December 15, 2009
Here’s an update for all those concerned about Ken’s surgery. It was a success and his Surgeon, Dr. Greg Finch, was happy with the outcome. He told us that when he ‘opened’ Ken up his back was worse than initially thought and that he was shocked that Ken was still walking given the seriousness of the injury.
He’s has tubes all over and can’t move but he’s in good spirits and glad that it’s over. On the pharmaceutical end of things, he’s on a cocktail of Ketamine, Methadone, Morphine…all the fun stuff-haha!! So his pain levels are being managed and we hope to have him home by the weekend. Thanks for all the support and well-wishes from everyone .
December 14, 2009
Well the day has come. I’m sitting in my hospital room waiting for my surgeon to take me to the OR and make me a ‘new’ man. I’m at Brightside Hospital in Epsom. It’s a private hospital that is really nice, I have a corner room with two walls that are windows with lush trees and plants behind them. Very serine.
This is the story of why I am here in the first place. In 2002 I was racing in Reno, Nevada USA at the ABA season opener. Like most ABA races the track was really basic with a medium sized double going into the first turn. I was hauling ass down the first straight when I banged bars with another guy as we were going off of the lip of the double into the turn. I flew off my bike and landed butt first on the second lip of the double. The speed and force of the crash was absorbed by my lower back. I couldn’t move and I knew right away that something was very wrong and I was in serious pain, pain that has never gone away.
I went back to Canada and had it checked out and they said that I didn’t do any major damage and that I should work on strengthening my core to help with the pain in my back. You have to remember that at this time I was an Elite athlete/ Pro BMX racer, I had great core strength. Thinking this to be a lax remedy by the Dr. and not having other options, I just kept doing what I was told. I went back down to the States and continued to race the next 4 years with a constant sharp pain in my back, I knew something wasn’t right but I just kept working on my core and putting it off.
In 2006 when I moved back to Canada I went back to the sports Dr. to try and get help with my back. By this point it was hurting all the time and riding my bike was starting to become harder and harder. During the ‘06 Pre-Worlds camp in Canada, I was told to see the National Team Chiropractor as he was going to sort it out and it wasn’t going to be an issue. Well after my first visit I was no longer a BMX Pro, whatever he was doing was making me worse and worse and I had to pull out of the Worlds and stop training. Again they told me I had a weak core and that they needed to break up scar tissue that had built up in my back. I would go in 2 times a week to have the Dr. use a ‘Graston’ tool to break up the scar tissue (see picture below) and since they were Dr.s I believed them.
After about a year of abuse and getting no where I was referred to another sports Dr. who was convinced my core was, you guessed it, weak and that I see his Physio Therapist 2 times a week. I’m paying out of pocket for all this Rehab and not once did anyone suggest for me to be placed on a MRI wait-list to see what the real issue was, they just all assumed that I had a weak core!
Could say a lot about these moronic “doctors” but don’t want to waste space…
By this point I was in chronic pain and could do nothing physical, as it was too painful. Thankfully around this time I started my job with New Zealand and it was at the Olympics the NZ Dr took a look at me and said I was in really bad shape. Two months later I had an MRI done in New Zealand and they found I had completely ruptured 2 discs (no fluid left in them) between my S1-L5 and L5-L4. Because the two-discs have ‘disappeared’ this causes the vertebra to grind against each other and they’ve also severely degenerated.
This has also lead to severe nerve damage that has been the worst pain you could imagine. For the past 3 years I have not felt my right leg except for the pain in the top of my foot. My back feels like it’s being walked on with spiked high heels while someone is smacking the back of my leg with a hammer, oh and did I mention the ice pick in my foot. So needless to say I can’t wait for this.
So they are going to fuse the bottom 3 vertebras, put in 6 titanium rods that will hold together a titanium cage. I will hopefully get back the 2 inches of height I have lost in the process!
When we were in Canada in June the ‘Dr’ looked at my MRI and said, “Oh wow you really do have some issues”, I’m surprised I didn’t kick his ass when he said that. So he made me a consult with an orthopedic surgeon, which will be in November of 2010!? I’m about 4 years away from an operation in Canada so that’s why I have gone private here in New Zealand. I’m about to go under so I will have Jenn update this to let you know how it all goes.
See you in the good life. Here’s a picture of what my back looked like for a year. They said they needed to break up scar tissue?! People go to school for this, crazy.
December 11, 2009
This is an article I just did for a magazine in New Zealand. Enjoy.
Setting The Bar
Over the past decade BMX has seen a strong increase not only in the size of the BMX tracks we race on today but a major step up on the technical skill side of things as well. I get asked all the time how the level of tracks here in New Zealand compares to the rest of the world. I believe that on average, New Zealand has some of the best tracks out there. With the inception of the Olympic games we also saw the birth of the most extreme track known to date, Super Cross.
