About seven months ago I began running longer distances than I'd ever run before, and I was doing it far, too fast and too soon. What happens when an athlete goes too far, too fast, too soon? Said athlete gets injured. I'd felt pain before - I've taken tumbles and falls off my bike, had ski falls and simply fallen due to my own clumsiness. I've broken bones before, I've had stitches, and I've had surgery. None of these prepared me for the pain I felt when running hills months ago.
Pain began creeping its way into the outer side of my left knee during practice, but I kept going. I knew that if I were to stop running, I'd be done and would have to walk the two miles back to my coach. I kept pushing until the worst pain I've felt to date radiated through my whole knee. I couldn't run and it hurt to take steps walking slowly. I finally made it back to my coach and team and explained I had to leave. Everyone said it would get better.
I limped back to my car, pulled myself in and started sobbing. If you know me well, you'll know that I hate being weak and showing the weakness in front of people. However, in the sanctuary of my car, the tears and fears were flowing without an end in sight. Was this an end all things kind of pain? Could I come back from pain like this to the speed and endurance I had built up in my short weeks of running? Fears and tears...so much of them.
The last seven months have been a rollercoaster of recovery and failure. I started in PT but when that became a financial burden, I stopped. I tried running and I'd have pain. I went to see a strength coach and worked with her until I became sick of it and gave up. I tried running and I'd have pain. Finally, about a month ago I was so tired of being injured and not being challenged enough in an aquabike life (I strive for the triathlete life), I finally listened to my coach and went to see Lori Strobl at Bon Secours Physical Therapy. She knew instantly what was wrong and how to fix it through a series of breathing exercises to start. I had faith.
I'm about 5 weeks in and I'm already noticing big improvements and have been cleared to run "more"...so I'm 100% looking forward to my 16 minute job (plod) on Sunday!
Through hard work and the right exercises, injures are possible to overcome, but wait, there's more...
When certainty of my running was returning, I got struck with yet another debilitating injury-one that shuts down my passion for the bike. Whether be a poor bike fit or overuse, my Achilles tendon feels like it will rupture every time I put my foot down to pedal.
Taking the necessary rest, I feel lost and that I can't win at overcoming these injuries due to the amount that I've had this season. But in every challenge, I seek out the positive: I'm injured in the off season and two weeks before the dreaded, but much needed, hibernation.
So..
What I've learned through the hard road back from injuries:
1) Injuries happen and you have to be determined and motivated to help them and get better
2)Don't get frustrated when your coach tells you to rest even though all you want to do is get back in the saddle
3)Don't think you know what's best for yourself. If I thought this, my whole body would be injured. I'm stubborn and I want to do my own thing, that's why I hired a coach. One who knows that I have a tendency to over push myself. He knows what is best for my triathlon career and will continue to remind me that until I believe that (Almost there!)
4) It's going to be hard to come back, but when I do, I'll be well rested and injury free, and know to listen and not over push.
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