An Update on Maghalie Rochette's Health
We chatted with Rochette about her recovery from Covid and plans for the rest of the season
After Maghalie Rochette broke through in the European World Cups last season, the announcement that Annemarie Worst would be coming to the U.S to race before the World Cups seemed a perfect way to start Rochette’s follow-up season. She would get the chance to go head-to-head with one of the best in the world at a race we have dubbed Rochettechester after her dominance at the venue in recent years.
But it was not to be thanks to Covid and other complications. Rochette was clearly not herself in a 5th-place ride at Roanoke last weekend, and she tried to race through what’s been ailing her at Rochester on Saturday, but a few laps in, she decided it was all too much.
Rochette was gracious enough to talk about her health issues and what’s next for her this season after making the decision to head back home and begin the recovery process.
Zach Schuster: To start, can you kind of walk me through your summer? I know you got Covid and some other things happened. What is the history of your no good, very bad summer, health-wise?
Maghalie Rochette: It definitely started going bad when I had Covid in early July. Initially, it was just kind of a cold and not that bad the week I had it. I took about a week off, maybe, and then I started riding again. When I started riding again, I quickly realized I was really tired. I ended up talking to a few people, including Evie Richards because she was struggling with the same thing at the same time. She told me about the protocol she did, and I ended up following what she suggested, which was to take more time off.
All in all, it was almost three weeks where I was mostly off the bike. Then I got back on the bike, and I felt like crap, but at the same time, I was thinking, well, I've been off the bike for three weeks, so it's kind of normal. I started a pretty big training block, just trying to push through while thinking, well I don't feel very good, but if I push through I'll eventually find the fitness and come back again.
But I was also struggling with motivation, which is something that doesn't really happen to me. But again, I pushed through thinking that once I get fit, it will come back. At some point, maybe mid-August, I just exploded. I had to stop. So I took a little break, and I realized during that little break that it wasn't that I wasn't motivated, I was just so tired that my body didn't want to go through the hard sessions. I was really struggling with that.
That was mid-August. Then from there, I tried to take it easy and listen to myself a little bit more. I was more careful with the resting, but on the days I felt good I was still going out to train. I was trying to balance that, but I was mostly feeling like crap. I still wanted to try to race and see if I was maybe going to get better. I went to the first race [in Roanoke], but in the week before I also got some type of food poisoning. But it ended up being not just food poisoning, and it lasted for like 10 days.
After that, I felt even weaker and more tired. At some point, I just thought, you know what, I need to figure out what's going on with me because I feel like it's just getting worse, and here we are now.
Zach Schuster: Not that I am at anywhere near the same level you are, but I got Covid last August, and you're describing exactly what happened with me. I took some time off, and was ok, we're going to come back, but I just felt like garbage. A couple races into my season, I was like, "I'm done."
Maghalie Rochette: I am sorry to hear that.
Zach Schuster: Well, I did get to cover more of your races, which was good. But for you, it's not good. You do this professionally.
Maghalie Rochette: I told you I was struggling with motivation, but eventually, all I wanted to do was prepare for the season. All I wanted to do was get to the races. At least that felt good. That's when I first understood that I was just feeling tired, and it started when I had Covid. At first, I kind of forgot about Covid, and was like, I'm over this and training now.
It felt good to know it wasn't a motivation thing. It was interesting to see how fatigue affected my motivation. But once I was set on really wanting to race, I was trying to figure out how to be healthier.
It's hard to say what it really is though, and that's where I'm at now. I'm doing a bunch of tests and trying to figure out what it is. Maybe it's a couple factors together, maybe I was already tired when I got it and the effects are lingering longer. Who knows.
Zach Schuster: Knowing you, you're the person who can do like four months of hard training on your own. You've never lacked the motivation to train.
Maghalie Rochette: Exactly. At first, I was super anxious about that. I was like, what's going on with me? Why am I so unmotivated? Does that mean I'm done with the sport? I was really struggling because it's never happened where I felt that way. I did feel good when I realized it was coming from a health perspective. At least I knew, no, I still really love this and want to do it, but it's something else. Now I need to put my attention on my health and what's going on there.
Zach Schuster: You gutted out that Saturday performance at Roanoke? What's happened in the last week? What was your thought process during the week and the experience you had?
Maghalie Rochette: So I raced at Roanoke the first day, and I felt really empty. But I thought it was the food poisoning thing. I thought that was making me feel even worse. I wanted to give myself the chance to try another weekend and see if I felt better now that I'm over the food poisoning and can keep food down.
So I tried to do one more week. Throughout this whole week, although I could keep food in, I really struggled with even easy spins. I could do an hour but really couldn't do more. I had to sleep a lot. Some days I felt like my legs were like jello and really weak, which was a new thing I hadn't really experienced this summer.
