Yay, we finally started the bed/bath remodel

I've been waiting for AGES for this and with the dirt bike season behind us, Bryce finally agreed to get started :)

This is probably one of our bigger projects but we couldn't be more excited to expand our tiny 5ft x 8ft master bath and finally build a second closet.

We've completed the first part of the demo so the framers can push out the bathroom walls this week. Then we start to rip out the one closet to make room for two massive custom wardrobes! I haven't been feeling my best recently and this weekend's hard work showed how out of shape I really am. However, I'm pretty sure the double dose of antibiotics are doing their job so it will only be a matter of time before the gut and my energy start turning around. More to come soon!

Moving Forward

For Halloween last week, Bryce was supposed to dress up for work. He didn't tell me this until 30min before he was about to leave so I told him he was on his own. 15min later, he came down wearing this. I nearly fell over laughing. Apparently we have quite a bit of leftover triathlon gear floating around in our room. It's actually pretty clever and his co-workers got a big kick out it.

Last week I also began extensive physical therapy on my thumb. I see the PT three days a week for the next month. In just a few sessions, I have gained 9 degrees of movement and things are slowly starting to loosen up. I've also been wearing this silicon scar mold (pictured above) that has been helping tenfold. Not only is the scar not as raised, it's helping heal the last two internal stitches that tried to come back up. The exercises and manual therapy hurt like crazy but since I can't suffer on the bike anymore, I guess it's helping to keep my pain tolerance in check :) 

Where did the fall go?!?

Even though things haven't been the most exciting lately, I still cannot believe fall is almost over and it was already time for Allen and Jenny's annual pumpkin carving party! As usual, it was a great time and so nice to catch up with Tito and Courtney, whom I haven't seen in ages. Unfortunately, Bryce was driving back from a weekend of racing moto in TX so he couldn't make it. He did, however, have a fun last race of the season and is really starting to figure out how to rip on his new 150.

Fall may have come and gone really quickly, but I'm not complaining. I'm actually really excited for winter this year. Bryce and I have decided to jump back into snowboarding and hit up a bunch of different resorts for the first time in 5 years. I have been trying to break in my old but new boots while working and it's getting me really antsy for the winter to arrive. Looking forward to being back playing in the mountains!

Let the healing begin!

A few weeks ago, I was put in touch with a great MD who incorporates a lot of the naturepathic medicine concepts into her practice. I really enjoyed working with my previous ND and felt like we were on the right track, however, she just had another baby and is unable to give me the full attention she thinks is necessary to get better. My new doc did many of the same and a few different tests which gave us some light on why my body shuts down once I begin racing. Although we haven't gotten all tests back, I have begun another round of intense supplementing as she thinks this is the only way I'll be able to boost my immune system and adrenal glands back up. Many of these are exactly what my ND had prescribed and a few are new and very different. For someone who used to not be able to swallow pills, taking 40+ caps a day is NOT easy. I've contemplated giving up racing and moving on but I simply can't let it go. If I want to get back out there, I know this is my last resort so my motivation to take the supplements is very high. Like with anything new to your system, it takes a bit for it to adjust so these next few weeks are going to be rough. However, and from previous experience, I know it will get better. Stay tuned for more updates and cross your fingers my body and energy start cooperating :)

Going through the motions

I apologize for the lack for blogging but in all honesty, there really isn't too much to report these days. I've still been feeling pretty blah and laying low key other than trying to plan our master bed/bath remodel and buying silly things like this scooter above. I swore I would never buy a scooter but I needed to meet my ''I'm sick again so I might as well buy another toy'' quota. Plus, it's motivation to get better sooner so Bryce and start motor-pacing me when I'm fit and ready to get my leg speed back. It needs a few parts to make it zippier but it's still super fun.

I've also been in the kitchen baking quite a bit. I even attempted my first pot of homemade apple cider this past weekend. I couldn't resist making some GF/DF pumpkin donuts to go with it too. The weather has been much cooler so it felt appropriate :) Happy Fall!

