Lost my metal, still got mettle!
So, six months have passed by since my last blog, “Two
races, two hemispheres, one week and a shoulder on the mend”
You may have read that the operation went well, but how would it affect my 2017 season?
Having already participated in two races prior to my operation, winning race 1 of the Tewkesbury Aquathlon race series and finishing 9th overall, 6th in my age group, at the Stourbridge Stagger, I knew I needed to set myself a short-term goal.
That goal was to get myself back to full fitness and to race in the final race (4) at Tewkesbury Aquathlon race series in April.
Following my operation, I found the first few weeks very difficult. Although I felt much happier having had the metal work removed, it had left me with a lot of muscle damage. I found I had lost a lot of strength and had limited movement in my arms and shoulders. I remember thinking to myself that racing in April may never happen. However, I continued to slowly increase my training. I spent more time than ever before doing stretching and light weight exercises. As the weeks passed by and the training increased I started to feel like me again. Swimming was improving, which in turn was helping with my movement and muscle development, my running was becoming easier with every mile I ran.
Always wanting to push and challenge myself further, I decided that I’d have a go at racing two weeks earlier than I had originally planned. In March 2016, I won the Wombourne Spring Aquathlon, I decided that I would attempt to defend my title by entering the 2017 event.
So how did it go?
25th March 2017, only 47 days post operation, I remember being full of nerves, much more than normal. Waiting on the poolside and watching athletes race, just made me more nervous. I just wanted to start my own race.
Whilst waiting to start my swim, I saw a young lad jump into
the lane next to mine. He was from a local triathlon club. Watching him swim, I
knew I was in for a tough time. My race was no longer a race against the clock.
Having raced competitively in swimming for nearly 35 years, my experience soon removed any nerves that I had earlier. I had also forgotten all about my shoulder. My focus was now firmly on trying to record the fastest 400m swim of the day.
Although not my fastest 400m swim, given the recent operation, I was happy to achieve my goal and record the fastest swim of the day; 5:03 recorded with my Garmin Fenix 3. Surprisingly, it was my run that let me down. I just didn’t have the speed in my legs to catch the young lad who came in first. I finished 2nd overall and was the fastest male veteran.
I came away from the race feeling a little disappointed with myself. I knew I could have won that race had I not have had a recent operation. It was a few hours later, having had the time to reflect, that I realised how well the race had actually gone. It was a huge step forward in my recovery.
Six days later, a short flight from Birmingham and I had arrived in Belfast.
After a short run to explore Belfast, I was back in the
pool!
I had a busy schedule in the pool for the next two days. I
raced in eight events including a knockout event (Skins) at the end of the
weekend. This is where you race seven other swimmers who had also qualified on
day one. Each round is a knockout, the slowest swimmer is removed from the
race. That swimmer then selects the stroke for the remaining swimmers.
I felt the weekend was a great success, I was really pleased that I had won the 400m front crawl in a time of 4:38, my quickest swim this year. A huge motivational boost!
One last run before returning home.
Just seven days later and I was racing again, this time in
the final race of the Tewkesbury aquathlon race series www.
I had a fantastic race, recording the fastest splits of the day, finishing the 400m swim in 4:55 and the 5k run in 17:39 I won the final race in a time of 22:34, 2 minutes and 4 seconds clear of the 2nd finisher.
Good news! Tewkesbury Triathlon Club presented me with an invite to compete at their Sprint Triathlon on the 7th May.
The following morning my family and I travelled to France.
Priorities!
It was the beginning of the Easter school holidays in the UK and we decided to spend the two weeks relaxing (and training) in the French countryside. I had three competitions very close together, for two of them I’d be representing Great Britain. Therefore, I knew I needed to make the most of the good weather and great roads France has to offer.
Most days started off with a French style breakfast followed by a bike or a run session, sometimes both.