When that arrived, I really wanted to try one more weekend, but I think it would be a bad idea. That morning in Rochester, I felt a bit tired, and was like, ok I have to make a decision now because if I keep going like that, I'll have nothing good all season. I'll just dig myself a hole slowly. I decided that if I stop now, maybe putting an X on the beginning of the season would give me a better chance at coming back stronger later in the season. I made the choice before Rochester because I didn't feel very good, but I love this course, so I thought I'll try and see what happens, but it wasn't good.
Zach Schuster: I think some of the most impressive performances I've seen out of domestic athletes have been you at Rochester. You just always come to that race and absolutely crush it. I think it's a perfect course for you. I think everyone was really excited because you could have given Annemarie Worst and run for her money.
Maghalie Rochette: I wish I could have.
Zach Schuster: Knowing you were going to shut it down and driving away, how did you handle that? I'm sure you would have loved that opportunity, right?
Maghalie Rochette: Oh absolutely. I was so excited when I saw she was coming to the races. First of all, thank you for what you said about me racing there, but every other year I have felt so good there and I love the course. It was one of the rare chances I would have had to race one of the top Euros at home and not in a World Cup scenario. In a more local race, you know.
I was really excited about that. I don't know if I could have followed Annemarie, but I wish I could have tried at least, so that was a bummer. But at the same time, you asked how I was feeling on the way home, I'm ok with it. It sucks, but at the end of the day, I'm glad I made the choice to go. Now it's like, ok, I am taking this into my own hands, and I'll figure out what's going on. I'm happier with that than just doing nothing, and at some point, it's worse.
The other thing is, I'm getting older, I'm 29 now and have been a pro for 10 years, and over that 10 years, I've never had a huge injury that forced me to miss a big part of the season. It sucks now, but with perspective, I can see that I've been fairly lucky so far. This is one challenge, and I have to deal with it. It's just part of being an athlete, I think.
Zach Schuster: What's next for you? In the near term and the rest of the season? Have you bought plane tickets to Europe yet, or is it wait and see?
Maghalie Rochette: I already had stuff that was booked, but for now, everything is on hold for me. I think that if I give myself a date I want to be back and have a plan, I don't know if I will recover correctly. I will have anxiety about it. If what I need is just rest and I have a plan of a date I am going to Europe, I won't be able to rest because I will have anxiety about not being fit enough or not training enough, and then I won't rest properly.
For now, I am trying to not have a plan and take it day by day. I really hope I come back sooner than later, but long term, I have to respect what's going on now. As much as I approach training 100 percent, I want to approach this recovery period with the same mindset. I want to approach this the best way I can, and weirdly enough, it might mean doing nothing. But if that's the case, I want to do nothing 100 percent so it goes by quickly and I give my body the rest it needs.
Zach Schuster: Are you back in Quebec or are you in Tucson?
Maghalie Rochette: I'm back in Quebec. It's easier for me to get treatment. The doctors I work with are here. I didn't mention it, but I also had a back issue I had to deal with, so now being home I can do that. We have a good, free healthcare system here in Quebec, so it's easier to have all I need here at home.
Zach Schuster: That makes sense that you would be back home, home.
Maghalie Rochette: Yeah, I have a good support system. It was kind of cool that we got home and the next morning at 10am I had an appointment with my doctor. I've already done all the tests, and now I'm just waiting for the results. It's going quickly, which is great, because I don't want things to be taking forever.
Zach Schuster: I don't think you're required to do updates on your health or whatever, but are you planning on Instagram or whatever to let folks know how things are going?
Maghalie Rochette: That's a good question. I was actually thinking about that. If I'm not training as much, I want to do more in terms of work for my sponsors or for Instagram and stuff. That's always how I've been; the one day I have off each week, I smash so much work. I think that might not be helping me, so maybe I need to step back a little bit and chill. So I'm struggling right now figuring out how I want to approach it. At the same time, I like doing some of that stuff, so I kind of want to keep people updated.
I really enjoyed announcing the second day at Roanoke and thought I might reach out if Flo Bikes or anything needs help for that. I don't know what I'll do, but probably not super intensely, but I'll try to keep people updated.
Zach Schuster: We're going to miss you, but at the same time, we all understand that you need to get your health right. You need to rest, 100 percent.
Maghalie Rochette: I appreciate that. I'll miss all you guys too, but I'll keep following. I watched the races on Sunday this past week, and I'll keep following. I love everyone there. I'll definitely miss being there. If I rest really well, maybe I can come back sooner than I expect. That would be a great goal.
Zach Schuster: I appreciate your time. Rest 100 percent. Do nothing 100 percent.
Maghalie Rochette: It's so hard for me, but I'll do my best to do nothing at 100 percent.
Zach Schuster: And I appreciate you taking the time to open up and talk about health issues and stuff because I know you have a lot of fans and folks want to know how you're doing. I really appreciate you being open and willing to talk about this stuff.
Maghalie Rochette: Thanks. And likewise, I appreciate you caring and wanting to share this for me, so thank you so much.
Her symptoms really to mirror what Sagan was going through. Perhaps a reach out to his camp. I'm sure the doctors will be able to provide answers hopefully.