I've written a lot lately about the patience required to rehabilitate your body when sickness or injury occurs. I've found that athletes are generally goal orientated people and can be impatient, wanting to see improvements quickly, run faster, be stronger - learning the art of patience can be difficult and frustrating at times, leading to stress and a cycle where small gains in health or fitness are made, only to be compensated by bigger losses overall with prolonged recovery periods, ongoing illness or lingering fatigue.
When the time comes to return to training, patience is also needed - together with a good dose of reality. The return to training will be varied - from a mild discomfort to all out ugly, depending on how long you were sidelined resting and recovering. It can be tempting to throw the toys out of the pram and madly try to make up "all the time lost" while you were sick or injured to get back to where you were at as quickly as possible.
I'm not a doctor, or a coach or qualified in any respect to talk about returning to sport from illness or injury. But I have been on this journey a couple of times now and learnt a few lessons the hard way about how these things need to be approached and some of the thoughts that can crowd your mind in the process:
Everyone's been training so much while I've been off sick/injured. They will be so much better then me on race day.
Crap. Based on what? Because they happened to be able to swim, bike and run to their programs (whatever they happen to be) while you were recovering? Were you absolute equals before that? Were you going to be absolute equals after that? Who's to say they haven't had troubles of their own? Worrying about what others have been doing while you have been off is a pointless exercise based on nothing but ego. It doesn't help get you back into form, it doesn't help motivate or encourage you and it will only succeed in building a big lie in your head about how you're not good enough. Move on.
I've lost so much time, I need to catch up and do more sessions/longer sessions/harder sessions now to make up
Once time has passed, it's passed. You can never do enough training to recover 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months or whatever time you have needed off to recover. Thinking that you are some kind of superhero and can train to make up that time is just going to make you sick and injured all over again. I know because I made that mistake stupidly thinking I was invincible. Be sensible
All the training before I got sick/injured is going to be lost. I'm going to be starting at square one again
I listed this because, I admit, I was initially filled with panicked thoughts about this very thing. So, again I am not qualified in any way about what the body does. But I am a lawyer and with that training comes the ability to think things through objectively and with a degree of common sense. Common sense tells me that if you have been training consistently for, say, 12 months but then got sick/injured for a few weeks and couldn't do much (or anything), then it would be some kind of freak biological miracle if your body somehow spontaneously combusted all the good muscle fibres you'd built, the aerobic and endurance capacity of your heart and lungs suddenly shrunk and your legs forgot how to turn pedals.
Let's get real. Sure, there will be a decline around the edges of where you were at (and I was told this, and what do you know, it's true)....but if you were training for an extended period before injury or illness, chances are you've developed one of those "bases" all the qualified people talk about and this will be there when you go to run or ride again. The first few goes might be a bit rough, but you'll polish things up quicker then you think. After 3.5weeks of sickness, I went for a 30min run on Thursday and rode 90min today. I wasn't making magic happened, I felt tired at the end of both (to be expected) but the main thing was that I could see the fitness was still there. There was still strength lying dormant despite the weeks of antibiotics, rest and fatigue. Have faith.
I'm going to be sick/injured FOR-EVER. I hate triathlon
No you won't. And no you don't. You got sick/injured for a reason. While you're (patiently) recovering, take a good hard look at why that might be. Were you doing too much? Training at a high intensity too often? Not getting enough recovery? Racing too often? Ignoring niggles that should have been looked at? At work, I'm often called into meetings to discuss the "root cause" of problems. The same logic should be applied to sickness and injury. If you can determine the root cause, implement a fix and test it, chances are it might not happen again.
I'm back training but still feeling so tired/sore. I'm never going to get over this.
Lies. Yes you will, but it will take some time and this will be different for everyone.
I was doing a bit of reading today and came across this simple piece written for the Australian Sports Commission (http://www.ausport.gov.au/sportscoachmag/program_management2/how_to_manage_the_return_to_training_after_illness). There's nothing groundbreaking here, but it did help remind me that illness and injury happens to everyone. And we all get through it.