In loving memory of Amy D

This past Thursday, the world lost an amazing, kind, and talented young lady. Amy was not only a good friend of mine, but a huge role model in our cycling community. We held a tribute for her on Friday at Rocky Mounts where her bike was proudly put in the rafters for everyone to see. Sunday was a candlelight memorial at the Valmont bike park. It couldn't have been a more appropriate place as it was one of Amy's favorite places. It makes me physically sick every time I think about it but I know she will always be watching down and smiling upon on us. RIP my sweet girl, I miss you so much already!

Click here to view one of the first articles that came out about her passing.

The cast is off!

I finally got my gnarly and stinky cast off this morning and above is what my thumb looks like nearly 6 weeks post surgery. The doc said it looks good but was a bit concerned with the extreme stiffness. I'm supposed to wear a splint when I'm in situations where I could be hazardous to myself (which really means full time) then wash dishes with hot water for the next four weeks. Hopefully getting the area warm and soft with hot water will help it loosen up and re-gain mobility.

Reading from left to right then top to bottom, you'll see the various hand apparel I've gone through since the crash on Aug 2. From the $16 Safeway splint, a post surgery bandage, a colorful and waterproof cast, and now a fancy mold-able splint, my right hand has seen it all. Some day I'll be back to normal!

Yes, we are okay!

Before I go into the details of the floods, I have to share a gorgeous pic of Melanie and James' newborn, Emery Mai Huang. She joined us on September 5th and is the cutest little thing. We brought them some homemade chili for dinner tonight and got to hear all about the first week at home. We're so happy for them and can't wait to watch Emery grow up :)

And onto the floods. We are safe and VERY fortunate. Although we had some flooding in our basement, it could have been way worse. The Torrance boys came over to help us dig some ditches to divert the standing water filling the window wells.

Bryce used old dryer vents and bicycle tubes to re-direct the gutter and sump pump drainage away too.

This is a street (or was a street) less than a mile directly north of our home. It's been a long week and seeing the damage in person is simply devastating. We have been told that the rain needs to subside in order to assess the true damage but estimated figures, timelines, and missing people are astonishing. The whole situation seems surreal right now but I'm sure it will set in this coming week. Check out this gallery of pics to see more of the situation - http://photos.denverpost.com/2013/09/12/photos-massive-flash-flooding-along-front-range-of-colorado/#1

Updating

 

Last week was a bit on the rough side as I found out that I have the Epstein Barr Virus for a fourth consecutive year :( It explains why I've been feeling extra crappy and although I'm slightly glad to know it's not fully due to the concussion, I'm still really bummed out. I'm working with specialists and immunologists and will hopefully have more info soon. On the brighter side, I did get my hard cast put on and molded to my bike handlebars. Hopefully I'll be able to start riding it sometime soon. 
 

Bryce's sister, Brittany, was in town from Cali for the long weekend so we headed to Vail to see her and his parents. While Bryce was out riding his new dirt bike, I tried to get caught up on work and rest as much as possible.

Brittany used to work at the Beaver Creek stables so she thought it would be fun to grab a few horses and go on a trail ride. It's been probably 10+ years since I've ridden but it was really fun.

It's 3 days later and my inner thighs are still sore, but well worth it!

WP MTB Series Wrap Up

It was definitely a disappointing ending to the Winter Park series since I wasn't able to compete in the final two races. However, my other race results combined with the drops were good enough for a third place overall finish!

Bryce had a stellar season finishing on the podium at every race except one and ended up winning the overall series by two points! Next year he moves up to the Expert 30-34 category so he'll have his work cut out for him :) Congrats Hunny.

My head and hand are still out of commission so my normal full weekend of exercise is out of the question leaving me a lot of extra time on my hands. Melanie and James brought over another zucchini from their garden so I decided to make muffins and brownies out of it! Tada.

