My First Bike Crash

   “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

  This past weekend I had my first bike crash. It was only a matter of when, being in the sport of cycling within triathlon. This is my first year in the sport, and with increased time spent on the bike, my chances were much higher of being involved in some type of crash (as every cyclist will be). I thought I would share this experience with everyone who reads and follows this blog (well everything I remember!)
   Last week was a hard training week for me, coming back from TriMonroe, a U25 Elite Development draft-legal race. I was really happy with my results and how training had been going. I felt I was improving all around, especially after having two good races back to back. I was ready to get back into training when we returned to Colorado Springs, but my body felt really tired all week. I pushed through the week; it was a 16 hour week for me. Although 16 hours does not seem like much to a full-time or professional triathlete, a 16 hour week is considered to be a longer week for someone like me. Although I was tired, I mentally felt good and did my best in all of my workouts, trying to keep a good attitude and accept the fatigue. Whenever I feel tired like this, I always tell myself to do my best, because then I cannot be disappointed. Coach Ken gave me the choice for the weekend whether I wanted to do a criterium, the Acacia Group Ride in the Springs, or an individual workout. A part of me wanted to do the crit, but I know crits can be dangerous, especially if you are feeling tired like I was. I did not want to ride alone, and I wanted to see how well I could do in the group ride, since it's probably the toughest ride in the Springs (it really feels like a race at some points). I had actually written an email to Coach Ken on Friday night that I thought it was a bad idea to do the group ride because I was really tired, and that I wanted to do a workout on my own, but his beautiful wife, Brandi, had just delivered their baby girl, so I decided to suck it up and not bother them. I deleted the draft, and told myself I would suck it up and that I needed to push through it.
   I'm wondering if everyone was so much more vamped up in the group ride than usual due to the fact that the Tour de France is going on (that was Kim's hypothesis). The warm-up was much faster and more aggressive than I had remembered, and I figured it was because some professional triathletes or cyclists had shown up that day. I kept my head down and made sure to stay towards the front of the group to avoid any possible hiccups that could cause a crash.
   We made the right hand turn onto MarkSheffel Road, and everyone took off (as usual on this ride). My Coach Ken told me what to do in this situation, and I took his advice and stayed with the pack! Last time I had been dropped at this point because I got stuck behind a slower wheel, but I was positioned perfectly (or so I thought).
    I was in the middle/front of the pack (if that makes sense). Everyone had been really aggressive going into the right hand turn and I didn't want to move around too much so I let some people pass me on my left, while staying with the group. This was a bit uncomfortable because I was on the left side of the pack, and got boxed in. Someone a few bikes up slammed their brakes. I remember this moment perfectly. I saw a few bikes in front of me start to go down, and this was when my heart definitely skipped a beat because I knew I was helpless. The girl in front of me went down, and it was like slow motion from there. She completely spun sideways and I tried to veer off to avoid the crash (as I have done in the past), but it all happened too fast. Next thing I know, I am flying through the air, I land on my tailbone (kind of fell backwards and sideways) and my head got whipped backwards and hit the concrete. Forgot to mention we were going 30mph when this happened. It took me a few seconds to realize what had happened, and the pain instantly hit me. The pain was so bad that my vision was blurred, and for a second had no idea where I was (probably because I hit my head and/or got bad whiplash); either way, my pretty blue specialized helmet was cracked.
