Hubris, it turns out, has a way of catching up with you.
When I fractured my sacrum last spring, I thought that I could continue racing and training and that the bone would heal. Even though the pain abated over time, I never healed completely and a minor trauma caused the bone to refracture. This time around, however, my body is ensuring that I keep my need to train (and ego) in check by permitting only the most gradual progression of training. After weeks of water running, I’ve progressed to the point where I can run on the Alter-G (seen above). My rate of increase of body weight has been slow, but I am pretty excited to be running again. Plus, it gives me insight into how much easier it is to run at 70% of your body weight (oh, Barbara Riveros and Emma Snowsill- it is so much easier for you pixies!).
While I’m trying to be patient and gradually build back fitness, my training partners are getting in some great training in Canberra, Australia. Among their ranks is my buddy, Lauren Campbell, who is returning to racing after a difficult, injury-fraught 2010. While the road to recovery is at times frustrating and disheartening, athletes like Lauren prove that you can come back. When you do, it is that much sweeter.
Before too long, I’ll be healthy enough to handle “real” running and hard riding. I’ll show up in Australia as the palest person on the continent (until fellow gimp Bryan Keane shows up), but I’ll also be armed with a bit more gratitude and little less hubris concerning injury. It has been a tough lesson to learn, but one that almost all successful athletes learn at some point.
Whether at 50 or 100% body weight, I wish you happy training!
Sarah
