Riding Again!

[kristina19]

I'm finally mtb’ing again after breaking my ankle last fall. I was actually riding super-simple single track within 3 weeks after getting out of the cast last October. I wasn’t able to do any technical mtb’ing until last week because my favorite trails became too muddy and icy before my ankle could handle the stresses of hill climbing and sudden stops.

I’m enjoying mtb'ing more than ever now! I spent the winter building a lot of muscle and cardio and aerobic endurance. Now I’m easily climbing hills that had my legs screaming and left me gasping for air last season. I haven’t tried the super-steep hill that I broke my ankle on but it’s on the agenda for the next couple of weeks.

I’m giving up on clipless pedals. Being clipped in wasn’t what broke my ankle…it was because I tried to ride that super-steep hill unclipped. I decided that clipless pedals weren’t for me if I couldn’t trust them enough to get out quickly on steep hills. I’m using platforms with Five Ten, sticky-bottom, shoes now. So far, so good.

My broken ankle experience is something that I would never want to repeat but I'm thankful for what I've learned, the additional strength that I built over the winter, and my even deeper appreciation for being able to ride both my mountain and road bikes again, (not to mention walking and doing stairs, too!).

I think that it is called the real passion about MTB..all the best and wish this time nothing wrong will happen.

[Artista]

Mtb'ing sure gets into a person's blood. I know people who think I'm crazy for getting back on the trails after breaking my ankle. I tell them that life's too short to live in a box.

[Catrin]

Hiked 2 hours today on a mountain bike trail with no neck issues. Been doing pretty hard workouts with only occasional twinges in my neck. In the next two weeks I am going to ride on the road as much as possible...because in a little over 2 weeks I am planning to take my Jamis to a local VERY vanilla trail and see what happens It is a beginning.

I know a couple who think I shouldn't return to the trail due to my severe whiplash injury and they are concerned it might happen again...but I won't allow fear to keep me from something that I enjoy so very much - there is so much freedom to flying through the trees on the dirt trails - even at MY slow rate of speed