NicoleLast fall I started working with an athlete who is new to the triathlon world. He signed up to do a race with his son later this summer, so his motivation was high to perform well. What he learned the most about was injury recovery.
As he started running, his calf bothered him a bit. We did the typical things, some rest, I encouraged foam rolling and stretching and proper warm-ups. It would feel better for a few days, and then get aggravated when he ran again.
He came to my pre-season camp and we discussed taking it easy. The first run session focused on the warm-up and run preparation that would be good for him, along with easy running. But it turned out to be too much. During the video analysis session he took a step and that was the end of running for a while. (Fortunately a Team NEO athlete who was in attendance is a physical therapist, and we got him some immediate assistance!)
That was the end of January. For the last four months he’s been going to physical therapy routinely. He listened to the therapist who told him not to run. When they gave him permission to start cycling, we started very easy on the trainer. Gradually we were able to add resistance on the bike and then get him outside to ride.
When he got the OK to start running, it was really a jog, and mostly walking. Each week he’s running for slightly longer stretches. He’s solid in his swim training, and now we’re starting to build up his strength and add in intensity on the bike. And he’s running longer and longer stretches. In February, the thought of an Olympic distance triathlon in July seemed fairly questionable. But now as things are progressing really well, the sprint triathlon in June and Olympic distance race in July are looking significantly more promising!
Will he be as fast as he could have been? Most likely not. But will he have fun and enjoy racing with his son? Absolutely.
The key is to be patient and persistent when you are recovering from an injury. Do your therapy as prescribed, and be patient and conservative with the recovery process as you learn what your body can handle. Don’t try to “get back to old paces” until your body is ready.
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We all have a lot of years in us to do endurance sports, so be patient!
Do you have a similar story? Share in the comments below.
Nicole