Recovery time

 

Last Friday I checked into Avista Hospital where Dr. James Reid surgically repaired the torn UCL in my thumb.  The operation went well, and it sounds like Dr. Reid repairs quite a few of these 'Skier's Thumbs' in Colorado.  

Although the surgery went well and lasted less than an hour, I suffered through the anesthesia recovery a little bit more than anticipated.  Bryce sat in the recovery room with me for about four hours after I woke up, and even when we left I still felt completely out of it.  Due to my fear of nausea, I haven't exactly followed the suggested pain medication routine, and have endured way more pain throughout the past few days than I should have.

I'll be sporting this soft cast until next Wednesday when I have my first post-op visit.  The plan is to remove my stitches and put me in a waterproof cast that can be molded to the shape of my handlebars!  Assuming the state of my concussion allows, I should be able to get back on the bike for some light exercise sometime after that. 

I can't thank everybody enough for the outpouring of love and well wishes through another set-back.  As you can imagine, this is not easy for me to deal with and I would love nothing more than to have a full year without any issues. 

Back under the knife :(

After showing Lara my thumb a week post crash, she wasn't very optimistic. Although it was going to cost me $1000 out of pocket to get an MRI, she was pretty insistent I get the images taken. Just knowing the diagnosis would help speed up the recovery process either way so I agreed. Late Tuesday night I got the news that the ligament was 100% torn and required mandatory surgery to fix. I was able to see hand specialist, Dr. Reid, this afternoon to reaffirm surgery was needed and he immediately scheduled my surgery for tomorrow at 7am!

I'll post more details post operation but in the meantime, you can check out more info on the injury and how it is repaired through this link (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2654954/).
I also have a stener lesion which means the ligament pulled some bone fragment away when it tore. Happy reading and stay tuned for recovery updates.

Bryce's new toys!

Bryce spontaneously decided this past weekend that he wanted to trade in his KTM 250F for a zippy 150 2-stroke. He has always been a ripper on the little bikes and was eager to switch things up to keep his riding fresh. It just so happened our boys at Fay's had a brand new leftover 2012 Red Bull Edition KTM 150 for him to pick up that day!

He has a bunch of parts to switch out before he can sell the 250 but I know he doesn't mind spending time in our toy box :)

Bryce also completed his new 1x10 hardtail mountain bike/commuter. It definitely turned into a much more elaborate bike than anticipated but now we both have the same type of bike for short track and singlespeed riding.

These are obviously not Bryce's new toys but I thought it was a cute pic to post :) I helped watch Ben's kiddos while he had some important work to take care of. We had fun watching motocross and destroying my kitchen while making cookies. As adorable as these little munchkins are, I'm still set on my ''no kids, no plants, no pets'' lifestyle!

Down but not out

As much I want to believe I am invincible on my downhill bike, the truth is, I'm nowhere close! As a matter of fact, I got a pretty good idea of that last Friday when I dropped straight on my head from the top of a wooden bridge feature in Winter Park. I had been riding really well and was told everything on this double black diamond run we were about to go down was ride-able. I had never been on it so I should have known better not to try everything even though someone told me it was okay. That definitely came back to bite me when I thought the wooden bridge continued to the ground instead of just dropping off making it a mandatory jump.

The unfortunate part is that I did land straight on my head and pulled my right thumb completely backwards. For a split second I thought my whole body was broken but thankfully it was only a concussion, a bum thumb (that still needs to be analyzed for a ligament tear), some serious whiplash, and a super sore body. The best part is that my bike was okay!!! I have been put on a mandatory 10 days of ZERO exercise so that my head can come back to life. I've already done some pretty stupid things since the incident so it's probably best I stay put on the couch for a bit. Throughout the past years of illness, I've tried to think that everything happens for a reason. This may just be a way for me to take a forced break before the cyclocross season so that I don't burn out or get sick mid-way through. For peace of mind, I'm just going to stick with that theory :)

BRC Watch Demo - HUGE TURNOUT!