The main thing I've learnt is giving your body the time it needs to recover - it will spit in your face if you try and push it too hard too early. Maybe not straight away - but karma always bites when you least expect it and, probably, when you need your body to be on your side the most.
For me, I am adopting the conservative, ease-back-into-it approach. Although the first 2 sessions have left me a bit tired, what they did do was show me that my fitness and training was still there...just buried under the drugs, Lemsip, ginger tea and chocolate that's been eaten over the last few weeks. The next session will never be as bad/ugly/tiring as the last, so it's onwards and upwards from here.
What inspires you?
It's something to ask yourself everyday. I know so many people who wake up, each day, uninspired by what they do. I'm not suggesting we are all supposed to clap our hands with glee at the thought of going to work (let's get real). But within everything we do, regardless of the passion we have for it, there must be something in there that we find inspiring or a reason that inspires us to continue doing what we do.
I found this picture last night. This is Lucy and she has Downs Syndrome. According to the Downs Syndrome Association of NSW, Lucy loves triathlon and has competed in the last two Triathlon Pink events. What I love about sport is that it has no barriers. Sport is free, there are no conditions, just a love and a passion of whatever it is that you choose to play.
I love that sport is so accessible to the physically and intellectually disabled. I love watching the footage from the Hawaiian Ironman of those athletes with missing limbs, getting out there and absolutely smoking the course. If you think playing sport is hard, try training and racing with one leg. Or an intellectual disability, overcoming all the prejudices that life already throws at you.
Knowing that there are triathlon events out there, openly accommodating people like Lucy, makes me proud to be involved in this sport. We (as in, abled body and mind athletes) may progress past the enticer distances or Active Feet, but these events play such an important part in the triathlon fabric and one that can be overlooked is allowing people like Lucy to participate.
This is particularly inspiring for me as my brother also has Downs Syndrome and loves sport. He loves basketball and the gym. The smile on his face when he plays is something else, it brings him so much joy. He can't ride a bike so will never get to experience triathlon, so when I race or train, it's partly for him too.
My love for this sport extends to all those people who will never get to experience it but get out there everyday. against a whole range of other adversities, and participate. Life is only hard if we make it that way, and remembering people like Lucy and my brother is what keeps me inspired to work towards my goals - because there are so many people out there that are not given the opportunities we have and we are kidding ourselves if we think that we have it tough.
The right decisions are often the hardest
I've titled this blog in this way because I believe it to be true. In any situation of conflict or uncertainty, I believe that we instinctively know what is the right decision to make but sometimes (or generally) we resist making it. Our gut tells us it's right, our mind may agree - but our heart may be holding on to a goal, a dream or a hope of something that is slowly becoming an unreality such that is becomes the hardest, rather than the easiest, decision to make.
Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I have been training for 70.3 Busselton on 5 May 2012. And training with commitment, excitement, consistency and enthusiasm as I wanted to give this race everything, toe the line knowing I gave it my absolute best shot and that my result would be reflective of that.
Unfortunately, there are uncontrollables in life that you can't train or prepare for. Injury. Illness. These things can derail your plans, throw your momentum off course and deaden your body for an unknown period of time.
For the past 3 weeks, this has been me. I have tried hard to tackle each illness as it comes, remain positive, rest, see doctors. But sometimes, it just isn't going to come together. Melbourne has had an unfortunate change of season which has sent illness through the roof, I work in an environment where people bring a lot of illness into the office, so my already compromised immune system has little hope.
What started with a cold and a hacking dry cough (1 week off training) turned into bronchitis and a chest infection (another 4 days off training) with a diagnoses of a virus you get before pneumonia. One week of antibiotics and I was warned to be careful and avoid as best as possible getting ill again as the next sickness could be pneumonia or worse. I started training again for a few days, feeling good, but quickly developed tonsillitis (10 days of antibiotics) and a deep fatigue in my body. Aching bones and tiredness which I feel as I write this post.