   I finally realized what had happened and my body sort of went into shock. I was still lying in the middle of the road, and I noticed I couldn't physically get up because I had excruciating pain in my tailbone. My bike was no where in sight, and I was the only person who did not get up after the crash. I have not felt pain like that in my life, so I started hyperventilating and my whole body was shaking from the pain. I could not control it, and this scared me a lot. A big chunk of the pack stopped after the crash, and one rider in the crash rushed over, "I am a doctor. What hurts? Are your legs ok?Your neck?" I couldn't speak at first because the pain was so bad, but I finally spat out that my tailbone was all that hurt. They picked me up from the middle of the road because I was stopping traffic.
   A stranger who had witnessed the crash offered to drive me home. It is amazing how people respond when others need help in situations of crisis. I am thankful for this stranger, whose name I unfortunately did not get. I would like to thank him sometime.
   I sat in his car shaking as he drove me back to Tracy's, and the pain got worse as the adrenaline wore off, so by his judgement he decided I needed to go to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital and it all felt surreal. I was overwhelmed by the situation. I've never been injured like this before. The man helped me hobble into the hospital (more like he carried me in haha). He got all of my things from his car, made sure they got my name down, and left. I thanked him and gave him the best hug I could at the moment. I stood in the front lobby for 20 minutes, leaning against the front desk shaking in pain and my heart rate was still at about 180bpm. I started to pray that someone would come and help me and take the pain away, because I felt they were completely oblivious in the front  (I felt at the time). They finally came and got me, and I was actually able to walk to the back. I had called Tracy and Kim in the car, but did not want to burden my parents with my drama, so I hesitated to call them. I was told to call my parents, so I finally did that and they drove down to the Springs.
   I stood in one of the rooms for another 20 minutes, same thing, shaking and breathing uncontrollable and someone came in to take vitals and everything. Kim and Tracy arrived shortly and the pain decreased a bit. It was comforting to have them there. I remembered something my father had told me when things have gone wrong in the past. "Experience it," he would say. That was exactly what I did. I decided I was going to accept the pain, accept the situation, and experience it. Surprisingly, this calmed me down. I kept telling myself "adversity builds character, adversity builds character." It doesn't matter what life may hit you with; what matters is how you react to it, and the person you become from it. If adversity builds character, I have built a lot of character this past month (Tracy and I have joked about this a lot) :)
   The nurse finally came in and gave me two vicodin pills to help with my pain. 10 minutes or so later the doctor came in and I asked him in a slur "how long does it take the vicodin to kick in?" He said since I'm lean with little body fat, it wouldn't take too long, as he chuckled knowing it had hit me. The rest of my visit became a little dreamlike. The pain had vanished and I thought "I am fine, the pain is gone!" I went in for x-rays and received good news that I had no broken bones visible in the x-ray. I walked down the hallway and Whitney(Nadia's mom) and Nadia Duncan(my 14 year old adorable teammate) were sitting in the waiting area. "Oh hi," I said. I remember starting to feel a bit drunk at this point because the vicodin had really kicked in. I hope I did not embarrass myself too much. I can't quite remember the full conversation, but it means so much to me that the Duncans came to see me.
   My parents arrived and my dad saw the x-ray and had a bad feeling. All the imaging centers in the Springs were closed during the weekend so my dad decided it would be better for me to get an MRI in Denver on Monday. They picked me up and we went back to Tracy's to get my things (Tracy was nice enough to take Bikey home). Bikey was the first thing I checked, and I remember the stem was all unaligned (the handlebars and the front wheel were all torqued). I picked up my parktool, and was about to start working on the bike to "fix it myself," but my dad wouldn't let me. This is just me. I am more concerned about Bikey than I am about myself!
