Aussie BMX star Caroline Buchanan says past battles are helping her through a time of isolation and uncertainty as she aims for Tokyo Olympics
Caroline Buchanan knows what it feels like to be isolated, incapacitated and unsure. That’s why she’s looking at her current situation as a positive and still aiming for Tokyo.
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BMX racer Caroline Buchanan feels like she has been here before.
Only this time she is looking at every day of isolation and uncertainty as a little win compared to the fight she has waged in the past.
The 29-year-old two-time Olympian and former Australian Cyclist of the Year was almost killed in a car accident in 2017 and her long and painful rehabilitation involved multiple chest surgeries and setbacks.
“When I went through the chest reconstructions it was back to square one and the limitations I had on me then were more than now,” she said.
“Back then I had absolutely no physical outlet, I couldn’t get in the car, lift my arms above my head for two months, and simple task as rolling in or out of bed or washing my hair, there was no freedom.
“On top of that dealing with the uncertainty of my career, my identity, racing, income, and not knowing would my body heal, and after that second time I snapped the plate (in my chest) it got a little bit harder.”
Now being stuck at home on her partner’s rural property just outside of Canberra is still a limitation but at least she is healthy and continue to train which means everything.
“Now I can go for a walk, do home workouts, go in the gym and maintain strength, I’m so grateful for what I can do and not focus on what I can’t,” Buchanan said.
“The thing that really kept going through those hard times with injury was every morning when I woke up – and it’s become routine now – I force myself to find three things I am grateful for.
“Today it was my gym session, starting a new strength based program again, I made pancakes for breakfast and two more days of isolation and being healthy.
“It really is resilience building because it gets hard. I remember some days when I was going through my injuries I was just grateful for my avocado toast that my partner brought me in, and I think that mindset of gratitude can get you through.”
Buchanan had only just returned to racing this year when the sporting world was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The multiple world champion had raced at the Shepparton world cup and was planning for other rounds in The Netherlands, Manchester and the US in a bid to quality for the Tokyo Olympics.
All those of course are now off, and Buchanan said the IOC’s decision to postpone the Games until 2021 had bought her valuable time.
“I’d only really done one round and data-wise I was tracking pretty good, but still only 85-90 per cent of where I needed to be in terms of max strength and power,” she said.
“It was a little frustrating because I knew I was on a time schedule for the Olympics, and when they did put it back (to 2021) my gym coach said ‘now we have time to lay more of a solid foundation’.
“So much of my rehab to be back on the world stage was very much trying to fix my weaknesses and posture instabilities but not to be the best in the world, so it’s good to take a deep breath and I have time to be prepared – where as I was chasing time before.”
Buchanan flew into Australia from the US two weeks ago and is set to see her family for the first time on Sunday after she completed her fortnight in quarantine.
Her training will continue as normal and she will be back on her mountain bike which has previously served as a mental refresh but is now an avenue for more racing and sponsorship opportunities.
“I can jump on my mountain bike and go for rides, get on the motorbikes, there’s a sprint spot for my BMX and a gym here, so I’m set up here for the next few months,” she said.
Originally published as Aussie BMX star Caroline Buchanan says past battles are helping her through a time of isolation and uncertainty as she aims for Tokyo Olympics
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