Hey blokes and sheilas … how’s it goin’? Not the way I wanted to start the column this month but it’s the elephant in the room so we’ll get it over with.
THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN ADB ISSUE #475 – APRIL 2019.
The past few weeks have been a bit of a bummer, just under two weeks out from Round One of 250SX East I broke my collarbone again.
Heartbroken to say the least, but the way it happened was a bit of a crap situation with the track’s condition and me being the first guy out there. We went to the doctors ASAP to find out that I had smashed my SC joint.
Surgery was difficult due to the fact we couldn’t really plate a shattered bone, and there was no bone on the other side to plate it too.
The doc said there was maybe 2-3 guys in the country who would perform this surgery due to the fact it is right above your heart and lungs so it was a bit of a dangerous area. Still unsure of the time frame for when we will be back race ready.
Fast forwarding to now and I am still doing my normal gym routines and daily structure which is good. Getting all too familiar with the gym and my running routes, but it’s all G.
I’m so grateful for the life I live and where I am. My girlfriend arrived here a couple of days after my crash so it was good to have her here and playing nurse for the first week or so … soaking up all that extra attention.
I wake up and go about my days as if I were still riding and training. I like the structure of it and the balance, waking up early and getting the majority of my stuff done before lunch as normal is good. Being injured I feel like a lot of people drop the ball with their training and structure because they aren’t riding but I feel like training speeds up the process, and keeps the mind occupied.
I have been playing quite a lot of ping pong lately as it’s good hand/eye co-ordination and good light exercise for my left arm. I have finally been able to consistently beat my girlfriend, whereas for the past year and a half she has been killing me at it…
Embarrassing, yes, I know, but of course I’m a nice guy and have to keep her interested in the game so I let her win some games now and then :). Was thinking of bringing it to the next level with tennis. Fun and good for cardio training.
With not riding, I have time to do some normal stuff at the end of the day. The simple things in life that professional athletes don’t really get time to do, I enjoy doing work around the house, gardening or even being able to wash my Honda Ridgeline not in a rush, going out for a dinner with Cynthia or the family or even going with my agent Lucas Mirtl, just the cool little things like that.
When you’re in pre-season and racing season people don’t realise how much you travel and you’re always doing something. In Europe whenever we would drive past something or a restaurant we would always say like ‘oh we’ll have to go there sometime we’re not doing anything’ but whenever we had time to do something, we wanted to sit at home because you travel and train and race so much you’re just exhausted. Not a lot of people know that side of the sport.
One of my brothers, Tate, just had his birthday recently, he turned 17 which is crazy to think for everyone who knows Tate well…. Yes he still collects everything at the tracks, wonders about whereever he is and, yeah, he still loves women. For those of you who haven’t met my bro Tate, he is autistic and we are super lucky to have him. A lot of autistic and Downs syndrome kids can be super reclusive, shy and struggle with any changes in their daily routines.
Luckily for us, Tate is super outgoing, a clown and the happiest kid ever so that makes our situation with him following me and Jett around the world 10 times easier on us and Mum and Dad. Not much going on at the moment despite the training and circus with my family. Itching to get back on the bike, so until next time guys and gals take it easy! Hunter Lawrence