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By: Haley Canoles
Once again, it's been a while since my last update. I am definitely finding it hard to find the time to sit down and write these updates. I always feel like I need to be doing something else instead, such as working, paying my bills, training, riding, washing my bike, cleaning my room, all important things.
For the rest of the article please visit:
http://www.mxgirls.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=122&Itemid=7
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By: Haley Canoles
Alright friends, it's definitely been a while since I gave you an update. So first and foremost I want to apologize for fading away. MJ and I both had a lot going on this past year but we are now back and in full force. I'll get this out of the way right now, I am doing great. I've been super busy but I couldn't be any happier than I am right now. I'll try to give you a rundown on what's been going on.
For the rest of the article please visit:
http://www.mxgirls.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=110&Itemid=7
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Since my first race in April of 2004, I would say I have competed in roughly 20 races consisting both on the local, regional, and national level. My win count was a lonely number 1. Don't get me wrong, I have had more than a few wins "in the bag" but I always seemed to choke and psych myself out of my performance. I would consistently get into the habit of trying too hard and end up going down. I knew I was a better performer in practice and my skills were far better than most of my competition but I would always lose it on race day. No matter if I had 10 competitors, 5, 1, or even if I was the only one entered, you could be sure that I would find a way to crash-out during the race.
In May of 2006, I made the trek to Southern California to compete in the opening round of the WMA Championship series. You guessed it, I crashed in the 1st Moto. This time the consequence was a hyper-extended knee and a nearly torn meniscus. Yet I managed to get back on the bike and finish the 1st Moto and rode in the 2nd Moto as well. I came home and took this as a sign to go ahead and get my nagging shoulder problem looked at also. I healed up from my knee injury and had my 1st shoulder surgery in August of 2006. I healed up from that and had my 2nd and hopefully last shoulder surgery in January of 2007.
Despite these setbacks I am now more determined than ever, I have been working harder in the past 4 months than I ever have. Working harder by consistently showing up to the gym, eating right, rehabbing my shoulder at physical therapy, going to practice when I'd rather not, and doing everything else I can think of to further better myself. I have recently started a job working at FedEx as a package handler, I work from about 1-6pm on days that I go to night practice. So after loading heavy boxes in a trailer in the Arizona heat for 5 hours you can imagine the last thing I would enjoy doing is rushing to the track to go train, but I do it anyways. Since I have gotten back on the bike, every time I go out to practice I am noticeably faster than the previous practice. However I became frustrated with the fact that my conditioning on the bike was not up to par, I was getting horrible arm pump and could only ride for 5 laps at a time. I used to be able to crank out a couple 30 minute Moto's a day and never had problem with arm pump. No amount of gym work was helping my endurance on the bike.
Finally I decided I would make my return to racing in preparation for my big return at Washougal. I decided to race on Saturday night at a local track called ET Motopark. The track has lots of jumps and turns, and I don't really like it due to the fact they send a lot of racers out in helicopters. Nonetheless I felt confident showing up to race and was positive that I would be happy no matter the outcome. If I failed miserably, it would be one of my many learning experiences. I stopped by my race shop Bernie's Cycle Service to fill up on some VP and pick up my new gear that just came in.
After signing up for 125 Novice and Women's, I geared up and awaited practice. It was a mudfest! People were going down everywhere. I thought to myself "You're from Ohio, you can handle this." then I went down. I was immediately bummed but I got back up and stayed up for the last 4 laps of practice. Shortly after scrapping the mud off of my bike it was time to head to the line for Moto 2, my first race, 125 Novice, and surprisingly I wasn't nervous. I got on the line and still wasn't nervous, no butterfly's or anything. The 30 second board went sideways, I was excited, "I'm ready to go!" I had never felt like that before, totally calm yet excited to race. But after switching my focus to the rider next to me who jumped the gate, I left the line a little bit late. The race was on, I tried to stay out of everyone's way and I just rode my own race. On the very last lap I dropped it 2 corner's before the finish line, but honestly I was just tired and it was slick. When the Moto was over I was breathing so hard and felt like I was going to pass out, the sweat burning my eyes didn't help either. I thought "Yea, I remember this feeling."
