Iceman didn’t go as planned for me. In my first-year post-partum, I raced a lot and worked hard to get my fitness back. Iceman was my finale for the year – one more to cap off the year of my return. The universe had other plans. About 10 miles in, I hit a patch of sand and swerved just enough to hit a hefty root just off the trail hidden under the colorful leaves – my hand bars spun and I went flying over the front of my bike. Bike and body flipping together, I landed flat on my back off the trail and immediately knew something was not right and that I would certainly not be able to get back on my bike.
Sharp Waves of pain went through my spine, into my right side and throughout my right shoulder. Being a medical professional, I knew I should stay put to be spine boarded just incase. I couldn’t get myself off the ground even if I wanted to. A couple riders immediately stopped with me to tend to me and ask upcoming riders to slow and carefully get around me. Besides the pain on my mind, I couldn’t help but feel bad that I was ruining the other riders races who had stopped to help me. I was on the ground for a long time before the race EMTs could get to me. Within that time I met physicians, surgeons, MDs, and other kind hearted riders that sacrificed there time to help.
Paul Leason – the first rider that was riding right with me and stopped immediately – thank you. I don’t know if you’ll ever see this blog, but I owe you the largest thanks. I asked you to keep riding and that I would be ok, but your words were “if you were my daughter or wife, I wouldn’t even think about leaving you. I am treating you just the same.” When I was more with it in the ambulance, I realized you covered me in your layers you were riding with to keep me warm. I even ended up with all your riding snacks and fuel (I’m SO SORRY!!). You contacted my husband, alerted the race EMTs, yelled at upcoming riders to slow, and most importantly, helped keep me calm. Thank you Paul Leason.
There was Marci Bultemeier – that literally laid over me for quite some time to keep me warm. I was shivering pretty hard, of course it was cold, but I was also bleeding internally a lot and had no idea at the time – thank you for keeping me warm.
Emili Jackson – my close friend that found me after being on the ground for almost 45 min – gave up her race to ride the buggy with me and make sure I made it into the ambulance.
Other riders, I didn’t catch all of your names, but thank you. If you stopped at mile ten to help a girl and her down fat bike – that was me. I owe you. And of course, my husband – he stayed calm and took care of me from there on out, and is still taking care of me as I heal.
I stayed 4 days in the hospital after finding out my only injury was my liver (weird right). No broken bones, no broken ribs, my liver was just quite literally broken in half. I thought I was just being a wimp, but no wonder I couldn’t get up! Unfortunately, riding bikes outside this winter and all winter sports are out. RIP fat bike season. And I truthfully don’t know if iceman is in the cards next year. Maybe I need a year to cheer on all my fellow riders and be just be a support to others out there.
Since my accident I have had an ABUNDANCE of help. Sometimes from people I don’t even know. Other riders, athletes, employees from the race, friends, community members have helped us while I’m down with meals, cleaning, shoveling, blowing leaves, helping take care of our baby boy. What some people may not know, is that besides my accident, my husband is currently battling cancer. I’m not saying this for any other reason besides the fact that to let you know that all the help we’ve received goes wayyyyy beyond what anyone may think. It’s been a year for us – a new baby, a cancer diagnosis, and now an accident where I wasn’t even able to lift my son for a long time and STILL am not cleared to go back to work. Life has apparently told me I need to slow down.
When times have gotten tough, my fellow riders and athletes have stepped up. Thank you to everyone. Iceman now holds an even more special place in my heart after seeing all the helping hands come out.
Thank you everyone and I’ll see you next year. If I’m not riding (I hope you understand…), you know I’ll be cheering and having an extra beer at timber ridge since I had to miss out on the best after party there is!
A HUGE Thank you to Allyson Klug @allysonklug for being our 2024 Iceman Ambassador.
