Track and Field Blogs - Patrick Rizzo

Last week was the scariest experience ever for me...and I'm sure it was no better for Nick. Last Monday as we were out for a 14 mile run, Nick and I split off to head down 25 Mile Rd. to add 2 more miles while our roommates had only 12 on the schedule. Of course, this was my idea to take this route. Black ice was covering the road most of the way, but we didn't have any close calls or anything, so we weren't too worried.
As the two of us turned down 25, we saw a silver Dodge Dakota fishtail around the curve and figured he was just being a typical jackass that we've all been or seen. Then I saw a red Jeep Wrangler coming around the same curve sideways right at us on the shoulder (there was no clear sidewalk). I yelled a token "oh shit!" to warn Nick, whose reaction time is apparently WAY better than my own. We had a good 3 feet between us and the road, but black ice is funny. You can't control what happens on it. Nick made a quick dive out of the way and into the snow. I was not so fortunate. I took a hit on my hip and landed on my wrist and same hip (judging be the bruises. I don't remember the hit, only the Jeep coming at us). I skidded most of the way along the road's shoulder on my face. Needless to say, it looks delightful. I was out cold for a good 5 minutes before going another few hours incoherent. About the time we got to the hospital, I was incoherently rambling off some emergency numbers to get ahold of people at home. Nick talked to my family and explained what happened.
Nick wound up staying the whole day at the hospital as I slipped in and out. Don was there the whole time too. I just want to say how literally I owe those two my life. If not for them, I could very well be dead right now and things could have been significantly worse. For now, I'm trying to run again, but there is swelling on my IT band and I have a pretty tight range of motion. Hopefully soon I'll be back into Boston training without missing too much.
For now, thanks to Nick, Don, and everyone who called and checked up on me in the last week. I really do appreciate everything you've all done.
Here's a gratuitous picture of the damage. *Warning, it looks bad*