I have a long list of topics I am excited to write about to help inform both clients and the general public that are evidence-based and form the foundation of our philosophies at ETS. I had a hard time figuring out which one to start with, but with the launch of Endurance Training Strategies this week, I decided it would be most fitting to begin with a little history of our business- along with a personal story that helped get the wheels in motion over the past few weeks.
ETS has been in the works for almost two years now. While in PT school in Albuquerque, I was initially approached by a client who followed me on Instagram and saw how much mountain biking I was doing- while still managing to ski pretty fast. As an avid cyclist himself, he wondered if I did any coaching. I referred him to my partner David, who not only had years of experience coaching himself, but was helping to write my training plan as I navigated a busy course schedule, seemingly endless studying, little access to safe roller skiing, and a slew of injuries that plagued me. Despite all of life’s craziness at the time, with David’s guidance, I was able to pull off some career-best results that season- including a Birkie win. David began coaching this client, happily incorporating mountain biking into his schedule and planning around work/family commitments.
Thus the seed of ETS was planted; over the past two years we have helped clients not only reach, but surpass their goals, and have picked up more along the way. Both David and I have continued ski racing while navigating life’s transitions, which has been a different approach than many of our peers, who are either “all- in”, or “all-out”. We have transitioned to full-time careers, and while our racing schedules have certainly evolved, we both find time to train consistently and efficiently. We enjoy the challenge that constantly chasing athletic goals provides, despite these goals evolving over the years. To us, exercise is a way of life, and we are always going to find the time to squeeze some form in every day- even if that means a 5 am or 9 pm run.
I started working as Physical Therapist in Steamboat Springs a little over a year ago now, and since then, ETS has been a work in progress. We have slowly been piecing together strength plans and writing content for our website, but not with any significant sense of urgency. We started working with a friend and colleague of mine, Skylar Weir, who is a Registered Dietician operating her own business, Sky’s Rooted Nutrition. This gave me a boost of motivation to really get things going (since she really has her act together :) ), but what really got the ball rolling was an accident that happened a few weeks ago.
On a beautiful, bluebird spring day, we went ski touring with the assistance of snowmobiles (or machines for you Alaskans). As endurance junkies, this isn’t something we typically do, generally opting to earn our powder turns by slogging for hours on heavy touring gear. In fact, I had never done this before, so it seemed like a pretty sweet opportunity, especially after competing in the Grand Traverse (7 hours straight of trying to keep up with David) the weekend prior. Without getting into too much detail, I fell forward onto the throttle lurching me back. In my attempt to grab the bars more securely I squeezed the thumb lever again- accelerating straight into a tree. As the snowmobile stopped, I was ejected and my back hit the the tree before landing back on the ground in the most terrifying sequence of events I’ve ever experienced (thankfully I had no passengers).
Upon that split second of impact, I knew I had hurt myself- badly. The relief I felt when I was able to stand up and walk away was quickly exchanged for one thing: pain. I knew I was lucky at the time, but I was so terrified of the fact that I couldn’t move or breathe without pain like nothing I had ever experienced before.
After a 30 minute snowmobile ride out with David driving (who is much more competent than myself and will handle all integration of this activity into training plans from here on out), we made it to the ED. My injuries included fractures of ribs 10-12, a fracture of T10 transverse process, a lung contusion, and small pneumothorax. I called my manager, who was able to zip over for a quick visit (fun thing about working in a hospital), and told her I’d need tomorrow off work. She blocked the rest of my week; I thought I’d probably bounce back quickly and return the following week. I figured rib fractures are just painful, and I’m pretty tough, so I’d be back at it in no time! As I write this three weeks later, I find it pretty comical - maybe it was the pain meds, or the fact that my example of recovery from rib fractures and a pneumo is my mother, who participated in a 200 mile ride three weeks after her own incident- but that certainly hasn’t been my trajectory.
The realization of the severity of my injuries followed a similar timeline to the swelling and bruising that ensued. Over the coming days, my right trunk swelled up into a giant love handle that jiggled with every step I took, progressing into my groin and low back. My side turned from blue, to purple, to green, to yellow, and is still present as I type this. Instead of getting back to riding the stationary trainer and running, I continue to walk at a snail’s pace- feeling winded, drained, and discomfort from the fractures with every step. I have six weeks off work due to lifting restrictions- a timeframe I initially thought was crazy but now am realizing is 100% appropriate. I’ve had my fair share of injuries in the past- including a fractured pelvis and sternum- but nothing has ever caused me to take a step back from my normal swing of things quite like this. I’ve always been able to find something aerobic I can do, but this has been a new beast for me to tackle.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had a lot of time to think on walks. The realization that I was lucky is something that has amplified, masking the embarrassment I feel about the accident itself. Although progress is much slower than I anticipated, I will make a full recovery, regain my fitness, and start training for races again later this summer. For that I know I am incredibly lucky, which has allowed me to have clarity and shift my normal endorphin- fueled focus for the time being.
This all circles back to the beginning of this post; my time off from work and interruption of my normally very structured and busy schedule has allowed me to buckle down on ETS- writing strength plans, filming exercises, delving into research articles, and finalizing our website. I have also thought about how my recovery from this injury closely parallels some of the foundational philosophies that inspired ETS. Each injury I rehab for myself provides valuable insight that teaches me how to relate and work with my patients/clients. It also forces me to reflect upon the decisions I make; I always think “What would I tell a patient to do?”. Not surprisingly, the answer is generally far different from what I’d like to do- highlighting the value of proper guidance and coaching.
In my current situation, I would tell a patient to focus on what is in their control rather than what’s not- to do what they can to the best of their ability. For me, that means frequent, shorter walks rather than epically long ones and incentive spirometry. It means rehabbing my nagging achilles, performing light hip strengthening/mobility routines, and focusing on optimal fueling (an injured body CANNOT heal without good fuel!). It means a chance to work on ETS and other passion projects - researching and compiling information I can use to help younger generations of athletes avoid facing the challenges I faced as an athlete. When the time comes to start training, I will need to be diligent with my progression and stick to a plan to avoid injury and fatigue - the same thing I advise my clients and patients to do. I am genuinely grateful for my health, narrowly escaping worse injuries, and for the opportunity to use what I learn when working with clients/patients.
My next post will include more information on much less personal topics- bones, tendons, ligaments, RED-S, strength training for durability, the close relationship between nutrition and rehab, etc. David and I are excited to get ETS up and running, and for the opportunity to work with new clients and help them reach their goals. Not only is it a chance to impart years of knowledge/ trial-and-error with our own training/racing, but to continue learning and growing ourselves.
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