Forced to Pivot: Finding a New Path in Colorado

Just a week and a half after breaking my thumb, I flew to Colorado Springs for our planned altitude acclimation camp ahead of the National Championships. I was in a cast, and everything had become a nuisance. Simple tasks were suddenly difficult, and normal training was impossible. I was hoping a change in scenery would help me break free from the frustration.

When I first arrived, the crisp mountain air was refreshing, but that feeling soon changed. A meeting with the USAC doctor confirmed my fears as he strongly advised against racing. Competing with a fractured hand with only three weeks of healing was too risky. My biggest goal for the summer was gone.

OTPC credentials: Same picture from 2018 when I was last here.

So, we pivoted. The new mission was no longer about peaking for Nationals and breaking the national record, but it was about rebuilding for the next season. We decided to seize the opportunity of being at altitude to do quality training that I otherwise wouldn't have time for. The focus shifted to building my aerobic capacity and hitting the gym for lots, and I mean lots, of heavy lifting. My days began to blur into a solitary routine of long sessions on the Wattbike in the velodrome infield and in the weight room while the rest of the camp was on the track, freshening up for the main event.

Needing a different kind of challenge to channel my competitive energy, I took on the Manitou Incline. For those who don't know, it's a fun and challenging climb of nearly 2,000 vertical feet in under a mile. Reaching the top was a different kind of victory that I needed.

View from top of Manitou Incline

Then, Nationals rolled around. It was hard for me to watch from the sidelines, knowing I was supposed to be out there. I came into this season wanting to duke it out with my teammate for the national titles. It was a strange mix of emotions. I was genuinely happy watching him win and succeed, but at the same time, the frustration of being unable to compete was eating at me.

It was a powerful lesson in patience. I know my time will come. This marked my second year in a row of being unable to compete at the National Championships. The setback, as frustrating as it was, wasn't all for nought. A new, unexpected opportunity did arise in the meantime, opening a different door just as this one closed. More on that soon…

Gym platform at OTPC Gym