   On the way home I had my dad drop Bikey off at Cafe Velo as I lied completely drugged up in the back seat of the suburban (I couldn't sit because of my tailbone).
   I spent the weekend in Denver, and it was good to see my best friend Keiko (who brought me frozen yogurt!), my amazing sister Caroline, Julci, and my parents. Everyone was so incredibly caring this weekend, and I am so grateful for that because I know it must have been hard.
   I got the MRI Monday and we found out that I had a fractured sacrum. Luckily it was not the weight bearing part, however the news was not what I was looking for. I was hoping it was only a bone bruise. I broke down crying, and my dad comforted me, telling me it is called an accident for a reason and that I need to accept the situation. It was hard for me to accept the situation at the time. "Why me, why now?" I thought. Apparently it wasn't as bad as I thought. I could do the elliptical, swim, and attempt to bike depending on the pain. I decided I wasn't going to ruminate about it because that wouldn't be conducive toward anything.
   I headed straight back to Colorado Springs after the MRI, and slept for most of the afternoon. I spent yesterday morning with Coach Ken and the youth team. I really enjoyed spending some time outside with one of the 14 -year- olds on my team, Yana Brown, while watching the youth practice. If I can mentor them in any way, even if it's just by a few things I can say or do, that means so much to me. I would love to teach them some of the things that I have learned in my short life as well.
     Yesterday I met one of my favorite people, Joe Turcotte, the man who got me to pursue this sport at a high level after my tennis friend Jevgenij Cariov had gotten me to do my first triathlon. Joe stayed with me while I did the elliptical at Lifetime Fitness. He is a trainer there. I was able to do the elliptical for 30 minutes and then I swam for about 30 minutes, but my range of motion was definitely not 100% due to the whiplash in my neck. Overall I felt really relieved that at least I could do something!
    My phone rang in the car ride home. Cafe Velo was calling me to tell me that Bikey had been destroyed, the frame, the fork, and the wheels. I felt terribly because my good friend and CU Tri Team Sports Psychologist, Will Murray, had lent me his power tap and rear wheel. I felt as if things could not get any worse. Feeling overwhelmed and empty since Bikey was gone, I started to cry. It had taken me a year to get comfortable biking, and it wasn't until recently that I truly felt connected with Bikey. Coach Ken and my Dad told me not to worry so much, because Bikey is only a bike and a material object; "only a bike" I thought. Bikey was my baby. Bikey was a part of me.
    I was emotionally broken. I met with Kim and we had a nice afternoon walking the lake at the Broadmoor Hotel, and drinking an iced coffee. We then watched a movie at her house and went to bed. She really knows how to make a person feel better, and I feel grateful to have a friend like Kim in my life.
    Although I'm devastated that Bikey is gone and I've been thrown some curveballs this past while, I want to thank everyone who has cared for me, supported me, and loved me, especially in my most vulnerable times. I appreciate you all so much. I really do have such incredible parents, friends, teammates, coaches, and a wonderful community I have fallen in love with here in Colorado Springs.
    I continuously realize that we must appreciate every moment we have doing what we love, for you never know if it is the last moment. This includes loving those around you, being the kind of person you should be, and appreciating all that you are blessed with. I feel incredibly blessed and hopeful that everything will return to normal. In the meantime I will take it day by day, and experience this to the fullest. I hope to be healthy enough to race the State Games Triathlon in three weeks! I will not give up,  I will fight, and I will keep my head up as I have always done.
-thank you all for taking the time to read this.
p.s. I hope you all like my new helmet

