Wow!  It is snowing like crazy outside!  I'm really glad I went riding a few times before the dirt got buried underneath a foot of snow!  I hope that it doesn't last for too long and some warm weather melts it down for some prime dirt conditions =)  Maybe for Christmas?

Hope everyone has happy holidays!

xoxo
Elysia

P.S. But the best part is watching my dogs play in the snow....sooooo funny!

....Sneaky orthopaedic doctors....they always know how to lead you on!  I just went riding last weekend for the first time since May!  Dang that took forever!  Fortunately, my ankle didn't bother me too much; well, until I accidentally put my foot down in a corner.  It was so much fun to ride again!  I was tired way too soon...a good sign that I need to hit the gym and ride a lot more!

I'm going to ride as much as I can this winter, snow levels permitting.  I don't think I'm going to do any races until the Spring because I'd really like to get back to the level I was riding at before I got hurt.  I'm totally planning on racing Hangtown and Mammoth, my two most favorite races of the year!  I can't wait and it is so great to finally be back!

I hope everyone has a great holiday season and keeps it on two wheels!

xoxo
Elysia

....I should be able to get back on the bike!  I can't wait!  My ankle is still somewhat of a trainwreck, but I'm hopeful that once I start riding again it will feel better just because I get to ride! LOL  I'm probably going to hold off on racing until a Spring series of some sort starts up again.  Hopefully I will get my skillz and my speed back fairly quickly!

In the mean time, I'm going to do some homework, yeeeehawwww!

Have fun out there and keep it on two wheels!

XOXO
177

Hey guys,

Well, its been a really long time since May 9th, it feels like I haven't been able to ride forever!  I still have a few weeks to go before I can get back on the bike, and even then I'm going to have to keep it mellow.  My doctor advised me that I shouldn't jump and/or race until November!  I think I'll be going crazy by then!  Luckily, the arenacross regional rolls into Reno that month, so perhaps that will be something to work towards!

I'm having some major range of motion issues with my ankle in spite of working my butt off in physical therapy to try to make it right.  I'm walking somewhat like an old lady right now and I'm not too thrilled about that.  I really want to be able to get back in shape and get on the bike again!  I'll be sure to keep at it until it is back to 100%.

I hope that you're having a great summer and keeping it on two wheels.  Take some laps for me!

xoxo

177

Honda today! Woohoo! =) I'm so stoked!

Hey!

I just realized that I haven't updated my blog in FOREVER!  Yikes!

Well, I broke my ankle in 2 places, a tib/fib fracture for those of you that know your bones.  I got surgery May 19th to get all the pieces back together, 7 screws and 1 plate later I'm off the bike for 3 months.  I am so very depressed right now.  I'm missing Hangtown and Mammoth which I was really looking forward to racing because I think that I got faster and wanted to see if that was true.  haha  Anyway, I really am bummed out.....no riding for days and I can't do much else either since I can't walk.  I'm going to try to get my screws out right after I am healed up because I have heard too many horror stories of people having their screws backing out and bulging out of their skin, ewww!  And I want to be 100% with further surgeries in sight as soon as possible.  We'll see if I can make that happen, sometimes life gets in the way of the best plans.  If so, I guess I'll have it done over the winter.

I hope that everyone else is having a lovely start to their summer.  Let me know what you're up to or if you have any suggestions on what I can do to keep myself busy while I'm stuck on the couch for weeks on end.

xoxo

177

Hey everyone....

Good news.  I hit a triple at Hangtown during Saturday practice that I've never jumped before.  It was so awesome, I'm finally starting to feel good on my bike again!  It has taken nearly 4 months of riding to get to this point!  Now I just need to focus on riding consistently and upping my intensity and aggressiveness - then I'll be set!  It is such a relief to feel semi-normal on my bike again!  Yay!

My next race is the World Minis in Vegas where I'll be racing in the women's class with the number 417.