After going back to my pit to get a drink and wipe my face off, I headed back to the line for Moto 5 which was my 1st Women's Moto. There was only one other girl signed up for my class. It was a girl whom I had rode with months before my 1st surgery, we were about the same pace at the time but she out-rode me when I began to try too hard. I saw that she was my competition and said to myself "There goes any chance of me wi---" I cut myself off mid-sentence and said "Shut up! You can hang with her. You've gotten faster since you rode with her. You aren't a head case anymore. You could win." I then reminded myself that I wasn't even there to race, I was there to get the feeling back, to re-learn all the race-day procedures. It didn't matter if I won or not so I completely let go the thoughts of winning or losing. I returned to the line and still wasn't nervous but I can't complain, it's great to not be sick to my stomach on race-day anymore. The gate dropped and I got the jump on my competition only to be taken out in the 1st corner by the beginners we had to race with. I realized that I had now crashed in both of my Moto's, that wasn't how I wanted to start my season. So I remounted my bike and rode as if I hadn't already thrown my race away, I had made up some ground on my competition but not enough by the time the checker's flew.
The track crew changed the schedule for the 2nd round of Moto's so I was now racing 125 Novice along with 125 Intermediate in the 1st Moto this time and my Women's Moto was now Moto 3 in the schedule. My dad and I both thought that considering my race conditioning there was no way I would be able to safely race 2 Moto's that close together at a decent pace, I assured us that "It doesn't matter how I do, just as long as I do it, I'm just here to get back into things." As the gate dropped on my 2nd 125 Novice Moto I took off late on the start once again but then things finally clicked, I felt good and still not nervous, I was clearing more jumps, going faster, riding smoother, picking better lines, I was breathing and relaxed. I thought about pulling off early so I could catch my breath before my 2nd Women's Moto, then realized I was having way too much fun to quit. I finished the Moto with a huge smile and rushed to the line just in time to hear my number called for my Women's Moto. I chugged down half my water bottle and then had my down pour the rest down my back. I wished my competition goodluck. I was pumped and ready to race once again. And the gate dropped, I pulled one of, if not the best start of my entire life at least up until the first corner when I backed off way too much to avoid any foreseeable carnage. It was a good thing I gave those boys some space because I nearly landed on one who crashed on the jump 10ft. out of the first turn. I almost ate it as well from swerving to avoid landing on him and throwing my left arm up to alert the rest of the pack of the downed rider. I made it through the first few turns and as the pack spread out I breathed a sigh of relief. I then knew I had a chance of winning yet I told myself to "Forget about winning and just ride like Haley knows how to ride." And I rode great because I was finally having fun and racing once again. In fact the entire rest of the Moto I wasn't thinking about anything other than how much fun I was having. I made it to the checker's unscathed. I was stoked on how well I rode, my dad came up to me and I said "Dad! Did you see me ride? It was awesome. Wait I just won, right? I just won!"
The next 4 hours of my night were spent kissing my trophy and trying to convince myself that I had actually won. I still can't believe it. I think no way is that possible that I win my very first race back after not racing for over a year. I've only really been back on the bike for about a month as well. "Haley doesn't win, Haley crashes." How did I win on a track that I hate? After being completely out of race-shape and running back to back Moto's? I've only ever won once before. Why now? I am having a hard time believing that going to the gym and physical therapy all the time is what made it happen, but it's really all the explanation I've got. Everyone would tell me that I was crazy and that doing all that wasn't going to help me as much as I thought it would. I simply told the naysayers that "I know everything that I am doing is going to help me." Winning my first race back definitely works wonders for my motivation, not that I need any more at the moment. So the point of my story, don't sit on your ass when you break your leg. If you're serious about racing, you can always do something more to train/practice even when you think you can't. Don't underestimate the power of hard work.
