1-17-07 // Interview: Carnage and Recovery - Jeremiah Bishop

The promoter of the La Ruta de los Conquistadores race across Costa Rica claims that his event is the toughest on earth. Exhaustion, mechanicals and injuries claim as much as half the field every year. Most recently, Jeremiah Bishop crashed horribly while battling for the lead. His injuries required five plates and 17 screws in his skull and jaw as well as dozens of stitches. Bishop is still recovering from the ordeal, but was eager to talk about the race, his crash and his preparations to qualify for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.

You crashed hard while in the lead on the second day of the three-day race. What happened?
Well, there I was, challenging the main marathon-man in Stage Two at La Ruta. Leo Paez is the best in the world of marathon racing and a pure climber from the high country of Columbia. I was stoked to be attacking him most of the way up the 6,000-foot climb to the top of the volcano Irazu. The climb was a stalemate and I knew it would come down to the decent. I felt so good that day, and so bad.

The mythical ever-rainy cloud-forest awaited us with light rains and a 30-degree drop in temperature at the top. I took the pole position. I was the natural descender to his climber. I knew it was a dangerous decent, so I took it at my speed—fast with no mistakes. I have little DH racing under my belt so I popped it out of the corners hard, but kept a lid on it. Doing so made Paez work to catch small gaps on three short climbs in the middle of the traversing decent. I got back into the sun and started thawing out and my moto came up and said, "He's tired, you got him!" I ripped up the last climb and turned left down the last 1-mile stretch of high-speed jeep road. “Careful, Bishop,” a spectator yelled. Then, in the instant I got close to 40 mph, I realized that I had to get to the left side of the road; there was a blind entrance to our B&B coming up. I made the transition and hit an odd rock that sent my bars into a high-speed wobble across the pumice gravel. My wet hands were the final straw in this bad string of events.

It only takes a small mistake to cause big trouble. I catapulted over the stem and hit face first like a mouse flung in a trap. My head was off in space as I slid and listened the whoomp of all the air being knocked out of my lungs.

I got up. My face was hurt badly and my bite didn't line up. I spit out some large pieces of teeth. I hunched over looking at the ground to assess my injuries. There was a shower of blood coming from different parts of my face pooling into a small puddle.

I was angry. An official on a moto said, “You have to stop now!” I needed to get to the finish. I was scared, but I knew if I could ride I would be okay.

I rode to the finish and the looks of horror on peoples faces told me I was hurt worse than I knew. I got prompt attention at the small hospital in the town of Turialba and was later transported to SIMA Medical Center in San Jose, Costa Rica, for more tests.

How bad were the injuries?
I had a Lefort I fracture of the maxilla. Essentially, the entire upper structure of my upper teeth, gums and palate broke free from the rest of my skull. I also had some small facial fractures that extended on the right side all the way up to the right orbit (the high part of my cheek bone). I received multiple lacerations that required stitches under my right eye, lips, left temple and, somehow, the back of my left ear. The teeth I had spit out were the lower halves of both my front teeth.

My surgeon, Dr. Arango, recommended that I go into surgery at 11 p.m. that night. I was like, “That’s only two hours from now, yikes!” But, the hospital was top-notch and leading-edge, and they did a great job. I woke up feeling like a train wreck, and hadn't eaten anything in the 16 hours since I’d finished the race.

The worst-looking part was least of my problems. I developed blood-red contusions that filled half of the whites of both eyes. What no one can see are the five titanium mini-plates and 17 tiny screws that have kept my jaw in place while it heals. Souvenirs you could say.

Are you riding yet?
Yes, and as much as ever. I’m glad to say that my training is on schedule and that I’m riding at a great level. It means so much to me to give it my best now for everyone that is behind me and for myself. I’ve got no plans of slowing down. I’m fully fired up for the next challenge, which is making the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team.

Will you race La Ruta again?
Maybe. I was planning on 06 being my last La Ruta because it is scheduled so late after a long season of training and racing, and because of my focus on the Olympics.

In your expert opinion, is La Ruta the toughest race on earth?
Last year, 2006, YES. In the first day, only 40 percent of the tough guys who signed up even made it to the finish under the time cut. When was the last time only 40 percent made it past the first day of any stage race? But, I did talk with Roman, the race’s promoter, when he visited me in the hospital, and it sounds like the 2007 event will be more manageable...but one day longer.

For another perspective on La Ruta, check out the March 2007 issue of Bike in which former associate editor Dain Zaffke recounts his many misadventures in Costa Rica.