Saturday, April 8, 2017

USASA Nationals 2017, Wrap Up

Overall we had a really good trip to Colorado. Whitney loves snowboarding out there and really enjoyed hanging with the team from Massanutten. She got to network some, although not as much as she thought since everyone, including her, was busy. I enjoyed the bit of skiing I did. Hopefully next winter will be better here in the East and I'll get to Massanutten more so I'll feel more confident in my legs when we go to Copper next year.

We had to get up super early to catch our shuttle to the airport. We had the chattiest driver! I was actually pretty impressed with what she's done in life, including being in the military and driving massive construction trucks (the kind you have to climb a ladder to get into). I don't know how anyone could be that talkative that early in the morning. Anyway, we got to the airport in time to get some bagels and coffee and wait. While we were waiting (for bagels, I think, or maybe working our way through security) I got a text that our flight was late. Again. It was coming in from San Diego and had mechanical issues. We ended up leaving just over an hour late. We got to Dulles ok where Bob picked us up. Things were pretty efficient there, he was able to get our bags, including skis/snowboard, and was waiting for us by the time we got off the train to the main terminal. He got us home (one time I appreciate the toll road), we moved Whitney's snowboard to my car and she packed up the rest of her stuff then we went through the Chick-fil-a drive through and went to Baltimore so she could catch her flight to Maine. Super long day for Whitney since she didn't get back to her dorm until 2:30am.

Before we left Colorado Whitney had sent an email to the trainer at school that she's been working with and he told her to come in on Tuesday. She managed to get up in time for her 8:00 class on Tuesday then went to the trainers after they opened. She told me later that they used a tool to determine if she had broken or cracked her ribs and it felt really weird. It was determined that it was unlikely a crack/break but more likely a contortion of her ribs. All I could think of was that it sounded painful and how the heck was she still snowboarding?? The trainer made her an appointment with the local chiropractor and she went to see them on Thursday. They said she had rib dysfunction (twisted ribs) and after a painful adjustment she was fixed. Well, her ribs were back how they should be but she was still in pain. She was told not to sleep on that side and to be careful of hugs and twisting her torso for a few days. Because of her experience she was told to take this weekend off from snowboarding but she could hit the slopes again next weekend. She was just glad not to be told that she was done for the season. She's really hoping to be able to keep snowboarding until she has finals in May. We'll see if Sugarloaf is open that long.

Now it's time for me to put my ski gear away, figure out how to return my rental skis (the ski shop is closed for April), and look forward to next season. Whitney has plenty of time, or at least a few weeks, left to snowboard and enjoy herself. I'm glad she's got a longer season up there so she has time for some fun riding. She doesn't get to do that much during the season; she's too focused on training.

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