Just when the 2020 racing season was about to begin, the world ground to an abrupt halt. Events were cancelled, plans modified, and athletes around the globe struggled with the uncertainty of the coming summer. As with everyone else, COVID-19 tore up my racing calendar and tossed the scraps into an unintelligible heap. With no racing to plan for, it was time to pivot toward a new trajectory.
Making Lemonade Out of Lemons
Rather than becoming depressed about the lack of racing, the year at home provided an opportunity to focus 110% on quality training and using the extended period of uninterrupted time to hone my skills and become as fast as possible … basically the perfect time to work with Noble Chiropractic.
A Bad Break
Although there was a quick break in our sessions due to COVID safety, we stayed regular in my visits to the lab, and the improvements to my training continued. Then I broke my shoulder.
A simple mistake, a split-second loss of focus, and I was on the ground; landing on top of my outstretched arm. After a trip to the MRI, it was revealed that I had fractured my humerus bone right at the shoulder socket. Luckily, no surgery was required though. I was initially told that recovery times would be anywhere from 10 to 16 weeks, which would have effectively meant the end of the summer season.
Returning to the Road
Fortunately, I had an ace up my sleeve: consistent work with Dr. Noble meant I was back on the road bike in two days and mountain biking within one month; an incredible recovery time confirming how vital my work with Dr. Noble has been. With the short setback put behind us, it was back to work.
The 2020 season ended with a final power test, where I scored a whopping 25% improvement from my initial assessment. Within one year of working with Dr. Noble, I had improved my FTP 87 points, and my power to weight ratio had gone from 4.36 to 5.75 watts/kilogram: an increase all but unheard of for a relatively trained athlete. All this with no racing motivation and a broken shoulder … I couldn’t make this stuff up.