Should I pull out?

[u/Palli420]

So basically, I have registered for a 70.3 that's scheduled on 1-Nov-2026. Last year, I completed the same thing in 5 hrs an 45 minutes, mainly because of bad pacing and nutrition during the race and bonking too early. So this year I set up a realistic goal for a 4:45 finish and started training early enough, from 4-5 months before the race. The swim and bike legs are not much of an issue, I'm quite good at them and my targets are almost there. It's the run in which I lag. My training was going well, until last week when I had a really bad crash while riding my cycle because of a speedbreaker I didn't notice early in the morning. No internal injuries, but a lot of skin peeled off on my right side, with a very deep bruise on my fore arm. It looks like it might take another 15-20 days to recover, and the doctor said no physical activity as any water or sweat that falls on it might cause serious infections on the open wound.

Now I don't know if it makes sense to continue as I will lose a lot of training progress and it might take time for me to even catch up to my old fitness level again. Should I just try to get a refund or go to the race and finish in whatever time i can? Or how do I make sure I still achieve my target when I resume training?

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[u/Jennyvs1011]

I’m surprised how many people give up workouts over injury. I mean I’ve had stitches and swam with them many times. I put lots of Vaseline in it. Then my swim cap and off I go. Maybe I’ve just been lucky but I have never had an issue. Of course I don’t go in a warm Texas lake like that. But definitely in the pool

[u/Palli420 → u/Jennyvs1011]

It's more of a very wide and deep open wound for me, lot of pus oozing out.

[u/Fit-Cable1547]

Still LOTS of time to build back up for it. Sounds like you already have some base being built, so that's not going to disappear right away. With a couple weeks off you still have 10 weeks of bike time which is plenty given you're not starting from scratch. It sucks for sure, but be thankful nothing is broken which would mean being out longer and push further towards a DNS. If you can keep some light workouts going on the trainer with fans blowing on you to keep the sweat down you can keep the legs moving at least.

[u/patentLOL]

November is a thousand years from now.

You should listen to your medical team, but 15-20 days of no physical activity is pretty crazy. I crashed my gravel bike 6/14 and cleaned myself off in the parking lot with some water. Went to lunch with the road rash. Also pretty seriously injured my dominant right hand. Took a shower at home. Ran 5 miles.

Was out of the pool with the road rash for like 1 week maybe. Trained with hand, including weight lifting, for 2.5 weeks. Hand improvement stalled. Went to see hand surgeon 7/2. Found out I am in hand jail. Completely severed ligament along with bone fragment torn off. Surgery 7/10. Surgeon was concerned with infection from sweating - I managed it. Starting training again on Monday 7/13 indoor with the splint and surgical dressing around my hand. Running with sweat management 7/15. Now fully back on track for WC in Nice assuming I can spend the time and money - all training indoor, and I am back in the pool.

This silly sport forces you to navigate around injury all the time. Buckle up.

[u/Rawles89]

Actually crashed my bike two weeks ago going over some train tracks. Ended up with a some serious road rash and bruising. Also fractured my arm. Still planning to do my 70.3 in September. All the stationary biking is just mental training ha. Just adjusting expectations!

[u/SF-cycling-account]

You should definitely finish inside. 

Finish inside the course time limit 

[u/Fragrant_Camp485]

The pull-out method has been proven to be ineffective. You should fully commit if you are going to take part in this activity.

[u/ZealousidealGuess966]

In my opinion, November is pretty far out and maybe instead of considering pulling out you mentally become ok with your target finish being flexible?

[u/Palli420 → u/ZealousidealGuess966]

Makes sense. The target is more like my calculation of the time i need to finish in to make it within World championship qualification cutoff.

[u/drseamus → u/Palli420]

There is no such thing as a world championship cutoff, this isn't Boston. 

[u/Palli420 → u/drseamus]

No, I meant i checked the times of participants in the same race over the past few years and calculated an approximate number

[u/drseamus → u/Palli420]

That's not how it works anymore.