During this time, I also developed plantar fasciitis in my left foot. PF is a painful inflammation of the plantar fascia, the connective tissue on the sole of the foot. It can be caused by overuse of the plantar fascia or arch tendon of the foot or a range of other reasons (unsupportive footwear, weak supporting muscles etc). Fortunately, I got onto this quickly as it can turn into a nasty ongoing injury but it still took me out of consistent running training for a few weeks on top of it.
In life, there comes a point where you have to get real. Take a good hard look at the facts and consider your options. The reality is I am not well. I am not going to be well for at least another 7-10 days and that is only if I rest heavily, take time off and do not train. To do so, and still race Busso, would mean over 1 month of patchy or non-existant training at best, an untested foot injury over my longest distance and racing a body weakened by multiple viruses and antibiotics. Not smart.
So yesterday I made the right decision and withdrew from the race. A very hard decision but one that I knew had to be made.
Fortunately, this cloud has a silver lining and I decided to move all my plans back a month and race 70.3 Cairns on 3 June 2012. I'm hoping the extra 4 or so weeks buys me the much needed rest time to heal my body, start back into training and hopefully bring myself back into the form I was showing 4 weeks ago. Cairns is a different course and climate to Busso which is a challenge to adapt to at this late stage. But I have gotten my head around this decision and now am 100% focused on this event.
Like the note above, now it is all about being patient with my body, respecting the time it needs to repair and stay positive on the change and the newly (revised) race plan of Cairns.
Not a bad picture to keep the motivation high!
Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I have been training for 70.3 Busselton on 5 May 2012. And training with commitment, excitement, consistency and enthusiasm as I wanted to give this race everything, toe the line knowing I gave it my absolute best shot and that my result would be reflective of that.
Unfortunately, there are uncontrollables in life that you can't train or prepare for. Injury. Illness. These things can derail your plans, throw your momentum off course and deaden your body for an unknown period of time.
For the past 3 weeks, this has been me. I have tried hard to tackle each illness as it comes, remain positive, rest, see doctors. But sometimes, it just isn't going to come together. Melbourne has had an unfortunate change of season which has sent illness through the roof, I work in an environment where people bring a lot of illness into the office, so my already compromised immune system has little hope.
What started with a cold and a hacking dry cough (1 week off training) turned into bronchitis and a chest infection (another 4 days off training) with a diagnoses of a virus you get before pneumonia. One week of antibiotics and I was warned to be careful and avoid as best as possible getting ill again as the next sickness could be pneumonia or worse. I started training again for a few days, feeling good, but quickly developed tonsillitis (10 days of antibiotics) and a deep fatigue in my body. Aching bones and tiredness which I feel as I write this post.
During this time, I also developed plantar fasciitis in my left foot. PF is a painful inflammation of the plantar fascia, the connective tissue on the sole of the foot. It can be caused by overuse of the plantar fascia or arch tendon of the foot or a range of other reasons (unsupportive footwear, weak supporting muscles etc). Fortunately, I got onto this quickly as it can turn into a nasty ongoing injury but it still took me out of consistent running training for a few weeks on top of it.
In life, there comes a point where you have to get real. Take a good hard look at the facts and consider your options. The reality is I am not well. I am not going to be well for at least another 7-10 days and that is only if I rest heavily, take time off and do not train. To do so, and still race Busso, would mean over 1 month of patchy or non-existant training at best, an untested foot injury over my longest distance and racing a body weakened by multiple viruses and antibiotics. Not smart.
So yesterday I made the right decision and withdrew from the race. A very hard decision but one that I knew had to be made.
Fortunately, this cloud has a silver lining and I decided to move all my plans back a month and race 70.3 Cairns on 3 June 2012. I'm hoping the extra 4 or so weeks buys me the much needed rest time to heal my body, start back into training and hopefully bring myself back into the form I was showing 4 weeks ago. Cairns is a different course and climate to Busso which is a challenge to adapt to at this late stage. But I have gotten my head around this decision and now am 100% focused on this event.
