Some people will do anything to escape all that Brexit and general election chatter. It may seem like I took flight from all the pre-Christmas politics to make my escape to the United States – but the visit to Lake Placid was more snow business than show business!
Regular readers of this feature might remember that I have a nice part-time job working for a few of the elite competitors in the physically tough and often scary world of skeleton bob – that’s why I found myself boarding a plane from Heathrow to Montreal on a gloomy winter weekend in December.
It was a bitter-sweet occasion, having just left my family in Bristol celebrating our son Harry’s fourth birthday. While he was still engrossed with Paw Patrol’s Mighty Pups Tower, I was turning my attention to the dizzy heights of the Adirondack Mountains in New York State. The gorgeous scenery of the High Peaks region provided a fitting backdrop to the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation World Championships and, just a few hours after my arrival in Montreal, it was down to the serious business, alongside Milly (our latest sports therapist, who is out working for Skelton for the whole winter season), of working with two of the biggest names in winter sports.
On my first day at Lake Placid, I spent a couple of hours treating Kimberley Bos, from The Netherlands and Norway’s Alex Hansen. They both responded well and were in good fettle for the competition, which was an important part of their countdown to the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.
Then I bumped into another old friend, Great Britain Olympic bronze medallist Dom Parsons, who also needed a chiropractic helping hand. It certainly was another fascinating experience for me, working alongside some of the top athletes in their field.
As part of the “backroom team”, I stayed in an amazing American-style ski chalet, with huge wooden beams and staircases, which was built for the 1980 Winter Olympics. While these lodgings were lovely and comforting, the food menu was a little odd, particularly as the hosts were catering for hundreds of elite performers. There were a lot of meat dishes served up smothered in cheese sauces! Even though at times, the temperatures plummeted to as low as minus 20 during the course of the week, I found myself craving some fresh fruit – just to try to keep things healthy.
Back at base camp, the new-look Cleve Chiropractic continues to impress our patients with its spacious treatment rooms and state-of-the-art equipment. Don’t forget that, to celebrate our recent move in Mangotsfield – just across the road to Cossham Street – we have a special offer for you.
It will cost just £10 for all new patient examinations, including any treatment needed during that first visit. The offer runs until the end of January and includes all practitioners, chiropractors and physios. To make an appointment, just pop into the new Cossham Street clinic or call us on 0117 957 5388.
Finally from me this year, a big thank you to all patients, both old and new – it’s been a pleasure to look after you. Everyone at Cleve Chiropractic wishes all our clients a very happy Christmas and a healthy New Year – see you in 2020!
Photo by phillip belena on Unsplash