 

Christine and Denny joined me Wednesday night for another watch demo at the Boulder Running Company Fun Run. I couldn’t believe how many people showed up and how quickly every single demo watch went! We had a lot of runners in the market for a new GPS watch and they were stoked to be able to try out the Run Trainer 2.0 before they bought something. Everyone who tried it absolutely loved it so we couldn’t have been more thrilled! Below are a few pics from the night.

 

Winter Park is my happy place!

After a rough week of being really tired and a slightly terrified I was getting sick again, I decided to test the waters Saturday morning at the 4th WP MTB Race. I did little to no training this past week but instead slept a ton and pumped up hardcore on several vitamins and supplements. There are so many factors that could have attributed to being exhausted but I wanted to be overcautious in case my immune system was in fact getting a bit depleted. My goal for the race was to go my usual race pace for the first big climb/descent then re-analyze how I felt. There was an easy bail out section that I could take in case I wanted to cut it short so I almost planned on just doing that. However, after the first 10 miles, I felt okay. I knew I wouldn't be able to hold that pace for the next 15 miles so I just decided to cruise. I lost my 2nd position very quickly when I toned it down but my lower/steady pace caught up to the others towards the end. I found myself riding with my friend Lisa who was in 3rd late in the last climb then used my descending skills to pull away on the super long descent to the last climbing section. Although my right inner thigh cramped to the point where I fell off my bike right after the long downhill, I was able to massage it out for a quick minute, get back on my bike, and hold on to the podium spot by a slim margin. It was definitely not my best showing in terms of power output but I was beyond excited to be on the podium considering I honestly didn't even fathom finishing when on the starting line. Every race this season has been a learning experience and I'm so grateful to to be healthy and able to race. I'm now tied for the points series lead so I'm hoping to be back to my 100% self for the next one!

I have been waiting since last December to build up my Norco Aurum DH bike and I finally got to ride it for the first time this past Sunday. We only got in a few runs before the massive rain storm blew in but it was enough to create an ear to ear grin for the rest of the day! What a freaking blast. Also, Bryce and Tom provided some great entertainment by crashing into each other on the fire road leading to the trail! Can't wait to get back up there this weekend and see how big I can go :)

New toys, weddings, big rides - whoa, what a weekend!

 

You've probably seen a photo of this bike's frame several months this past winter. After a little impatience, I finally ordered a different fork than I had originally planned on using so I could actually get some use out of it this summer! I've never ridden a DH bike before, but I'm beyond excited to get after it. Bryce says it's just like riding a super lightweight dirt bike...giddy up :)

We joined some good friends on Saturday morning to take the infamous 8:10 bus up to Nederland for a day of mountain biking. It's very rare that we don't get turned around at least once or twice on our rides, but now that the entire trail system has been totally logged, I'm pretty certain we got lost a bit more than average. Needless to say, we all had a great time and enjoyed some high country singletrack and a bombing descent back down to Boulder.

Later that night, we attended close friends, Adrianne and Corey's wedding on top of Flagstaff Mountain.

The ceremony was stunning and the weather couldn't have been more perfect!

Adrianne and Corey are the utmost perfect couple and we all wish them the best of luck on their new adventure :)

The reception was at the UMC on CU's campus so the ''Just Married'' couple rode a tandem down the mountain from the ceremony. We definitely made sure to park along the way so they would have a large cheering section and a crazy fan to spark their attention. Photo credits on the above four images goes to Allen Krughoff of Hardcastle Photography :)

The reception was a blast and as bike racers, it's always fun to see everyone all dressed up and looking good. We slept in late on Sunday then headed out for a tough interval session on the CX bikes up Four Mile. The rest of the day was spent getting Bryce's car ready to sell, going to the grocery and baking some delicious treats. It's been a while since we've stayed in town for the weekend and it felt great to get a lot of stuff done!