Injury is a very peculiar thing, especially from the perspective of an athlete. For me, it can go one of two ways: either a healthy learning process promoting self-growth and determination, or a destructive path towards negativity. This fall I was given the amazing opportunity to start working with Crystal Wright and Adam Dowell at Wright Training. Going into this season, I made it a goal to be stronger and more confident than ever. I had started a routine workout schedule pushing to prepare for winter. After training through part of October and into November I was, as always, overly eager to get out there and get on snow. So it began.
Winter was in full swing, powder stoke was high and I was feeling strong. Then the unexpected happened. At the very end of a wet heavy day a week before Christmas, my ski clipped a branch under a buried pillow and sent me forward in an uncontrolled frontflip landing awkwardly on my left leg… Denial. Anger. Hope. Fear. I took three days off and tried to get back out. No way. Pins and needles. an X-Ray showed a stress fracture in my tibia. As everyone remembers, it snowed roughly three feet in late December. Everyone I talked to had a grin from ear to ear and couldn’t stop talking about how “bottomless” it was. At this point it took every ounce of will power not to become completely negative. Negativity doesn’t get you anywhere, ever. Once you realize this simple fact of life you have no choice but to see the positive in everything. Yeah, I was missing out, but I’d be back. In the scope of things, this is a minor injury. It wasn’t a full break; I didn’t have to wear a boot, I could ski in a month and most importantly, I could spend time at the gym and stay busy.
It has been a godsend training with Crystal. Being at the gym is a great way to be not only physically healthy but mentally as well. Personally, as an athlete, I put great stress and rely heavily on my body for my sanity, happiness and livelihood. So it is imperative for me to keep myself on point. The good people at Wright Training have given me confidence, purpose and also something healthy to focus on. I am now taking in this whole experience as a learning lesson in patience and an opportunity to better myself. I’m very happy to say I’ll be skiing in a week, and looking forward to a long season ahead. To anyone who’s going through a battle, whatever it may be, always remember you have a choice. Choose the right path. Pick up your head up, bite your lip and push on.
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See you out there!
