When a Hero/role model/World Champion/Olympic Gold Medalist lives in your town there is a sense of pride. When the same Hero falls down and breaks her collar bone your heart breaks with the bone. That is, if you have a heart.
When Kristin Armstrong pulled in after a very fast prologue in the Exergy Tour, crying and holding her shoulder, we walked up like a couple of asshole paparazzi and took pictures. With every click of the shutter we felt like hiding. Later, when we uploaded the images it turned out we had only taken a few pictures. It is hard to watch a grown woman cry. It is harder when you know how much is on the line. Moments before we were talking to Evelyn Stevens about Armstrong’s focus and drive. Then Evelyn looked at her phone, “Kristin crashed!” she said. What happens to that focus and drive now? The impulse is to want Kristin to to think about the positives. She has an Olympic Gold medal for example. She could heal in time for this Summer’s Olympics. But maybe it is better to let her be miserable for a while. Here’s to a speedy recovery.
