So I went home to Boulder, Colorado, with my tail between my legs to nurse my wounds and my damaged pride. Luckily, I found an amazing support network at Body Dynamics, a progressive rehab center. The women there hooked me up with acupuncture, massage, pilates, ball classes, and weight training, in addition to the clinical physical therapy. Thanks to these amazing women, I was able to still get a full season on my mountain bike and my dirt bike. One of the realities of getting hurt is that our bodies are amazing instruments and for the most part, they heal, and so does your pride.
Now I need to clarify a term I use frequently — "training." Another reality of competing is that we all train. Most snowboarders don't like to think about it that way, but training is another word for riding, practicing, working out, or playing hard. I don't really care which term is used, we're all trying to get better. Out of habit I say that I train, but in reality I think I'm playing hard. I'm slightly warped; I love sweating, feeling my muscles burn, being sore and physically exhausted, running until I want to puke, going really fast on a bike or motorcycle, or anything else that tests my abilities and my limits. In my world, I know a lot of people like me, but I don't know exactly how normal it is....