It's Better to Be Nice by Caroline Warly

Another amazing poem, written by my beautiful sister, Caroline Warly.

It's Better to Be Nice
don’t yell because they say you’re wrong
don’t live a life of vice
be the person you’d like to be
and for goodness sake, be nice

don’t avoid saying sorry
don’t say things cause you’re mad
cause one day you’ll regret it
and you’ll wish you never had

don’t show off if you’ve done well
it may hurt those whom have not
and if you think you may have pained someone
apologize a lot

tell your friends and your family
that you appreciate what they do
tell them that they make you smile
and make you thankful, too

it really shouldn’t be too hard
to treat each other right
more good things always come from hugs
then ever from a fight

TriMonroe EDR Race Report "Race with Passion!"

    It has been a few days since my race, but after catching up in my calculus class this week, I finally have time to write my race report!
    TriMonroe marks my first year training and competing full time in the sport of triathlon. I felt a bit emotional in the process of preparing for this race and even during the whole race experience, because it really just hit me how far I have come as a person this year and how my life has drastically changed. This year was not only a transition in my academics and athletics, but it was a transformation of my identity in a way. I like this new identity better though, so it was all worth it I think.
    I usually only get nervous the day before a race after packet pick-up and pre-race briefing; However, I was nervous on the Wednesday night before leaving Thursday. Woke up at 3:40am bright-eyed and bushy tailed (not really I was exhausted!) I really tried to stay relaxed, even though I was already having trouble maintaining my cool-calm composure, which I try to do in public. I tried to sleep on the plane, which helped me catch up on sleep. We arrived in Seattle, and played tourist for a couple hours, going to explore the Pikes Market. I love traveling because we get to see so many new places, and honestly it is really fun people watching and feeling out the energies of new places. We went back to the hotel and assembled the bikes; Funny thing is, it took me probably twice as long as my teammates! I need to get better at this. I am a mechanical engineer for goodness sake!
    We went for dinner at this really good Italian restaurant, but we were all pretty tired so we went to bed early. I finally got a good night sleep; noticed that I sleep so much better at low altitude. I woke up in the morning refreshed. We went to the venue, Lake Tye Park, and did all of our pre-race rituals. I felt pretty good, better than I had felt in a while. I think with all of the hard training and efforts you put in mentally and physically into training you become tired; when you have the few recovery/taper days before races you really build back up and come race day the plan is to be energized and ready to race. I definitely felt energized and recovered, but mentally I was not in the right place. I was really doubting myself and my nerves were getting the best of me for sure. My teammate Kathrine Warren (we call her "Moose") helped me a lot during this race; she kept telling me to loosten up all the time, which is what I needed. "It's just a race," she said. She was absolutely right; it was just a race, like any other race. She said I looked like I was really freaking out, which I was! Sometimes when you feel like you are panicking the best thing to do is accept it and acknowledge this feeling. That is exactly what I did, and it helped with some of my nerves.
    Everyone is probably wondering why I was so much more nervous for this race than any other races. This race last year was my first race on my team, PEAK Multisport, and I had just started working with Ken Axford, my current coach. I was not a strong swimmer last year; I almost got lapped out on the bike (made it by 15 seconds!). I have always been a decent runner, so I made up for it on the run, but last year I had no idea what I was doing. It was a terrifying experience! Naturally, one would feel a little nervous going into the same experience the following year. In draft legal racing the swim is that much more important; my main goal for this race was to exit the water with others.
   Race morning I woke up nervous, but my race wasn't until 2:15 so I knew I had a lot of time before I had to be ready to race. I paced around in the parking lot and at the venue all morning, trying to stay relaxed, but struggled. I finally went into a shady spot on my own, listened to some soft music, and tried to relax, which helped. My dad and my sister Alexa arrived at the venue (my dad was visiting Alexa because she is working at Boeing). It was nice to spend some time with them and have them watch me race. Everyone told me before the race that I was going to do great and that I was a new person and athlete this year, but I still doubted myself. I felt that Greeley Triathlon was maybe just luck (that I just had a good day), and I really wanted to prove to myself that I CAN repeat with another good race. Coach Ken asked me "you nervous?" before my swim warm-up. Typically he asks me this when he can tell I'm nervous. I was nervous, excited, and freaking out at the same time!

    Right before my swim warm up, I did something which I don't normally do at that time, but it helped a ton. I closed my eyes, then opened them; with a new perspective I really studied the swim course. I imagined myself starting the swim strong, committing 100% and swimming a straight line. I then imagined myself exiting with others, and having a pack on the bike. That was it, I wouldn't allow myself to see anything different. This was the last image in my head so I had that feeling inside me at the race start that I was going to swim my heart out and exit with others. My friend, who is a professional XTerra Triathlete, Kim Baugh, wrote me before the race to "race with passion." I really took this in and told myself to "race with passion" and then no matter what I couldn't be disappointed. If you never give up, if you always fight, there is nothing to be disappointed about; this is my attitude in just about everything in my life. I often tell myself in Hungarian"legy eros" meaning "be strong."

     I had probably one of the best swim starts I have had, and my swim went just as I had seen it. I exited the water with two girls, and we went into the bike together. We caught two other girls on the way and worked really well as a pack of five. I am really glad my Coach Ken had us do all of the paceline drills because it felt natural during the race, and for once I was one of the people communicating with the pack. I felt really strong on the bike. They were calling times on the side "1min...40 sec...20 sec.." I was confused because I thought they meant 1 min from getting lapped. Typical me! They meant 1 minute from the leaders! We really made some ground on the bike, and I had the fastest U25 bike split, which was exciting, since last year I couldn't even stay with one girl who tried to work with me.

