Recovery Update

Everything has sort of been a bit of a roller-coaster lately with the recovery and rehab programme but I am making progress.
I have days that are good and days that are not so great, depending majority of the time how I push myself on those days I feel good. I am still learning to be patient and understand that this will not be fixed or fixable and that my body will need plenty of time to adapt.
The progress... as much as I love the gym programmes... (not really at all) they are helping a lot and my stability and support has improved significantly since the beginning. We are progressing at least on a monthly basis with this and the riding is going slowly but happening. The running has come to a complete halt, I tried and it didn't go to plan as my body can't take the impact and sets me back too far. So walking fast is the substitute again. Fun fun.
I am working hard- definitely in a different way than I am used to but it is paying off. This may be a long road but I know what it feels like to be fit, functioning properly and the feeling of getting lost in our wonderful trails for hours. One small step at a time.

Start Again

The Specialist appointment last week involved assessing my latest MRI scan and was full of good news in the sense that 2 of the 3 disks have healed and I can start training and building up again. But the not so good news, the bottom L5-S1 disk is now compressed with no fluid inside the disk. 

The Orthopedic surgeon thinks the injury is as healed as it can be and does not believe it will get worse so it will be a case of managing the injury. Showing his confidence and knowledge he also believes I can make it back to where I was and better if I manage the injury carefully. I am now allowed to slowly begin building up with training again. He stresses to me the importance of listening to my body as I do not want to destroy the scar tissue that is in place of the fluid. It could be a fast build up or a slow build up depending on what my body will allow me to do. The running as part of my Xterra racing may cause issues with the impact on the compressed disk but I am super excited to get back into training even if it mean focusing on mountain biking and swimming for a while. 

I have learnt a valuable lesson from my injury and that is how much I actually enjoy my sport. It is hard and sometimes it is easy to get lost in why you do it and training soon becomes a chore, I never want to feel like that. So many things I took for granted. I was unable to walk for a short period of time, that happened twice, once from trying to get back into it too early and over doing it big-time. 

I now appreciate what I can do and make the most of it. I am looking forward to getting back into it and being honest with myself in listening to my body- another lesson I yet to learn, but I am learning.

Better Picture

I am collecting all of my x-rays and my MRI scan to go back for another MRI to look at where I am now at and if there is any improvement. 
I am hoping for a better outcome than the previous MRI but at least I will know what is going on and working with an orthopedic surgeon, I am sure we will come up with a wicked plan. 
Day to day living is going sweet and I have no trouble, it is just hard to not get carried away with exercise and have expectations of what I SHOULD be able to do. I am getting better and recovering, it is just taking its sweet time. 
MRI results to come....

A wee mishap...

Things were looking good and progress was a happening thing all until I pushed it a tad too far.
It is so hard to gage how hard I can push myself, as it turned out the race and then testing and training, not allowing enough down time meant 3 days following a run lactate test I was in hospital.
Laying in the hospital being unable to stand or walk on my own and being on intense pain killers and a muscle relaxant for 10 days was a huge wake up call. One I do not want to repeat at all.

The specialist tells me its a 'blip' and it happens. 
Now the plan is for few weeks down time and slow build up again to training, and then no more rushing the comeback from injury. Another reminder from the specialist that surgery is not an option. That if I don't get it right I will continue to have issues and it will become a case of managing the injury instead of allowing it to heal and then move forward, was a reality check.

For the rest of the year it will be a slow and managed recovery process to allow more time without rushing. Playing it safe seems to be a good idea.

Race Number One 2011

Sunday- race one of the North Island Mountain Bike Series in Tauranga seemed to be a good race to test the body as to where I am at to re-evaluate the injury status situation. 

I went into the race not knowing what to expect but hopeful of a good outcome. The overall goal was to finish the race and the position would be what it would be. 

The course was hard and steep and not the best suited course for a first race to see where I am at. The steepness of the climb at race pace took its toll on my back and turns out I may need an adjustment to the training and more time.  

I managed to complete 3 of the 5 laps and with no referred pain. I stopped to be lapped at the end of the 3rd lap. My back was aching unlike anything I have had riding before and I couldn't stand up after sitting or sit after standing. My back would just not bend. At the top of the climb on the 3rd lap I stopped for a short while to stretch and try and get my back to settle and allow my legs to respond. Unhappy about pulling out of a race but I see doing what I can as a huge benefit so as much of an excuse it is, it is not something I would like to get used to.

Good news is I recovered relatively quick, although a warm down was a no go, I was uncomfortable throughout the rest of the day but recovered well the following day to be back on the bike training again by Tuesday. 

Training will be changing to add in effort sessions to load up on my back and allow recovery time to get used to using the mussels at pace and building up my strength in my legs and back. 

The plan looks like I will be continuing to race but re- evaluating  training, recovery, and racing after each race and taking from each race what I can.  

There has been much improvement so all in all it is progress! :)

Daily Post Article- "Back in saddle after tough year"

The Daily Post article outlined the other side of being an athlete that every athlete would face at least once throughout their sporting career. 
It hard when something that is such a huge part of your life is taken away, in any sense not just in sport. But as an athlete is becomes even harder as time goes on when nothing physical is substituted for that time and when physical exercise in general is a no go. 
You learn that is life, get over it and move on. 
Now after dealing with the worst it, my back injury is manageable and I am moving forward.
To read the Daily Post article, click here. 

New Gears!

TIME MXS Mountain Bike shoes

Huge thanks to TIME for helping me out with some super sweet mountain bike shoes. 
Set-up is always an issue when it comes to racing and new shoes meant I would be able to get my set-up right.
Also thanks to my older brother, Clinton Avery who spent some time helping me to set up the cleats right on his 'cleat set-up mechanism' :) 

Wooden set-up:
Hand crafted by Clinton Avery

A rather interesting device that he build himself the does the trick fantastically. 
It works by having the ball of your forefoot on the very top of the gap in the middle of the wood plate you feet sit on. Then when your shoes are on, you are able to mark the optimum place as to where your cleats would go. 
Thanks also to Ant at The Physiotherapy Clinic for setting me up with some primo new orthotics. All set to go now.