I fell off my bicycle in public.
Some days ago, I shared about feeling overwhelmed, breaking down in tears, asking the universe for guidance and my blessings instead of more lessons. A dream filled with symbolic meaning, appeared to caution me against succumbing to despair; urging me to find comfort in life's small pleasures and cultivate a sense of gratitude. Just as I was coming to terms with that, life decided to throw me another curveball.
Talk about a lesson in gratitude, acceptance, and a whole lot of WTF!
On Sunday, August 25th, I woke up at 6 a.m., excited for my first morning ride with Pitstop, a private cycling community in Lagos. If you live here, you might have seen them around. As a newbie, I got a quick road safety briefing from the maintenance team, familiarised myself with my bike, double-checked my gear, and shoved any lingering fear aside as I settled into the ride.
Pitstop’s cycling teams are grouped by skill level, from beginner to expert. I joined the beginner group, with hopes of gradually building up to the expert level.
While I’m no stranger to cycling, the anticipation of joining a group ride on the highway was exhilarating. It demanded a level of precision and courage that I was confident I possessed. As I sped along, the wind whipping my face, I reveled in the thrill of conquering a challenging bend. And then, in an instant, it all changed. My pedals slipped, and I found myself tumbling towards the pavement. The world seemed to slow as I crashed, a crazy experience that left me both shocked and oddly exhilarated thinking, wow, I’m really falling. Cool.ðŸ«
A little backstory
As an adult, I’ve embraced an active lifestyle, finding joy in outdoor sports and recreational activities. Tennis and yoga have become my favorite, though I’ve also tried my hand at flag football in the past. These activities have given me much-needed balance, a sense of community, and a boost to my mental health, especially after losing my job earlier this year. In Nigeria, where it's uncommon for (older) women to participate in sports, I’ve always loved exploring new challenges and pushing myself beyond my comfort zone.
My friend Mr. C, a longtime member of the Pitstop cycling community, had been relentlessly recruiting me for years. His tales of friendly camaraderie, intense races, and lively events had me intrigued. After attending one of their social gatherings recently, I was impressed by the warmth and enthusiasm of the group, particularly their eagerness to welcome another female member. It was there, surrounded by laughter and shared passion, that I decided to take the plunge and join my first ride.
After the fall
The strangest part of this experience has been how quickly I went from being active to semi-invalid. After the nasty fall, my shoulder is a mess. I can barely move my right arm without pain, and my movements are slow. It’s been a tough pill to swallow, especially considering I have to put my tennis, yoga and cycling on hold. But I’m determined to stay positive. With the help of physio and meds (including a little MJ 😉), I will be back on my feet ( hands?) soon. It will be interesting to try some hands free yoga poses in the meantime.
Do I think there’s a deeper meaning to my fall? No, I don’t. Falling is part of the game; it happens all the time. In a way, I’m glad I fell because it feels like I’ve gotten this big, inevitable moment out of the way. I have a new respect for my body, its little, seemingly inconsequential functions, and most of all, I'm grateful that nothing significant was broken, and my friends have been incredibly kind. I've received offers of food, massages, and plenty of support. I’ve been laughing a lot more than I thought I would. A friend hilariously called me ‘Humpty Dumpty,’ which is spot on. I even laugh-cried during physiotherapy—let me tell you, that stuff is painful! When I got tired of crying, I just started laughing, much to the amusement of my therapist.
The universe certainly has a weird sense of humor. It seems this is its way of reminding me to maintain a positive outlook, even in the darkest of times.
I’ll be back to my usual activities soon, but in the meantime, tell me your funny accident stories or send me something funny to read or listen to.
This line right here is everything!! >> "Falling is part of the game; it happens all the time."
That relates to so many parts of life.
I'm so sorry you experienced this but it sounds like you're taking it all in stride. Good for you! Recovery may feel slow but you'll get there.
Just over a year ago, I suffered a major knee injury. I was run over by a pack of large dogs. How's that for funny? I was unable to do any kind of exercise for about 6 months.
Yoga is part of daily life for me and when I couldn't do real yoga I looked for chair yoga on YouTube since i couldn't get on the ground for proper routines. The funny part about chair yoga is that all the workouts are "for seniors." 🤣 There I was doing seniors yoga sitting on a chair lol.
Sending you blessings as you recover! I recently took a shortcut through a cut out hole in a fence behind my house. The fence separates houses and an open field. To get to the field you have to go down a hill. Well, I had on my faithful crocs and after crawling through the hall and starting to walk down the hill, I slipped and fell right on my butt. I had to laugh at myself and it was a lesson learned. No more crocs on that hill!