After hobbling around on crutches for three and a half months, local downhill mountain bike racer Miranda Miller is finally cast free and back on her bike.
Miller broke her right tibia and fibula while scoping out a trail with a group of friends on Mount Prevost near Duncan on Jan. 21. The road to recovery has been a long one, she said.
"Originally I didn't think it was going to take that long," she said.
"They kind of explained the last time we went down [to the doctor], it sort of broke worse than we originally thought with the tibia breaking in a couple of places and an actual piece of the tibia sort of sliding out."
Miller said she's bored of watching TV, doing silly photo shoots, reading books and standing on the sidelines - she is ready to race.
To get back up to racing shape, Miller treks into Vancouver to work with physiotherapist Colin Miller, she hits the gym and trails every day and she's been swimming several times a week.
All the work is paying off and Miller remains optimistic about her return to the racing circuit.
"It's hard to tell how long everything is going to take, but I feel if I keep on pushing it I will be able to be good to go for the middle of June."
Miller's big comeback race, if all goes according to plan, will be in Leogang, Austria the weekend of June 18 to 19.
But before she flies to Austria, Miller said she plans to wear the rust off her wheels closer to home at the Fluidride Cup #1 in Whistler at the end of May.
"That's the plan at least."
Although it's barely been two weeks since Miller's cast was removed, she's already riding local trails every day, catching up on lost time.
She figured her ankle wasn't what it used to be after riding a brand new provincially funded trail, Half Nelson, for the very first time -however, she still said the ride felt "amazing."
"I just need to work on the ankle strength -it's a little flimsy, I guess you could say. It gives out," she said. "But it seems to be getting better almost every day.
"I can't wait to get back on there with a little more ankle strength because a lot of it is sort of the jarring movement. It's the dorsiflexion in my ankle that isn't very strong."
For the time being Miller sports a brace when riding, which gives her the much needed stability and strength she lost over her three and a half months of inactivity.
Miller recognizes she's not riding with her full potential yet but she said she's confidant she'll get there especially with her coach at Mad March Racing, Mark Bunyan.
"He's really good, he can push me but he kind of knows not to push me too hard, so he's been a great help."
Miller's main goal right now is getting her cardio back to where it needs to be because her muscles are well on their way to pre-break condition.
"Comparing my legs, they're almost the same size now, where one was a little stick. So the muscles have come back it's just getting the cardio back now."
The elite pro racer is really thankful and grateful for all the support she's received from her sponsors - 麻豆社国产Savings, Cycling BC, Mad March Racing, Santa Cruz, Sram, Pink Bike, Corsa Cycles and Tantalus Bike Shop - who have provided her with constant encouragement.