  I saw the leaders just ahead. I knew that I probably wouldn't be able to podium, but I didn't care. I wanted to do the best I could possibly do. I came off the bike last out of our pack, but caught most of the girls, except one girl in the first lap of the two lap run course. I was in fifth place, fighting to catch the girl in fourth, who was in the 25-29 category. I almost caught her at one point! In the second lap, I heard Coach Ken's voice yelling "go go keep it up catch her!" from the water. I find it amazing how Coach Ken really sacrificed his race for his athletes. He was cheering for me during his swim warm-up; made me laugh a bit. I put my head down and made some ground on the girl running with her for a while, but into the last straight away I lost my kick a bit and my legs weren't as strong. The run course was a little longer (around 3.3 miles)' maybe if it was exactly a 5k I would've caught her; need to get stronger! I crossed the finish line in fifth place, which I was pretty proud about. I really surprised myself in this race, and it showed me how much I have improved in a year! I realize that a lot of the time, my worries are irrational; they are completely in my mind, and this demonstrates just how important the mental toughness side of sports are and how important confidence is in athletics. I feel that this race helped me build the confidence to continue to improve; it also gave me the confidence to know that I am capable of doing well in draft legal racing. The goal is to get my swim stronger, which I am working on!
    I have said this so many times, but I truly feel blessed to be on this team, and to have such an organized, methodical, and thoughtful coach. I also feel lucky that I had the support of my sister and my dad at this race. I love my family so much, and it means the world to me having their support.
    Over time, I will build a base in training and with that I will build confidence to know going into races that I can do well. I am excited to keep training and racing this summer, and to enjoy the process of trying to be the best athlete and person I can be. Go PEAK!

Promise Yourself

“Promise Yourself"

To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.” 
― Christian D. Larson, Your Forces and How to Use Them

Greeley Triathlon 2013

          I have to say that yesterday was a fulfilling day for me. The past week was far from easy. About a week ago I was puking my guts out and spent 34 hours in bed from food poisoning, losing 6 pounds over night. I tried my best to recover quickly so I could be ready for my first race of the summer with my team PEAK Multisport. One of the team mom's was nice enough to take me to get an IV over the weekend, and I think that was what allowed me to jump back into training last Monday since they gave me two full bags of fluid! Although early in the week I had no appetite, I forced myself to eat smaller meals more consistently to get the calories I needed in me, since I was still training the same amount (after taking a few days off). Monday, I felt terribly during our track workout. My heart rate was around 200BPM, so any normal human being would have some difficulty breathing, but I didn't quit and I pushed myself; even though my times were about 5-10 seconds slower than usual. My coach, Ken Axford helped me keep things in perspective when I became a bit frustrated. This allowed me to stay motivated and keep moving!