Like the note above, now it is all about being patient with my body, respecting the time it needs to repair and stay positive on the change and the newly (revised) race plan of Cairns.
Not a bad picture to keep the motivation high!
Consistency - the athlete's insurance policy
It's now officially less than 4 weeks until race day. Numbers have been released and I've been given number 843. I'm someone who has this thing about race numbers - as soon as I get one, I get a 'feel' for the number. My Noosa number - ok. Geelong number - awful. Xavier's Ironman Melbourne number - fantastic. Strangely, each of these 'feelings' have translated 100% of the time into the race result. So let's call me the triathlon number whisperer.
So, on reading 843, my initial feeling was "Great. Strong". Honestly. I had no basis for those thoughts, I didn't force them, it was just the first sense I got that was connected to those numbers. I know some of you will laugh, but we all have our pre-race rituals, traditions or routines and this one is mine.
It gave me an acute sense of calm. Not confidence, not motivation. Just calm. It's like the pieces of this race puzzle are starting to come together, and as the race gets closer, I am slowly starting to become calmer and at peace with the concept of racing a half ironman in what will be less than 18 months after my first triathlon.
The last few weeks have presented some challenges, so it was only in the second half of this week that I picked up some decent training again. Riding 1.5hrs Thursday, 4hrs Friday and 3.5hrs of hills today (Sunday) meant that this was my biggest ride week to date. I wasn't sure how things would turn out, if my body would cooperate or just rebel with the load that was suddenly thrown at it. As it turns out, things went better then I could have expected. I rode (too hard, not following the program - stupid) on Friday but this didn't noticeably affect my hill work today. Legs were fresh, still had the usual power in them and I came off the bike with gas. Given the last few weeks, this was a massive confidence boost which I can only attribute to one thing.
Consistency.
I started working with a new coach in early November 2011. Since then, I have very rarely missed sessions (only if I was sick or injured) and even then tried to limit them to either swim squad or others that I think are 'second tier' (i.e. try never to miss a long run, long ride or interval work). I know people thought I was crazy, but I trained Christmas Day, New Years Eve, New Years Day, my 30th birthday and all over this Easter long weekend - the times people would think are a little odd to train. I've trained in howling wind, rain, heat and cold. I've swam in ice cold water. Bottom line, I've tried my best to be consistent and log consistent hours, week in, week out. For 5 months.
So I feel like, finally, this consistency is starting to pay some dues and propping me up during the times I can't be as consistent. It's like an insurance policy that I'm now claiming on and it's paying up, big time. It's the reason I can get back on the bike, ride my biggest week, and feel good. It's the reason I can get back in the pool for the first time in too long and swim without feeling like a maimed seal gasping for air. Sure it's not perfect, but the point is I'm no worse off.
The training I've done, the programs I've been set, have worked, have put the fitness and strength in my body where they need to be and I can trust that it's there. The next 3 weeks will be, as my coach says, about 'tweaking' this and fine tuning around the edges.
The priority now is to stay healthy, not an easy feat in Melbourne where 100% of the people I work with have been off sick at some point in the past 2 weeks. But I will be doing my best to cotton wool myself so I can toe the line fit, strong and ready to race.
So, on reading 843, my initial feeling was "Great. Strong". Honestly. I had no basis for those thoughts, I didn't force them, it was just the first sense I got that was connected to those numbers. I know some of you will laugh, but we all have our pre-race rituals, traditions or routines and this one is mine.
It gave me an acute sense of calm. Not confidence, not motivation. Just calm. It's like the pieces of this race puzzle are starting to come together, and as the race gets closer, I am slowly starting to become calmer and at peace with the concept of racing a half ironman in what will be less than 18 months after my first triathlon.
