From Emma’s blog:
“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”
-Randy Pausch
Emma stands out as a rider who not only steps up to the suffering of bicycle competition, but is also engaged in an ongoing battle with Crohn’s disease. Emma was first diagnosed in April 2006 at the age of 24. She had recently graduated from the Naval Academy where she was a strong collegiate racer. After several astoundingly difficult years living with Crohn’s, she is happy to observe the passing of her one-year remission date on November 26th. Her body has regained much of it’s strength, she has just joined the Narrows Velo/Old Town Bicycle team, and she is looking forward to her first truly competitive season since being diagnosed.
Age: 28
Education:
Bachelors of Science in English from the United States Naval Academy
Emma all smiles as she receives a bimonthly Remicade infusion.
Employment/Work/Career:
I worked as an Intelligence Officer from 2005-2008 and as the Vanderkitten Cycling Club Director in 2009. Currently I am writing a book about life with Crohn’s Disease. It will be a comical yet informational read. I also blog about my life with and without Crohn’s Disease at www.turboemma.blogspot.com.
Year started cycling? 2001
What bikes are you currently riding?
Specialized Ruby Expert. Specialized is the only company that makes a bike compact enough for my 5’1″ frame. I’ve been through a Lemond, Colnago, Trek, and now Specialized. Specialized is the only comfortable bike I’ve ridden!
Any other cycling gear you love at the moment?
Vanderkitten Cycling Clothing! In my opinion they are the hottest women’s cycling clothing brand on the market! I like their feisty, can-do attitude! I also like what they stand for: Women who kick ass!
Emma on a training ride in Seabeck, rocking her Vanderkitten threads.
What were your athletic experiences before cycling?
I am a former triathlete turned cycling junky! I was also the starting varsity basketball point guard all four years of high school and was recruited to play ball for the Air Force Academy. I instead chose cycling and the Naval Academy, which turned out to be the right decision!
How did you get into cycling?
I planned to race for the Naval Academy Triathlon Team but the Cycling Team Captain happened to be in my company. During plebe (freshman) summer he told me to have my bike sent out, which I did. I tried out for the cycling team and the rest is history…I never looked back!
Emma in her first race after being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease– the Dismal Dash TT in Chesapeake, VA. She was back on the bike a mere two weeks after going into remission after a severe 5 week Crohn’s relapse.
What does your yearly cycling schedule look like? Miles per week/year?
My cycling schedule depends heavily on how I’m feeling and what my body is telling me. It can be quite frustrating, but I have learned to listen to my body and build up mileage slowly. I can’t pinpoint my actual mileage per week because I focus on hours on the bike vice mileage. If I had to guess I would say my mileage per week varies between 50-90 miles at the moment. As far as mileage for the entire year, I have absolutely no idea!!
Any other sports that you do? What kind of cross-training do you do?
I am a complete yoga junky and try to practice yoga at least 3-4 times a week. Yoga has helped me strengthen my core and exercise those intricate muscles that aren’t used that often. It also forces me to stretch! After moving to WA (about 10 months ago) I also got into hiking. It’s so beautiful here, how can one not be inspired to hike?! I also swim occasionally.
Tell us about some of your cycling highlights:
My main cycling highlights took place during the 2004 collegiate season. I was the dominating women’s B rider and won more races than I lost. On a different scale, perhaps my most important cycling highlight was getting back on my bike after being attached to a feeding tube for over a week. Health-wise, I was at the absolute lowest in my life, but that ultimately brought me back to the bike. Since then I have raced, and have learned to be patient with my body and realize that my speed will return in due time.
Tell us about your most memorable ride:
My most memorable ride was not a race, but a training ride. I had definitely pushed the limits by going way further than my body was ready and was borderline bonking. I had a mile left of steep climbing and was seriously questioning if I could do it or not. I wanted to get off my bike and I “thought” I didn’t have the juice left in my legs and was cursing myself for overworking my body. I instantly thought of all those suffering from chronic illness and forced myself to climb. It was an emotional moment for me because I felt that it was a little victory, as small as it might seem. I envisioned myself slowly killing the disease in my body, one pedal stroke at a time. If I had quit, I would have let the disease get the best of me. I swore never to let Crohn’s be an excuse for anything, and to never get the best of me.
Emma remembering what it’s like to suffer on the bike at Pacific Raceways.
What’s your favorite Seattle-area ride?
I really like the Tuesday evening summer Pacific Raceway Series. It is an extremely supportive, low pressure, awesome racing environment. I like the clinics and coaches that help improve race skills! I also like how the course is switched up and not the same throughout the entire series.
As the 2009 road season winds down, what’s on your radar for 2010?
I did a few races in 2009 and realized that my body wasn’t quite ready for racing. It was extremely frustrating and a little disheartening, but I got over it. For 2010 I am excited to race with my new teammates on the Old Town Bicycle team, and race as often and as frequently as my body will allow! I also want to do RAMROD and, of course, the 210 mile Got Guts ride in August to raise money to fund research for Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
What keeps you excited about cycling?
Just being able to get out on my bike and ride keeps me excited about cycling. There was a time in my life when I physically couldn’t ride. It was awful. I know what it’s like to physically not be able to ride, so I definitely don’t take riding for granted! Now I’m actually strong enough to race, which also keeps me highly motivated! Having awesome, supportive teammates keeps me excited about cycling as well!
What obstacles get in the way of cycling?
I have to get an infusion once every two months to help keep my body in remission. This medication, Remicade, is an immuno-suppressant, which can be a bit challenging at times. I never know how my body is going to react; sometimes I get completely wiped out for a few days, and other times I feel great. I still have my inner struggles, but refuse to let the disease rule my life. On tough days, days that I am frustrated because my body won’t cooperate (particularly after my infusions), I push through. I push through because I want children and adults of all ages, sizes, and shapes that are suffering from a chronic illness to push through their own struggles and know that life will get better. I get on my bike not only for myself, but for them.
Do you have any advice for folks getting into cycling?
My biggest advice would be to not get discouraged and to be patient. It can be hard for new riders to go on a group ride and get completely destroyed because they don’t have the mileage in their legs that more experienced riders do. I would tell them not to be discouraged if they get dropped from the pack as they will get faster with time!
The Velocity Blog’s “Rider Profiles” highlight the accomplishments of some of our amazing local cycling athletes, and provides insight into their lives that may inspire us all.
