Ok, a little over the top I know, but I’m frustrated, angry at myself - all I want to do is run, run, run and run a little more.
I better explain before you think I’ve gone completely mad…
It’s been about 6 weeks now - I was out with a training partner trying to increase some time on the bike. Nothing too high paced - just looking for a nice long ride (5 to 6 hours out into Hertfordshire, stop for a coffee and some cake and head back into London) On the way back I had some pain in the left knee just to the side of the Patella. It wasn’t painful, but I could feel it every time I pushed downwards on the pedal. I didn’t think much of it - thought the amount of time on the bike had just irritated it and it would sort itself out within 48hrs. How wrong was I?
Well after a couple of weeks, numerous physiotherapy sessions and no improvement, I decided to see a sports injury specialist who diagnosed me with Patello-Femoral Mal Tracking (in layman’s terms – because of the low ‘in-turned’ arches on my feet, I have a slightly inwards knee – and over time and a lot of repetitions, the patella can knock on the Femur and aggravate the tendon) So...off to the Podiatrist for the arches - but the Podiatrist says I have lovely alignment and do not need arches!.... Back to the Physio - she teaches me to strap the knee cap to take the pressure off and gives me some exercises to increase the strength in my VMO (one of the Quad Muscles) This should rebalance my Quads and sort out the alignment of my Patella. PHEW!
Maybe now you can understand my frustration - not only with the doctors, but missing out on running and cycling. When you’re used to putting in 10+ hours a week, you notice the difference - a part of your life is missing. The beauty of Triathlon is I get to swim more instead, so I’ve been channelling my energy into this, along with some core/upper body work.
It’s totally disrupted my season (I’ve had to miss 4 major races and a trip to Italy to race in the Mergezzo half Ironman) and I’m gutted! I feel like my momentum for Winter Training and the beginning of the season is gone – so I’ve changed my goals and I now have a totally different focus going back into Winter Training. I have one eye now on my debut into Ironman - that’s the focus!
Reading through Triathlon Plus Summer 2010 they have an article with some great Tips for getting back into things after a lay off:
1. Aim small, find a low-key race to make a come-back where you don’t know many people and make the return with as little pressure as possible.
2. Keep up with your rehab. Just because your symptoms have gone doesn’t mean its healed.
3. Test yourself by including a test session a few weeks before the race. Do a separate session for each discipline and break them down to chunks of race-pace effort with short rests.
4. Cut yourself some slack, you are just returning from injury so you might be a bit rusty or slower – don’t fight it.
5. Crocked Triathletes often become hypersensitive which leads them to make changes to technique and training, which can make more problems. It’s natural to feel little niggles.
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