The last few weeks have presented some challenges, so it was only in the second half of this week that I picked up some decent training again. Riding 1.5hrs Thursday, 4hrs Friday and 3.5hrs of hills today (Sunday) meant that this was my biggest ride week to date. I wasn't sure how things would turn out, if my body would cooperate or just rebel with the load that was suddenly thrown at it. As it turns out, things went better then I could have expected. I rode (too hard, not following the program - stupid) on Friday but this didn't noticeably affect my hill work today. Legs were fresh, still had the usual power in them and I came off the bike with gas. Given the last few weeks, this was a massive confidence boost which I can only attribute to one thing.
Consistency.
I started working with a new coach in early November 2011. Since then, I have very rarely missed sessions (only if I was sick or injured) and even then tried to limit them to either swim squad or others that I think are 'second tier' (i.e. try never to miss a long run, long ride or interval work). I know people thought I was crazy, but I trained Christmas Day, New Years Eve, New Years Day, my 30th birthday and all over this Easter long weekend - the times people would think are a little odd to train. I've trained in howling wind, rain, heat and cold. I've swam in ice cold water. Bottom line, I've tried my best to be consistent and log consistent hours, week in, week out. For 5 months.
So I feel like, finally, this consistency is starting to pay some dues and propping me up during the times I can't be as consistent. It's like an insurance policy that I'm now claiming on and it's paying up, big time. It's the reason I can get back on the bike, ride my biggest week, and feel good. It's the reason I can get back in the pool for the first time in too long and swim without feeling like a maimed seal gasping for air. Sure it's not perfect, but the point is I'm no worse off.
The training I've done, the programs I've been set, have worked, have put the fitness and strength in my body where they need to be and I can trust that it's there. The next 3 weeks will be, as my coach says, about 'tweaking' this and fine tuning around the edges.
The priority now is to stay healthy, not an easy feat in Melbourne where 100% of the people I work with have been off sick at some point in the past 2 weeks. But I will be doing my best to cotton wool myself so I can toe the line fit, strong and ready to race.
When challenge comes our way
"You must not abandon ship in a storm because you can't control the wind"
In life, most of us have plans. Some are more defined then others (1 year plans; 5 year plans; succession strategies; promotion targets) - others have dreams or ideas of what we would like to achieve 'one day'. These may be as simple as a bucket list, an outline of crazy one-offs that will deliver a sense of achievement and purpose to our lives to break up the normal day-to-day routine.
Within these plans, there may be one or two things that are really important. Goals we only get a chance to do once. Things we have decided to focus on and dedicate time, energy and resources to and make sacrifices to achieve the outcome we not only want, but what we think we are capable of. We may want to test ourselves with this goal, push ourselves further then what we have done before, challenge our body and mind to think or perform outside of its comfort zone. These goals are thrilling, intimidating, exciting, stressful and demanding. These are the ones that make our hearts race with anticipation, that fill our minds with nervous thoughts and which get us out of bed most mornings, excited to face the day.
Generally, we don't throw ourselves into this space with a contingency plan. Failure isn't considered, it's not an option. We'll work hard, be consistent, make sacrifices and get the outcome we expect. That's how things are supposed to work. In the whirl of excitement and progress and improvement, we don't allow ourselves (rightly so) to entertain negative thoughts of "what if I can't do this? what if I fail?"
So, when confronted with circumstances that challenge your goal, jeopardise your plans and derail your strategy, we often don't have strong coping mechanisms to respond. We have been so busy focussing on the positives, maintaining our trajectory towards our goal, celebrating our achievements that when a wall suddenly appears we have no brakes, crash straight into it, leaving ourselves in a crumpled mess.
"Obstacles are put in your way to see if what you want is really worth fighting for"
How people respond to these situations is an interesting social exercise. I've personally observed that people's response largely depends on the confidence they have in themselves. I've seems some horrendous behaviour in a professional context, some heartbreaking stories in a sporting context and I've reflected on both recently to try and understand why people have reacted this way; could they have prepared themselves better? Can we rely on the mental strength we lean on during the times of competition to also help us through times when things just aren't going to our plan?
