Don't Call it a Comeback.. : 2019

There is really no "OFF" in the Season. Traditionally its a transition period between one athletes's season of sport.

I like to give myself some time to reflect on the season I had. What went well and what areas need attention . I like to create a season of the good memories.. 'what went well' and store those memories so I can pull them out and recreate those images when needed.

The off season is when the majority of the work is done. I like to call it 'home work' season. Regardless of how well my season went I am always striving to be better. I show up every day with the attitude of "I want to be the best". Defining what that looks like for me is key.

Always looking at ways to be better. If your not sure what to add to your program. Look at your role models, look at those that are already very successful to get ideas.
It would be a long road to burn out if you continue riding in your discipline without any type of break. Mostly- needed is a 'mental' break. I like to suggest new activities that work the building components that build the foundation.
Cycling is so great , as You can switch it up by riding different disciplines.

One thing I have learned is that you better balance it out. Stress is real and too much stress can lead to complications in your health. Every activity - must be counterbalanced with a destressor.
Finding the things that ground you- rest, meditation, massages, etc.

Breaking it all down to fit into my daily goals with the eye on the target "where am I going/ What I want to ultimately accomplish ". But allow some flexibility in your program since life is never constant.

Enjoy your Off Season !

Road to Recovery.

As an athlete and a coach I am constantly on high alert for anything that can make a person better.

I am always chasing that knowledge. I’ve been studying the brain, the connection that it has to the gut.

Ultimately how we can perform better.. Studying the mind set , and our “psyche” for so long.

Toby said it to me best, as I knew it was true, That.. out of all the people I know how to do this the best. That’s it. I will do this come back from injury better than ever. I will set a new standard for bone healing.. ;coming back to the sport.

I have to walk the talk, practice what I preach. So I did just that. Well. of course I had some help.

April 26, 2019 Spartanburg, S.C. The first night of speed week and the night before Athens usa crit race #2. I am going well right now. I am fit; I am fast.

I took cross season off this past year to have a break - and for the first time in 5 years I went back to the gym to build muscle !

One of my first goals for the year was to podium at Marathon Mtn bike nationals in May in Palo Duro Canyon, Tx. I felt prepared this year compared to the last two years racing- so close to the podium without proper training in the past. This year.. I was putting the time in on the bike, heat training with infrared sauna.

My goal here quickly vanished . As we came around the final corner in spartengburg I thought there was going to be a crash and at this time I had all of this momentum and came around as i could see the finishing line focusing on pulling as hard as I could on those bars was the same time a rider landed in front of my front wheel- the next thing I know Is I could hear my helmet crushing sound on the pavement.. and thinking, "I am going down". I come to and I am on my back holding my mangled hand and feeling my broken ribs as I lie there just a 100 meters from the finishing line.

I ended up shattering my elbow, breaking my collar bone and ripping the ligaments off of the clavicle separating the AC joint , broke a couple ribs and a finger. I flew home the next day and scheduled to see my Ortho that week and Surgery was planned for Friday May 3rd.

I hate taking meds, I don't like the way they make me feel ‘out of control’ . So we found that tramadol doesn’t make me feel groggy, or drugged up- just eases the pain a bit.

After the crash, I took it upon myself to go to Cryotherapy to get some of the swelling down prior to surgery. Then again a couple days after surgery I went back to cryotherapy. I know too much inflammation is not good.

I had recently purchased a joovv , a hand held device Its red light therapy, studies show many health improvements. One of the Claims is that it promotes bone; soft tissue growth/ repair.

Thanks to My mom I’ve been using her bone stimulator. I’ve also had a few treatments of Bemer therapy, thanks to my friend Kim.

My attitude has been good from the beginning. I know this is only temporary and I will soon be back racing. I am enjoying my time spent at home with my husband and my dogs. I am continuing with my daily meditation twice a day. I end my meditations with gratitude. I say to myself what I am grateful for and ending it with seeing myself riding off the front and winning Nationals.

I rehearse this type of imagery a few times a day.

I had to ride the trainer which I despise riding the trainer. However, I was so anxious to get back to riding I was fine with the trainer. It was tough initially as I was restricted to keeping my arm in brace locked at 90 degrees. So riding sitting straight up but at least I was riding. I watched crit races as I rode the trainer.

So now I am back riding, and doing intervals as I began my physical therapy. Initially this was only assisted range of motion. The pain from the physical therapy was pretty bad . Luckily if I kept busy, I didn’t feel much pain at all. It seemed to hit when I went to settle for the evening. So this is when I would take the tramadol if needed in addition to cbd oil.

I decided that I would eat healthy during this time of healing. I already eat pretty healthy- but I was going to take this to the next level. Part of my daily intake MCT oil, Omega-3 , Vit D with K; Vit C, mag-Calcium supplements. In addition plenty of dark leafy greens, pasture raised eggs, avocado healthy fats, lots of fish !

I want to set my own standards for how long it takes to heal the bone to repair the soft tissue damage.

I just had my last ortho follow up and I am about 6 weeks out from surgery. Everything is healing and I got permission to race at the 8 week out which is Nationals. I still have a lot of hard work ahead, every day with physical therapy I know it will get better every day and I will return stronger.