Considering the time of the year the weather was amazing. Most days were full of sunshine, but not quite warm enough for short sleeves. This was a great opportunity to test my new ashmei clothing.
I even managed to test my new Vanquish wetsuit from Zone 3.
Whilst in France, my wife and I left our son and dog with
grandparents and had a few nights away at one of our favourite places, a place
called Val André in the Côtes-d’Armor region, where we stayed in
the Spa Marin du Val Andre for two nights www.thalasso-resort-bretagne.com/
With the holiday nearing the end, but just enough time to
squeeze in one more good quality run, I headed back out into the countryside and
tested my fitness on a 9-mile loop around our house www.strava.com/
Race day had arrived!
7th May, Tewkesbury Leisure Centre, Tewkesbury Triathlon Club, sprint triathlon.
This twenty-year-old event had just been given a new look, with a new pool, bike and run course I was excited to be taking part. The weather was fabulous, the atmosphere upbeat. I was motivated and ready to race.
I’d even been given the best bike mounting position in T1
My swim went as expected, finishing the 400m pool swim in 5:02, then came a very long run down and across a playing field before reaching the beginning of T1. I just wished I had realised our swim time would include this run. It was only at the finish I found out they were presenting medals for the fastest splits of the day, I had missed winning fastest swim by 4 seconds!
The bike course was a fast, flat 24k circular route around the country lanes, taking in beautiful countryside views. With cycling being my weakest discipline, I knew I’d have to work hard if I wanted to be in medal position. I completed the bike leg in 38:55 and entered T2 on my own. I knew there were a couple of quick lads in front of me but I wasn’t sure how far in front.
The run took you out across the playing field and onto a path which ran alongside the historic site of the Battle of Tewkesbury and the River Severn. Unfortunately, most of the run was on uneven grassed terrain, making it difficult to push hard, something I soon learnt after taking not one but two tumbles. However, I still recorded the fastest run of the day, 5k in 18:03.
I finished 4th overall, 1st male veteran, fastest run and 2nd fastest swim of the day.
The race went well although I was disappointed to have
missed the podium by one place but looking at the positive outcome, it gave me
a huge boost of confidence to take into my next race where I’d be representing
Great Britain, racing in the ETU Aquathlon, European Championships, Bratislava.
The last six months have been quite a physical and emotional journey. The worry prior to my operation, the fears about the length of my recovery and the fearful doubts about my future sporting performance hung over me like a dark cloud initially. I'd bounced back relatively quickly after having my first operation and the metal pins and plates had allowed my shoulder to heal so subsequently I'd been able to continue competing in all three disciplines. Knowing that I had to have a second operation to remove the metal work, which could potentially set me back again, did initially cause me real concern. Competitive sport has always been such a significant part of my life from a young age and the thought of not being able to participate in events because of any lasting impact of the original injury was inconceivable. After my first operation I'd refused to accept what the consultant had said to me when he said I may not compete at the same level again and rather than allow myself to wallow, I'd literally got back on the bike, determined that the injury wasn't going to beat me. After some reflection I'd determined that this second operation should be no different!
If I've learnt anything during the last year it's that the human body is far more resilient than Doctor Internet would have us believe! It was tough getting back out training but it would have been even tougher for me to have sat in the house wallowing! Waiting for the stitches to heal felt like an eternity but in reality it took only a week or so. Once the wound was healed I knew that getting back into the pool would aid my rehabilitation both mentally and physically. I took it steady at first not knowing how my shoulder would feel now that the pins and plates were gone but with a daily training session I'd felt the strength in my shoulder returning. Aesthetically my shoulder was better with the metal removed and I drew confidence from this; the piece of metal work once so visible through my skin was now gone! This helped my confidence and supported a positive mental attitude which then got me back out there training on the bike and running. Getting to the final race of the Tewkesbury Aquathlon race series was in itself an achievement but to come first after everything my body had been through was quite emotional and just reinforces how remarkable the human body is at coming back from adversity!