I do believe that challenges can present opportunity. These may not be immediately obvious; you may be so overwhelmed by the impact these challenges are having on your immediate goals - but, taking the time to put those thoughts to one side, these challenges can be used to develop other skills which can be equally, if not more, useful to your overall goal. Teaching yourself how to harness positivity, giving you opportunities to cross-skill, rest, recover, learn, read. Spend time with family and friends who have been neglected while you chase this dream, whatever it is. You may find that these experiences fill you with a different momentum, a different purpose that you can carry over into your goal once you return to it. Fresher, relaxed, focussed. You can't discount the impact that time can have to your overall objective.
We all read stories of burnout. Gifted geniuses, whether academic or athletic, pushing too far, going to hard and falling apart. Retiring from the very thing that initially brought them so much joy. As much as the dream and the goal is important and the competitor in you wants to succeed and wants to succeed well, you have to acknowledge why the challenges are presenting themselves and pay respect to that. The body is not invincible and it's not a machine that we can just oil every so often and keep churning through the motions. If we want it to respect our goals, we need to respect its needs.
In life, most of us have plans. Some are more defined then others (1 year plans; 5 year plans; succession strategies; promotion targets) - others have dreams or ideas of what we would like to achieve 'one day'. These may be as simple as a bucket list, an outline of crazy one-offs that will deliver a sense of achievement and purpose to our lives to break up the normal day-to-day routine.
Within these plans, there may be one or two things that are really important. Goals we only get a chance to do once. Things we have decided to focus on and dedicate time, energy and resources to and make sacrifices to achieve the outcome we not only want, but what we think we are capable of. We may want to test ourselves with this goal, push ourselves further then what we have done before, challenge our body and mind to think or perform outside of its comfort zone. These goals are thrilling, intimidating, exciting, stressful and demanding. These are the ones that make our hearts race with anticipation, that fill our minds with nervous thoughts and which get us out of bed most mornings, excited to face the day.
Generally, we don't throw ourselves into this space with a contingency plan. Failure isn't considered, it's not an option. We'll work hard, be consistent, make sacrifices and get the outcome we expect. That's how things are supposed to work. In the whirl of excitement and progress and improvement, we don't allow ourselves (rightly so) to entertain negative thoughts of "what if I can't do this? what if I fail?"
So, when confronted with circumstances that challenge your goal, jeopardise your plans and derail your strategy, we often don't have strong coping mechanisms to respond. We have been so busy focussing on the positives, maintaining our trajectory towards our goal, celebrating our achievements that when a wall suddenly appears we have no brakes, crash straight into it, leaving ourselves in a crumpled mess.
"Obstacles are put in your way to see if what you want is really worth fighting for"
How people respond to these situations is an interesting social exercise. I've personally observed that people's response largely depends on the confidence they have in themselves. I've seems some horrendous behaviour in a professional context, some heartbreaking stories in a sporting context and I've reflected on both recently to try and understand why people have reacted this way; could they have prepared themselves better? Can we rely on the mental strength we lean on during the times of competition to also help us through times when things just aren't going to our plan?
I do believe that challenges can present opportunity. These may not be immediately obvious; you may be so overwhelmed by the impact these challenges are having on your immediate goals - but, taking the time to put those thoughts to one side, these challenges can be used to develop other skills which can be equally, if not more, useful to your overall goal. Teaching yourself how to harness positivity, giving you opportunities to cross-skill, rest, recover, learn, read. Spend time with family and friends who have been neglected while you chase this dream, whatever it is. You may find that these experiences fill you with a different momentum, a different purpose that you can carry over into your goal once you return to it. Fresher, relaxed, focussed. You can't discount the impact that time can have to your overall objective.
We all read stories of burnout. Gifted geniuses, whether academic or athletic, pushing too far, going to hard and falling apart. Retiring from the very thing that initially brought them so much joy. As much as the dream and the goal is important and the competitor in you wants to succeed and wants to succeed well, you have to acknowledge why the challenges are presenting themselves and pay respect to that. The body is not invincible and it's not a machine that we can just oil every so often and keep churning through the motions. If we want it to respect our goals, we need to respect its needs.
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