       I gradually started to feel stronger throughout the workouts in the week, and my appetite increased, so I could eat more, therefore have more energy for my workouts. Last weekend I thought there was no way I would be ready to race at Greeley, given all the struggle I had been through with being sick. I gained confidence during the week, especially on our team's long ride, when I noticed my energy didn't fade and I stayed relatively strong the whole time. By Friday I was so excited because I knew I was ready to race, and I was looking forward to going to the first race of the summer season with my team.
        We left Saturday morning for Greeley, and the car ride was pretty entertaining, listening to Matt and Ken's funny Southern accents as they played it up. We arrived at Promontory Park, the race venue, and did all of our pre-race swim, bike, and run. That was the best I had felt all week, and in fact, the best I had felt in a long time.  Having the kids around and being in the team environment, made racing much less stressful for me, plus having my Coach Ken there always comforts me because he definitely knows how to guide me through any type of racing (crits, running, and triathlon), and he covers everything I need to know, so that gives me the confidence to know I am ready to race.
      Race day woke up at 4am not feeling too great, probably because it was 4am :)  I went about my warm-up rituals and my legs felt heavy and tired but I reminded myself that it is called a "warm-up" for a reason. I focused on staying loose and getting a sweat so I could be warm for the race. It is always nice to see familiar faces at races, and I really enjoyed getting to see my Colorado Triathlon coach, Mike Ricci in transition and throughout the day. I did not really have a lot of competition in this race, since not many girls were registered, so I knew I had to focus on only myself and time trial the whole race. Coach told me my goal was to break an hour, and to really only focus on myself during the race. I had a pretty good swim. Was only about 30 seconds behind the better swimmers in our group; I was mostly just happy to have Andie Turner, one of my teammates in sight, because she is an incredible swimmer.
     I think I had a pretty good transition and smoothly did my flying mount, which was exciting :) I felt great on the bike and found a comfortable position in my aerobars that I could hold for most of the race. I got a rhythm on the bike, and it seemed to feel effortless; this doesn't just come, it came with all the hard training I've put in on the bike, and the fact that my bike fits me well. I want to thank Cafe Velo for helping me get this incredible bike last August; I think I'm in love! I began to feel more confident, but I reminded myself to stay grounded and not get too excited because it's easy to blow up in a race. I went into the run, legs felt very heavy and feet were a bit numb, since the air was chilly and I have bad circulation in my feet. The first 1.5K was a little slower than usual because I was trying to manage my heart rate and breathing. I saw my sister Caroline and my Dad at the turnaround and that really gave me a boost in energy. I finished the 5k relative strong, running a 20:02. My teammate Chris Athey and I took home the U23 Male and Female Champion title and I took the overall female win for the day, which was exciting. I also got the U23 Female Course record and tied the overall course record with a 54:38...so close! Matthew Ison took home the overall male win and Coach Ken placed second overall, Adam Mckittrick took fourth in Juniors, Yana Brown third in Youth, Liberty Ricca fourth in Youth, and Nadia Duncan sixth in Youth!  I honestly was so appreciative that I could race healthy, and that I had all the support on race day. Last week reminded me that I am stronger than I think. Although it's cliche, Chris told me before the swim "If you think you can or if you think you can't you are right." I think this quote is appropriate for anyone in sports or life. Nothing comes easy, you have to want it, fight for it, and never give up. Most importantly, you have to take every life experience (whether good or bad) as a stepping stone in the process of your endeavors. It is rare that everything goes your way everyday, so I think it's important to take everything as it comes. I feel blessed to have all these wonderful people in my life, and I'm excited for this summer of training and racing! Go PEAK!

       

God For A Day- by Caroline Warly

This poem is beautiful and worth sharing. My sister Caroline Warly has a way with putting her visions into words. Her perception of the world is not only wise beyond her years, but truthful and sincere. I truly feel blessed to call her my best friend, and being her triplet sister, we have such a deep connection (the three of us) that cannot be explained. Please enjoy this beautiful piece of work.

God For A Day

If God needed a vacation and
wanted a house sitter
I would take his job for no pay
and wouldn’t be the slightest bitter

I would make people nicer
And fill the world with love
If someone pulled a trigger
I would block it from above

no parents would divorce
and no children would die
and failure would not exist
for those who always try

pets would not get sick
contempt would be swept away
you would never be condemned
whether you were straight or gay

fat would not be gross
all colors would be pretty
and air would taste fresh
on the farms and in the city

people would feel beautiful
and would be treated with respect
any one abused or hurt
I would reach down to protect

I would silence mouths
With nothing kind to say
Oh life could be so pretty
If I were God for a day

Live Happy

"Zach Sobiech, at the age of 14, found out he had a rare form of terminal cancer. So he became a rock star, and millions of people got to see his music before he passed away on May 20, 2013. This is his beautiful story."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9NjKgV65fpo#!


I found this to be such an incredible story. I feel that it is easy to lose perspective of your life and to take things for granted. It is a matter of habit in how each individual choses to view their own life. What is truly incredible about life is that you have a choice; you have the choice to be the kind of person you want to be. Do you want to be the type of person who has a positive influence on others; do you want to be a person of honesty, good work ethic, a good attitude, someone who chooses to smile?  You have the choice. I think what is the most fulfilling is to be the kind of person who simply lives happily; the kind of person who tries to look at the good in others instead of the bad, the kind of person who believes in the Universe and the beauty of it. Zach's story really inspired me so I feel it is valuable to share with others. Sometimes life can knock you down. It almost feels at times like you are in a dark hole and you can't seem to see the light, let alone dig yourself out. At times like these we must put things into perspective. At times like these we must remember that everything is temporary. The feelings we feel are temporary and will eventually surpass. By putting things into perspective one can live freely and I think that is truly a blessing. Live, laugh, love, be happy.