On a funny note.. when I went to pick up my trophy it started to rain. Yea, rain in Arizona that's almost as believable as me telling you I just won a race. 
Firstly I want to thank my Doctor, Daniel Mullen at Mezona Orthopaedic for fixing my shoulder after 1 Doctor told me to quit racing, and 2 others told me they couldn't fix my shoulder. I want to thank everyone at Mezona Orthopaedic Physical & Hand Therapy for keeping me motivated and getting me back into shape 100%. I want to thank all of my sponsors for sticking with me when it looked like I wasn't going to make a return to racing, Motorex USA, Sidi, Scott USA, EVS Sports, Dunlop, Bernie's Cycle Service, and One Industries. Lastly I want to thank all of my family and friends who have been so supportive of me during the past several months. Thank you so much!
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By: Haley Canoles Sorry for the lack of updates. Astonishingly I have been keeping myself busy while on the injured list. As of about last week I am now a high school graduate. You would think this means I have a lot more free time, but that is not the case. To read more, check out the entire article at:
http://www.mxgirls.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78&Itemid=7
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By: Haley Canoles
It's time for an update! I will start by saying that the surgery went OK, and I am doing a lot better than I thought I would be. In fact, I am typing this with both of my hands! I will start my update with the day before my surgery...
To read more, check out the entire article at:
http://www.mxgirls.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=69&Itemid=7
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By: Haley Canoles
Is there a life outside of Motocross? If you bleed race fuel like the rest of us, the answer is a definite, "No!" Well I am being forced to find a life outside of Motocross for the next 4-6 months. If you know me, you know that I am no stranger to crashing and burning. With the crashing and burning of course comes the injuries, and I've got a few dents in this body of mine.....
To read more, check out the entire article at:
http://www.mxgirls.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68&Itemid=7
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Since I currently have no gear sponsor, I was given the opportunity to do a product review for Girlyz. I uploaded the review onto MXGirls.com.
Check it out!
http://www.mxgirls.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=58&Itemid=7
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from: http://www.mxgirls.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=8
Jr. Editor in Training - Haley Canoles
Tuesday, 29 August 2006
As a newly appointed Editor of MXGirls.com I would like to introduce myself. My name is Haley Canoles, I grew up around motorsports, my brothers used to race quarter midgets and my dad drag raced boats. About 3 years ago, my dad took a chance by buying me a dirt bike, I have been hooked on motocross ever since and I can`t thank him enough for it. I currently race in the WMA, you can find me running the #873 in the intermediate class. I also dice it up with the boys in the novice class. I love my family and all my friends, I am extremely blessed to have such great and supportive people in my life. I have had some unfortunate injuries that have slowed my progress down, but that doesn`t stop my driving determination to excel in motocross and become the best person that I can be. I love everything to do with motocross, the training, the friends, and of course the riding. I am very competitive and enjoy all kinds of racing whether it involves bikes, cars, dragsters, quarter midgets, go-karts, and everything else that goes fast. I recently just moved out here to California. I think this was a very wise decision, by surrounding myself with like-minded racers I will get the chance to further the careers of both myself, and others.
I am on board to assist Michele Johnson, the owner of MXGirls.com, and longtime advocate of Women`s motocross, to further the media coverage of Women`s motocross, and Women`s motorsports in general. Hoping to become the primary media source for Women`s motocross around the world. Ultimately, my goal and wish is to help promote and expand Women`s motocross to a widely recognized and respected sport. I have a strong desire to help bring people`s stories to the eyes of the readers, letting everyone know that the dream can and is being realized if you have the courage to just go for it. As always remember to be safe and above all else, have fun! Don`t hesitate to let me know if I can do anything for you.
Haley
hcanoles873@yahoo.com
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Media Exposure:
I am working diligently to gain more exposure. This is a current list of where I am featured.
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