Wish me luck!

xoxo

Elysia

Hey Everyone,

In case you didn't notice, I'm now riding a 2007 CRF250R for Big Valley Honda located here in Reno, Nevada.  Layne Kolbet has been a huge help and I know that I'm going to go far this year with his help!

Hope everyone is having a great year thus far....

xoxo

Elysia

...But you won't hear me complaining about it!  It has been awhile since I've updated everyone so here goes!

MY BACK

As you may or may not know, I broke my back in June of 2006 riding a practice track trying to get ready to race Mammoth MX.  I fractured 7 vertebrae in my back and was very fortunate to not have come out of the accident paralyzed.  Always wear your chest protector!  My EVS Flux saved my spinal cord and I will forever be thankful for that...

I met with a spinal specialist a few weeks ago to see how my back has healed up and understand what kind of permanent damage I have.  The good news:  all of my fractures have healed up nicely.  The bad news: I a partially herniated disc between my L4/L5, and I have three discs that were badly compressed and thusly the blood flow to them has diminished - I prefer to call them crispified.  My doctor advised me to quit running and without directly saying it, he suggested that I not ride my dirt bike.  But we all know how listening to that last part goes....in one ear and out the other.  I respect his opinion and thusly I have quit running.  I will be happily spending my three day weekend racing Hangtown.

There are many reasons why I won't stop riding within the next few years.  The most current one being I feel no pain when riding.  Pain means something is not right, no pain means everything is in working order.  I will have to reevaluate this from time to time I'm sure, but as long as I feel good I will ride and race.  I have goals and dreams and as long as I have the opportunity to attain them, I will.  I'm going pro someday so be prepared!

MY RACING

I successfully completed my first race since breaking my back at Hangtown two weekends ago.  I placed 3rd in the Women's class, but it wasn't pretty.  My confidence is at rock bottom right now and you could see that in my riding.  I figured I'd have some issues coming back but the reality of it is harsh.  Jumps right now are just a huge thing for me.  I feel vulnerable; the risks that I would normally take and the rate at which I push myself are completely different.  There is some lingering fear deep in my subconscious that is making riding and racing at my highest potential extremely difficult.  I've decided that I'm being way too hard on myself - I'm punishing myself for something that was to be completely expected.  In my happy world, I imagined going back out on the track and riding like it was June 13th (the day before my accident).  Well, that just isn't going to happen and I've accepted it.  Rebuilding my confidence is going to take some time, and in the mean time I might as well focus on the positive and the things that I can improve on right now.  If I'm going to be rolling a jump or two, I better be making up for that time by being faster than everyone on all the other parts of the track!  Don't worry though, the one thing I'm confident about: I will regain my confidence :)

I've got support from some great sponsors this year and I look forward to providing some quality results and tons of exposure....stay tuned!

ALL OTHER THINGS

Wow, I'm insanely busy.  I work full time, go to college at UNR at night, run my own business (the primary financing for my racing), go to the gym, ride and race.  It is a little overwhelming at times but things have to get done!  Fortunately my mom is really supportive of me so she tries to help me with what she can!  I bought myself a new truck and a toy hauler so that makes going to work have a little more purpose behind it.  I can't wait until the spring semester is over so I can really focus on my riding!

Hello everyone,

Well, I've been riding a couple of times and the good news is I can take the pain that riding causes me!  I mean it hurts but it is manageable and well worth it to be back on my bike!

Due to the above, I've been hitting the gym to get back into racing shape.  That hurts as well, but the next day I usually feel a little bit better and sometimes it actually reduces the pain a bit.  I've accepted this "situation" as something I must deal with if I want to keep riding, and I do.  Nothing makes me happier than riding - especially racing!

I think my first race returning from my broken back is going to be February 4th.  It gives me adaquate time to be fully prepared mentally and physically and some seat time before I go try to get all crazy!  The race is at Prairie City (Hangtown National track) in California.  I really like that track a lot and it was the last place I raced before I got hurt so it should be a good choice to get my season started with.

Wish me luck!

xoxo,

Elysia