| Getting Back in the Game
From Ironman World Champion Cherie Gruenfeld
Whether triathlon for you is a pastime, a hobby, a profession or your passion, there is one fairly significant downside: It is a risky sport. Participating in the multisport world will guarantee you fitness and a healthy lifestyle, but it also promises an occasional injury. With three sports involved, the list of potential problems is long. Swimming is the safest, but a less than perfect swim stroke and lots of yardage can result in shoulder issues. The pounding you take as a runner can result in a multitude of different injuries and as for biking, we all know the old (and very true) adage: "There are two kinds of bikers: Those who have crashed and those who will." Sooner or later every triathlete will face those gut-wrenching words, "You need to take some down-time." It may be a few days, a few weeks, or an entire season. How you handle it will determine how well (or even if) you race in the future.
Reconcile Yourself to the Situation
No sense in fighting it. That simply delays the healing process and, if in your denial you continue to workout on it, you're risking further, and more serious, injury. The sooner you come to grips with that the sooner the body can devote all its energy to the healing process. Use the first 24 hours to feel sorry for yourself and then face facts and get on with it.
Do What You Can
While you must rest the injury, it's possible that after a short time, you can start some activity that uses only the uninjured parts. Joan Benoit, the first Olympic Women's Marathon gold medallist) had knee surgery 17 days before the Olympic trials in 1984. One day after surgery she was cycling with her arms while lying in bed. If your problem is with your shoulder, perhaps you can sit on your trainer and spin. If it's a problem in your lower body, do some upper body weight work. This kind of activity may not keep your fitness level where it was, but it will go a long way towards keeping you positive which, in turn, goes a long way towards accelerating the healing process. Use Nutrition to Aid the Healing
This is not the time to let your diet fall apart. Good nutrition will hasten the physical healing and will keep you feeling good, contributing to your mental well-being. Get on an additional protein regimen (Master Amino Acid Pattern (MAP) works very well for me) and add extra calcium if your injury involves a broken bone. A nutritionist can be helpful in recommending additions to your usual diet to promote quick healing.
Keep Structure in Your Life
A triathlete is, by necessity, a creature of habit. We're used to getting started early, having a plan for the day, meeting time schedules for the pool, group rides, etc. When we're forced into down-time, the first thing we're faced with is no structure and lots of extra time. It's very easy to let depression take over, which is the beginning of a downward spiral. Try to continue your normal schedule. Get up with the alarm and start your day. But do it by taking time to read the newspaper rather than rushing off to the pool. Use your extra time to accomplish some of those things that have been on the back-burner for years – the ones that don't require using the injured parts.
Set a Goal
Happiness is having something to look forward to, even if it's 12-18 months away. Set a new race goal, but be realistic. Take into account the severity of the injury. In some cases, the immediate goal is recovery and the race goal becomes a next year goal. Give yourself plenty of time so that you don't find yourself testing the injury every day trying to rush the comeback, which is a recipe for further injury and missing your race goal.
Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Triathletes who are used to being strong and vital oftentimes feel very vulnerable when taken down by injury. It's a difficult thing to accept that the race season continues as you watch from the sidelines. This is a time to let others help you. Many have been where you are and have found their way back. Let them guide you.
Injury, in our chosen sport, is a fact of life. Some injuries can be avoided by smart training but others simply can't. Be compassionate and understanding when it happens to someone else, knowing that it will happen to you at some point. And when it does, accept it, fix it and get back in the game.
Good luck and be safe,
Cherie Gruenfeld
Articles from Cherie:
Key Workouts for a Successful Ironman Race Part I - Part II - Key Workouts for a Successful Ironman Race - Analyzing the Last Season to Have a Better Next Season - Setting the 2006 Calendar - Breaking it Down - Something for Nothing - Work + Recovery = Peak Performance - Getting Back in the Game - To Race or Not to Race? - Kona Moments - PERIODIZATION Ð MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU - New Age Group Record at IM Arizona - Critical Success Factors for a Great Ironman - The Ironman Run: It's a Mind Game - Remain a Competitive Racer - What's This Race All About - To Every Workout There is a Purpose -
My 2008 Resolutions
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Looking Forward to the Future
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How About the Kids? -
Other Kids
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Become An Ironman
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Beware the Pitfalls
To have racing success
Back to the Future
Buffalo Springs Lake 70.3
Circling the Drain
Order MAP
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