If you’ve been riding long enough, you know it’s not if you’ll crash—it’s when. A few weeks ago, “when” showed up for me in the form of a broken collarbone. One moment I was flowing through training and races, and the next I was watching it all pause. The worst part? I couldn’t ride, couldn’t work, and couldn’t even sleep right. But here’s what I’ve learned: injury doesn’t have to wreck your progress—it can actually strengthen it.
When you’re hurt, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind. Your group rides are rolling on without you, and training plans get erased in one crash. But here’s the truth: recovery is part of the process. It’s not a break from training—it is training. How well you recover decides how strong you’ll come back.
After the crash, I was told I wouldn’t be riding or weight training for a while. I was sad, but sitting still wasn’t an option. I got creative. I started going on lunge walks and hiking to maintain strength in my legs. I rode my trainer. I also did some strength training to engage my core and lower body—think squats, step-ups, and single-leg balance exercises.
But physical training only goes so far if you’re not recovering right. So I dialed in some key recovery tactics that helped me heal and stay strong:
Sleep: This became my #1 priority. Healing doesn’t happen without it. I aimed for 9+ hours a night, even if that meant changing how I slept to protect my shoulder.
Nutrition: Protein at every meal, extra calcium and vitamin D, and anti-inflammatory foods like berries, greens, and turmeric helped support bone healing.
Hydration: Staying hydrated keeps joints healthy and supports tissue repair.
Active recovery: Gentle movement (like walking and stretching) kept my blood flowing and helped prevent stiffness or imbalance.
Taking a break from training and chilling with your friends and doing other stuff besides riding can help you reset.
This experience reminded me why strength training and recovery are such an important part of a rider’s toolkit. It’s more than just injury prevention—it’s the engine behind power, control, and resilience. Whether you’re sprinting up a hill in a race or riding at party pace, strong legs and a stable core make all the difference.
So, to anyone else going through a setback: don’t panic. This isn’t the end of your season. It’s just another part of the story you’ll tell at the finish line. Stay active. Stay focused. Heal smart. And when it’s time to clip back in, you’ll be ready—stronger, smarter, and more grateful than ever to be back on the bike. We don’t train for perfection. We train to keep going. Even when we fall. Especially when we fall.
Thank you to Kedzie Ruckle @noelkedzie for being our 2025 Junior Iceman Trailblazer!