Injuries no obstacle for Murphy

Mary Beth Murphy knows many parts of Saturday’s 24-hour mountain bike race course.

Particularly the technical section she rode July 1, 2000, when she broke her pelvis.

Her orthopedic surgeon Jon Keeve said, “You can’t ride on July 1 ever again.”

She forgot those words. On July 1, 2001, she went riding and broke her collarbone.

At least this race occurs in May.

“On July 1, 2002, we had a broken bone party,” Murphy said. “I came dressed in a bubble wrap long evening gown and I was safety belted into a chair.”

She is past the broken bones. And tomorrow Murphy, 43, will join 24 male solo riders, four female solo riders and 69 teams, ranging in size from 2 to 10 riders at the Group Health 24-hour around the Clock Mountain Bike Race at Riverside State Park. The race begins noon Saturday and ends at noon Sunday. The start is located in the Seven Mile area of Riverside State Park, less than a mile from the Seven Mile Bridge.

The race is advertised as “the pinnacle of endurance mountain bike racing.” Last year’s male world champion Chris Eatough from Elliott City, Md., and female champion Christina Begy from Denver, Colo., are expected to compete in the event.

“This is the Woodstock of mountain bike racing,” said Round and Round promoter Wendy Bailey. “Aside from the athletes competing in the national categories, there are also competitions for the best costumes, best decorated campsite; it’s just a whole lot of fun for everybody.”

Murphy is looking forward to her first 24-hour solo ride. “I told my husband, ‘I have to do it,’ ” she said. “He is very supportive of my activities.

“I am not a runner, so I will never run a marathon. An article I read said if you want to set your goals high and overcome your limitations, go do a 24-hour race.”

Murphy’s husband Kelly is also a cyclist and a downhill skier. And their two daughters are downhill ski racers at Schweitzer.

The kids also do yoga.

“I wanted them to learn how to honor and respect where they are at,” she said.

The family will be her support team during the race. She will see them after each 14-mile lap, which should take about 75 minutes apiece.

“But I might not be stopping after every lap,” Murphy said. “But you have to take breaks. You can’t ride for 24 hours straight.”

Is she concerned about injury?

“I broke my arm three times when I was a kid. I was four the first time,” Murphy said. She has lost count of the number of trips to the ER

But her broken arms didn’t bring the enlightenment of her most recent injuries. Over coming fear was her biggest challenge.

“It was hard for me to get on the bike again after breaking my pelvis,” she said. “I did a women-only mountain biking clinic in Utah, so I could overcome my fear away from home.

“With fear, the bark is always worse than the bite.

“Now I am riding smarter and not taking chances. I really respect the earth. And gravity.”

And the injuries allowed her time to get in touch with herself.

“I did Bible studies, had visitors, wrote letters and I wrote in my journal daily,” she said. “I feel the time was given to me.”

She also used herself as a guinea pig to see how the yoga could get her back into shape after her injuries.

“I have better range of motion after my break than I did before,” she said.

Murphy has always been active.

“After my children were born, I needed to get out more, so I started aerobics,” she said. “And I became a step-aerobic instructor.

“Then I formed friendships with people who were into bicycling. I was 35 when I first got on a bike. So it is never too late to start an activity.”

But she doesn’t have a lot of time for training. Twice a week she teaches spinning at North Park Raquet Club. She is a personal trainer. And last November she opened Positive Power, a yoga, Pilates and weight lifting fitness studio near the North Division Y.

“We are bringing yoga and Pilates to the North Side. And it has been going very well,” Murphy said. “Many of my cycling friends come. They get to see first hand, through my achievements in cycling. Many have come to my yoga.

“Cycling is a good balance to the yoga and Pilates. There is no way I can get burnt out on any one activity. They each bring balance to the whole exercise/fitness regime.

“I like the balance in my life. Despite our physical limitations, our bodies desire to have mobility and function to the best of its ability.”

And by finishing the race, Murphy will discover another level of her mental and physical balance.

———-

For more information about Positive Power Yoga: www.positivepowerstudios.com or call (509) 999-6520.

For more information on the 24-hour race: www.roundandround.com or call (509) 455-7657.