Initially called Downhill BMX, Super Cross had its start appearing on the 2003 ESPN X-Games in Tehachapi California. Tracks were constructed on the side of a mountain and were very different from current BMX course design with massive downhill jumps and loose sweeping turns. At that time they were more mountain bike courses than BMX tracks. The athletes who did the best were not necessarily the best racers but those who had the most courage. Although the races were exciting and fast-paced, ESPN decided to cancel the event citing lack of spectator interest. Economically, the sport could not survive.
When the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) held meetings with the IOC (International Olympic Committee) they brought along the video of the X-Games to show what the Elite racers were currently accomplishing in BMX. After viewing the X-Games footage, the IOC decided to introduce BMX to the world and include it in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. One stipulation presented to the UCI was that the IOC wanted something as exciting and challenging as the X-Games. Wanting to see BMX taken to the next level, the UCI went back to the drawing board and came up with what is known today as the Super Cross Track.
Since it was not feasible or very safe to construct tracks on the sides of Mountains, the UCI incorporated a starting ramp eight meters high that would propel riders down a steep drop (in some cases a slope angle of almost 30 degrees was constructed on the starting ramp) in order to reach speeds of 60 km/hr by the first jump. With athletes obtaining faster than ever speeds off the start, track designers could now build larger jumps with sizes never seen or attempted by BMX riders. An example of a pioneering track designs was the placement of a lip at the end of the starting ramp that was used for the first jump, a bold and creative idea that spawned many more improvements to BMX competitive racing.
The first race that saw the implementation of the new track design occurred in San Jose California in 2005. Although the new track design was different from anything anyone had seen before, riders adapted and created opinions, they also issued feedback to the UCI who then started to experiment with track layouts and varying sizes of jumps.
One year after its inception, the UCI started to include women in races. This meant that Super Cross tracks now had to be constructed that suited both male and female riders. This lead to a design in which the track splits after the first turn into two separate straight a ways, a male section and female section. Some of the first ‘straights’ on current tracks are getting bigger and bigger. This year at the Chula Vista SX race the first jump was 11m (36feet) long and over 2m (7feet) high! The second ‘straight’ usually contains the biggest jumps of the course. This is where the track gets exciting and most of the passing occurs, as there is quite a bit of bumping and banging going on.
There are two different types of SX tracks. The first type has the second straight-aways merge together at the end entering into a single turn. The other track has the men’s section jumping over the women’s track into there own turn. Again the third straight away usually breaks off into two separate tracks again until they enter into the last turn and down the last straight away. The 3rd straight for both the Men and Women are very big and deep rhythm straights, sections that usually separate the pack, as one mistake in these straights could be something you cant come back from. On a normal BMX track a rider can pump thru the section with no real issues, however on the SX you need to either jump or if you have incredible skills, manual thru on your back wheel. Many races are won and lost in the 3rd straight and the riders who are most technically skilled are the ones who come out on top.
Most SX tracks are built for an event and then destroyed again after the race is all done. As of right now there are only 2 permanent SX tracks in the world, Chula Vista USA (Olympic Training Center), Agile Switzerland (World Cycling Center). The 3rd track of this nature is being built right here in New Zealand just south of Auckland in Puni. Although Puni is not quite finished, as funding for the starting ramp is still being sorted out, this layout will be the only one of its kind. A SX track with a very technical amateur track built within it. It has two starting hills side by side with a 6m tall amateur starting hill. This track also boasts 8 full straight-aways and an adjustable lip on the turn-jump to push the limits of our riders and a 9th straightaway that consists of a 100 m paved sprint pad that is slightly up hill, which will be used for training. This facility, the home away from home for the New Zealand High Performance BMX team, will give the riders an advantage over the rest of the world and give the kids of New Zealand a opportunity to train the way champions do.
At the last Olympics in Beijing, half of the winners came from the USA and the other 3 medals went to athletes who trained in Agile. These are the location of the permanent SX tracks! With the completion of the Puni track, New Zealand will become the third country in the World to have a track of this caliber! If the trends from the last Olympics are to continue at the next games, New Zealand will have positioned us with a fighting chance at a few medals, putting New Zealand BMX on the map as world leaders in BMX.
There is a UCI rule that states only Elite level riders can ride and race on a SX track, which goes to show how dangerous these tracks really are. The UCI again has stepped up the bar in BMX and are trying to bridge the gap between a normal grass routes BMX track to that of the SX style. Two years ago the UCI came out with the new “Challenge” style-starting ramp, a big huge 6m high starting ramp that can be used for all ages. Although the hill is 6m high it’s about twice as long as a SX hill so not as steep or scary for the little guys. This starting hill has now become the standard for World Championships meetings and had it’s debut this past year in Adelaide Australia, where many of the kiwi kids did well due to the experience they had from riding the Whangarei track. From what I understand there are only a couple of these “Challenge” starting hills world wide and we have one here in New Zealand.
