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September 23, 2007
The Five Steps of Injury
1) Denial (of course): This is the "oh no my foot does not hurt" stage where you hope you are just imaging that those aches are now becoming pains and that you are feeling them much more often than you'd like. This is where you are positive you are going to wake up the next morning and everything is going to be all better. No change in workouts.
2) Psedo-Acceptance: You wake up the next morning and your foot still hurts. Okay, you think, I may have a problem on my hands. Still no change in workouts.
3) Anger/Frustration: This is the "why does this always happen to me", "this sucks eggs", "I hate running, cycling, swimming, triathlon, racing, life, fill in the blank..." stage. This is the pity party, feel bad for yourself stage. Step #3 is never pretty but I truly believe you need to have it to move onto step #4.
4) True Acceptance: Now you are truly accepting that you have a problem on your hands and you need to address it ASAP. Workout schedules change. Coaches are alerted. Doctors appointments are made. And thoughts of missed training and worse yet, missed races, are pushed to the back of your mind. Only positive thoughts at this point.
5) Healing: This stage is very variable. It can take a long time or or a short time. It depends largely on how quickly you moved through the first 4 steps.
So there you have it. At this point in time I went through step #3 today and moved onto step #4 for my bum hamstring. This isn't going away over night. I'm going to have to do something and hope that magic will happen and in 6 weeks time I will be running into the Gulf of Mexico and swimming my little heart out, only to get out and ride my heart out and last but not least run my heart out on TWO good hamstrings. I'm awaiting my coach's input and decisions as to what to do with my training but I'm thinking it might involve keeping my swimming/cycling as is and replace running with pool running. I've already accepted the fact that I will smell like chlorine until 2008 if that's the case. :)
So here's to a quick stage 5!
Posted by beth at September 23, 2007 6:15 PM
Comments
I'm feeling for you! I'm two weeks out from a key marathon and battling with achilles problems! Ahhhh!!! Best of luck...
Posted by: Joseph Vinciquerra at September 23, 2007 7:47 PM
Ok, chica, this is sucky poo! I'm totally feeling for you! As you said, though, the sooner you accept it, the sooner you'll heal. Good for you for getting to Stage 4.
When my hammies hurt (I had a really sore left hamstring for about 10 days after my last race. It would be happy for about 20 minutes of running, then I would get tight, twingy feelings like if I lengthened my stride too much, the hamstring would fully pull. It was also so tight that it pulled on my knee and caused the lack of my knee to ache.), I sit on a tennis ball. Literally, I use my body weight to massage the hamstring (espcially its connection points at the butt and knee) with a tennis ball. It's intense, but I can very much feel a difference the next day. I keep at it as long as I need to. Just brainstorming for you...
Thinking healing vibes!
Posted by: Meghan at September 23, 2007 9:12 PM
i wanted to share that even though i took 6 days OFF before my key race (1/2 IM) due to injury this august i was totally fine. i don't even think there was too much lost fitness. and, since i imagine you will still workout some/lots, i think you will be a-okay. anyway, i know you and your coach are taking care of you...but i usually find all such stories helpful when i am convinced i will lose all my fitness in one missed day of workouts (b/c, come on, don't we all think that when we get hurt?!?!!) :)
Posted by: Audrey at September 24, 2007 8:41 AM
i wanted to share that even though i took 6 days OFF before my key race (1/2 IM) due to injury this august i was totally fine. i don't even think there was too much lost fitness. and, since i imagine you will still workout some/lots, i think you will be a-okay. anyway, i know you and your coach are taking care of you...but i usually find all such stories helpful when i am convinced i will lose all my fitness in one missed day of workouts (b/c, come on, don't we all secretly think that when we get hurt?!?!!) :) it ain't true!!
Posted by: Audrey at September 24, 2007 8:42 AM
i take a week vacation and everything falls apart... praying for your complete recovery...
Posted by: Kranky C Dale at September 24, 2007 9:26 AM
Non tutti i mali vengono per nuocere. Not all ills come to hurt you. Just like not all bats come to your house to suck your blood.
My gut guess is swim, swim and more swim.
AM: style and stroke workout, not too long, to let the body wake up, align, get energized; PM: intensity and speed workout, high turnover, careful on legkicks.
Just like an Olympic swimmer. Not even water running. Certainly not cycling. Give th-e-motions you have mastered a break.
Then taper for race. No running nor cycling even during the taper.
Then on race day, you rip through the water and overturn the asphalt.
Just an idea.
Posted by: corrado giambalvo at September 24, 2007 10:31 AM
Beth! Hang in there....this too shall pass. Remember, you are in EXCELLENT shape....a few missed runs and days will not hurt you at all! Here's to a speedy recovery!! Jen
Posted by: Jennifer Harrison at September 24, 2007 12:19 PM