So awful. I just wanted to get back to sleep, so I put off going downstairs and getting my pill . . . so the pain kept waking me up over and over. I don't know why I don't just take the pill right off.

I finally woke up enough to commit to getting up and taking it, and 30-40 minutes later the pain had receded. But it wants back out now -- I can feel it struggling inside my head. Like a weasel in a cage.

Thinking about doing the Fall Fling road race on Saturday. Can't decide.

Rest week. Its like bizarro world. Staying up past 10 pm, sleeping in past 6 . . . kee-razy!

My first cross race yesterday -- Jackson Park. Extremely well organized, great turnout, well-designed course. Couldn't ask for a better first race.

It was super fun and crazy hard. I'm getting better with the eggbeater pedals, better riding on grass, dirt and mud. Still really bad at the flying dismount, getting across the barriers and the flying mount. I got passed a lot at the barriers.

It was a good course -- lots of turns and chicanes. Four barriers, two together at the bottom and top of a little hill. A couple long stretches where I could open up and pass people. I did OK on those parts. I got a good start too. Next time I'm going to work even harder at the beginning -- at a certain point I could tell that at least 5 women weren't getting any farther ahead. In fact, I'd gain a little bit each lap. Not enough to get near them, but still. If I can stay with them in the first half, I should be competitive with them in the second half.

I ended up 9th out of about 19. Not bad for my first cross race, considering my lack of technical skill.

And the way my teammates cheered! Bob yelling encouragement by the registration tent, Jackie giving me pointers at the barrier on the hill [other people are getting back on farther up], Luke pointedly NOT laughing as I muffed the flying mount over and over, Emily shouting at me to gun it after the little chicane maze . . . its just such a great atmosphere.

Eileen was amazing. I didn't even see her after the first half lap -- she was way up front. She finished a strong third. I think she'll be winning soon. She gave me a very good bit of advice -- commit to the flying mount. I yelled that at myself during the race and while my mounts were shaky and at times downright comic, they were better than they could have been.

Beth, Heidi and Emily raced in the women's 1-2-3. I loved watching them -- so graceful and powerful. They did well in a tough field.

Can't wait for the next cross race! In the meantime, lots of practice getting on and off the bike. And maybe some hill sprints. I'm OK on the bike, but SLOW on my feet.