Friday, January 25, 2013

Unfortunate End to my Season

"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."
A quote that I believe is so very true, especially in my current situation.  Unfortunatly my season took a turn for the worst at the Northstar Rev Tour event.  During my first training run, I took a gnarly crash off of a double roller, that ended pretty severly.  I was evaluated the day of the accident with just a concussion, but when I returned to Colorado, my body was still in serious pain.  I thought it was necessary to see a specialist, because I was worried I had retorn my labrum in my hip, which I had surgery on three years ago. The diagnosis was much worse.  I fractured my right hip socket, right pelvis, sacrum, tore cartlidge in my hip, strained my hamstring pretty bad, and sprained my left ankle. I am so very lucky that my crash did not go worse, the doctor said I could have been paralyzed, due to the location of the fractures.  No news like this is good news, but every athlete is involved with bumps along their journey, and this is mine.  My recovery is six weeks on crutches baring no weight at all on my right leg, then once the fractures are completely healed, spending some time in therapy.  Like the quote above, I need to use this recovery time to mentally get myself stable, as well as physically stronger.  I'll be back competing next season, and I am so confident that I will come back stronger then ever! 

The CT scan image of the fracture in my right hip.  The half moon looking-crack to the left of the ball and socket. 

Monday, January 7, 2013

the season in finally here!

After a challenging semester at school, I am finally back in Steamboat! I did very well with my classes, and am very proud of myself.  I worked harder then I ever thought was even possible, and ended the semester with 21 credits and a GPA of 3.8.  With that grueling semester out of the way, it is so awesome to finally be back on my board.
I arrived in colorado the 27th, and have been training hard and riding every day since.  I can already tell this season is going to be a much better season.  I feel so much more confident on jumps, and can tell a huge difference with my carving.  These were the two things I wanted to work on for this season, therefore I'd say I'm on the right track!
Friday (January 11), I head out with part of the team to Northstar, California for the first competition of the season.  I am super stoked for this, and cannot wait to start racing again! I hope the results are much more satisfying then last year!

Heres an amazing view from training starts at Howelson with the team. 

The weather has been so beautiful here.  My first couple days here were gnarly powder days, which was an awesome experience, Michigan isn't known for much powder. I hope this year has a much higher average snowfall then last!