Last year the Whangarei track stepped up to the plate and built a monster of a starting hill with a track to go with it. This track is an international level BMX track and last year hosted the National Championships. This track has a great balance of technical sections for kids to improve their skills and big pro sections that push the limits of our top Elites here in NZ. This helps pave the right ideas for new tracks that are being built.
With the Puni SX track and Whangareis International Challenge track both being in New Zealand, the future looks bright and promising for our kids. The more the Kiwis work together and support each other, the better our chances of cheering on Olympic Gold will be.
December 4, 2009
This weekend will be cancelled all together. There is no way the track will be ready to ride for a few days. Here is a picture of the second turn. But on the bright side, I received a shipment of 59FIFTY hats from New Era today. I also got about 20 t-shirts, button ups and I think a hoodie was in there as well. Thanks Drew, you’re the man. 
December 4, 2009
Due to the Tropical Flash Flooding that we have had up here in Auckland the last two days, the Waiuku track has transformed from track to swim pool. The sun is out and it looks like its going to be a great weekend but the track is way to wet. Today is cancelled. I am hoping we can do this again tomorrow so I will post on my site tonight if we will be dry enough to go or not tomorrow. Gotta love the weather!
December 2, 2009
Have been hanging out in Wellington for the last 2 days from some BikeNZ High Performance meetings and today was the World Champion function, celebrating all of our World Champs. This year BikeNZ produced 18 World Champs, Challenge and Elite thru all the different disciplines of cycling. Tomorrow I head to Christchurch for the day, taking part in a Coaches Conference with a few of the other leading coaches in different sports.
I want to wish Ryan “Holiday” Hollows a happy birthday, you’re becoming an old man Holiday! Hope you had a great dinner with your girl and you enjoy the rest of your day. Thanks for all the hard work you put into the program and being such a great guy.
Over the next 2 weeks I will be putting on Camp Cools Camps. This weekend I will be in Waiuku (Sunset Coast BMX) on Saturday and Sunday, December 5/6. The time of the camp will be 10-4 both days with registration at the track starting at 9:30am for a cost of $150 per rider. Family rates are available.
The following weekend I will be in New Plymouth for a Coaches camp on Friday night (December 11) from 6-8 and then a Camp Cools Camp on Saturday and Sunday, December 12/13. The time of the camp will be 9-3 both days with registration at the track starting at 8:30am for a cost of $150 per rider. Family rates are available.
This camp is open to all riders of all ages and any skill levels, we will be focusing on getting your kids ready for the next level. I will push each rider to there next ability and make sure they have fun doing it. At my camps I teach everything from the most basic skills to those skills only the best can do. For both camp I will have the following trainers:
-Ken Cools - New Zealand National Team Head Coach, Olympic Coach, 15 years experience at the top level, AA pro, Past Canadian National Champion, Coach of 5 rainbow jerseys, Trainer to 40+ UCI World Championship amateur titles
-Samantha Cools - Canadian National Team Member, 7th Place at 2008 Olympics (crash), 5 time UCI World Champion, 2 time #1 ABA Women Pro, 15 time National Number 1 Canada currently ranked #5 in Elite Women World Ranking
-Anders Grønsund – Norway Elite Men National Team Member. Multiple time Norwegian National Elite and Challenge Champion
-NZ National Team High Performance Athletes (There will be a few of our guys this weekend in Waiuku helping me out and training along with the kids).
These will be the last 2 camps I will be holding until February so please come and join the fun if you are interested. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
November 21, 2009
December 5, 2009 to December 6, 2009Camp will run from 10 am to 4 pm both days. The cost of the camp will be $150 per rider. Lunch will not be included.
This camp is open to all riders of all ages and any skill levels and will be focusing on getting your kids ready for the next level. I will push each rider to there next ability and make sure they have fun doing it.
Trainers will include:
-Ken Cools - New Zealand National Team Head Coach, Olympic Coach, 15 years experience at the top level, AA pro, Past Canadian National Champion, Coach of 5 rainbow jerseys, Trainer to 40+ UCI World Championship amateur titles
-Samantha Cools - Canadian National Team Member, 7th Place at 2008 Olympics (crash), 5 time UCI World Champion, 2 time #1 ABA Women Pro, 15 time National Number 1 Canada.
-More as date nears.
November 17, 2009
December 12, 2009 to December 13, 2009Camp will run from 9 am to 3 pm both days. The cost of the camp will be $150 per rider. Lunch will not be included.
This camp is open to all riders of all ages and any skill levels and will be focusing on getting your kids ready for the next level. I will push each rider to there next ability and make sure they have fun doing it.
Trainers will include:
-Ken Cools - New Zealand National Team Head Coach, Olympic Coach, 15 years experience at the top level, AA pro, Past Canadian National Champion, Coach of 5 rainbow jerseys, Trainer to 40+ UCI World Championship amateur titles
-Samantha Cools - Canadian National Team Member, 7th Place at 2008 Olympics (crash), 5 time UCI World Champion, 2 time #1 ABA Women Pro, 15 time National Number 1 Canada.
-More as date nears.