2012 is kicking my ass and my God it's not even half way through January. Let's review the literal and metaphorical face smashings that have occurred. First of all there was the concussion. This is why I bought a helmet in the first place! A week after the concussion I seperated my shoulder and injured my knee on the same feature. Two nights ago I took a pain killer for my knee which led me to sleep on my bad shoulder all night. I woke up with severe pain in my shoulder and a special visit from the flu (actually the reason I am still awake now). On top of the physical damage the snow has been, well it hasn't been. The snow is so bad the sbx event I have been looking forward to competing in for 2 years, rev tour, was canceled.
So 2012 you have thrown the first punch and now it's my turn. I have noticed I am still alive which leads me to the conclusion that I am growing stronger. After both injuries this year people have said, "Take it easy you are not 19 anymore." As if 19 is some magical number oblivious to pain and damage. I have bounced back from injury and gotten myself back on snow faster than ever. My confidence remains unbroken and I don't feel there has been a decline in my riding skills. The lack of snow this year has forced me to study my mechanics and focus on them. The canceled rev tour has forced me to step up and enter the hole shot which is a much bigger event than I was ready for. The lines of my comfort zone are disappearing and despite getting thrown against the wall over and over I am smiling. In fact I am laughing because 2012, if this is all that you've got, you don't stand a chance. The flu in January? On the week of my birthday? That's how you are trying to keep me down? You obviously don't know me very well. I may not be the best at everything I do but I don't know many others that bounce back from being knocked down as quickly as I do.
One last thing 2012. You might be winning and in 11 more months when we tally the score we may find that you have kicked my ass. You just might be bigger and badder. I might be fighting outside of my weight class. Despite all of that before you take another shot know this, at the end of it all no matter the outcome you will know for sure that I was in this fight.