Sorry to hear. Get well soon!! There is a long future out there. I love still having a body to use at 50

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

You will be back next season and be more fit than ever. 1st get healthy.

I would enjoy all the dinner plans. Even if you get a bit out of shape, it will come back. I have experienced almost the same feelings. I got injured gained about 15 pounds last summer and lost it all and came back faster than prior to my injury.
So I say, take this time to get back to 100%, enjoy all the things the triathlon lifestyle prevented. You can sleep more, spend time with family and friends, even enjoy some junk food. You’ll lose any weight, once your leg gets better

I feel your pain. My season never even started. I've been battling PF and IT band/knee problems all year. Not having something to train for sure does suck.

I had IT band problems earlier this years causing hip bursitis to the point I could barely walk. I took 2 solid weeks off (swam only) and rolled it with foam and a rolling pin. When you do roll it, does it hurt like you've bruised the bone? I thought I did some real damage, but was told this is normal and it'll get better. 2 weeks later the sharp pain went away and it no longer hurts while rolling. Yeah, for 2 more weeks I only ran 3 @ 3 miles, but it got better quickly. This may not be as bad as you think. Stop everything; roll, ice, ibuprophen and re-evaluate in 2 weeks. But most importantly, don't try to push through it.

I'm sorry about your injury. But I also think that a soft-issue injury shouldn't end someone's athletic career - unless by choice.

If the ART isn't working perhaps there is something that needs to change in your bike set-up, running technique/shoes, regular body posture, etc. etc. If this really means that much to you, I'd seek out as many different experts as I could until something clicked. You could learn a lot about your body, and it may make you a better athlete in the end.

Maybe start by seeing if there is a graston or rolfing expert in your area - or by getting a bike fit by someone who is an expert?

I'm sorry to hear of your disappointment, but things could be worse. I'm not trying to belittle your ailments; I truly feel for you. Let me tell you of my last three weeks. I headed out for an early training ride on Memorial Day (a Monday - I live in the US) before I was going to take my family to a church picnic. I hit a cattle guard horribly wrong, which threw me from my bike. Result: fractured orbital over right eye socket, broken nose, fractured C4 spinous, 4 broken ribs, a fractured L1 transverse process, and a four day stay in the hospital. I was sent home in a neck brace and loaded with pain medication. Two days after leaving the hospital, I received a call from my brother that my parents had been in a head-on car accident on a highway. Result: my father passed away and my mom broke a rib, lacerated her liver, crushed two vertebrae in her back and broke both ankles. That night the muscles in my back around the broken ribs spasmed for two hours and I could hardly breathe. I truly felt like I was suffocating at times. I ended up back in the ER and they loaded me on muscle relaxers. Two days later my family flew to Texas to take care of my dad's funeral arrangements, while we waited to see if my mom would be released from the hospital in time to "say good-bye" to her husband of 49 years and 10 months - two months before we were going to throw them an enormous 50th wedding anniversary party. Oh woa is me? Wrong.

Because I was in the hospital, I talked to my dad on the phone twice just days before he would pass away, otherwise, I wouldn't have. We simply talked on the phone on the weekends. [Blessing No. 1]. My mom is alive without a scratch on her face and no life-threatening injuries (both cars were going at least 70mph and there were ZERO skid marks on the road. My parents care were in their lane. The other driver had a medical problem and swerved into their lane). My mom's last memory of my dad was "a conversation about how beautiful the weather was." [Blessing No. 2]. At the "public visitation" (open casket viewing the day before the funeral), we got a glimpse of how many lives my dad touched by the line of people the went out the door of the chapel, out the funeral home doors and wound through the parking and stayed that way for almost 3 hours. [Blessing No. 3]. I could write a book on the number of blessings that have come out of the last three weeks. I'll spare you. :-)

I'm sure you'll find some good out of your adversity that you are experiencing right now. Hang in there. I know it sucks to see your season go down the drain. Find some determination and purpose for what your true calling might be - being a great friend, a great husband, a great dad, and/or a great athlete. It can all fit. Maybe just take some time to see how it fits together for you. Hang in there. You'll be fine. Email or PM me privately if you want or need to. I wouldn't mind hearing from you.

- Jeff

Injury = depression

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Imagination is more important than knowledge. Albert Einstein

The reason that I am posting this is because as disppointing as that is the main point of dispear that i'm feeling comes from the thought that I might lose the body that I have been able to attain and that I will not be able to eat as much as I am accostume to. In the back of my mind i'm thinking about the dinner plans I have in the next few weeks and how I am not going to be able to enjoy them as much as I would have if I had been training during this period. I know these are unhealthy thoughts, especially for a late 20's male but how do I see past these feelings and realize that there is a lot more to living a healthy lifestyle than putting in large training volume so you can reward yourself and that I don't have to put in that training volume to have a good looking triathlon body? It makes me feel like i'm doing the sport for all the wrong reasons.

Wow, I am think I have issues. Hope you, and your family, get well soon. I lost my father in law to lung cancer right before christmas, so
life is WAY too short to not smell the roses.

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

What was the verdict on your health issues?

Haim

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"Sometimes you need to think INSIDE the box!" -- ME
"Why squirrel hate me?"

Dude slow down. IT band stuff doesn't have to end your season. Get to a good PT or chiro and really get into the routine. Also try iontophoresis on the bursa. As far as the body stuff just see this as a great opportunity to put in mega time in the pool. Control your thoughts man. Good luck

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http://www.mountainmettle.com

I second Meebo's recommendation... it might help to use this time to get some solid therapy in so you can be ready to train (for the RIGHT reasons) when you are healthy...good luck!

I'll chime in with the other guys and recommend you track down a good PT. There is a lot more you can do to address IT band problems than your current course. If you're in Southern California let me know--- I know a good holistic health practicioner down in Carlsbad who has a great approach to IT band and piriformus problems.

-Marc

Wow, it's amazing how people are missing the point and question in his post. Hint: we weren't recommending a physical therapist.

I had the same problem last season and was back at it in 3 weeks. Here is what helped me, I know that everyone is different.
Rollers, ice, NSADS, moved my cleat position out and saddle down ever so slightly. Swim only, do NOT push off with that leg.
You may be different. I wish you luck. I feel your pain and frustration

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Team Zoot So Cal

Yeah, this post isn't about the IT band...

Take time out to enjoy the things you find yourself not having time for whilst training. Pig out a lil. Eat some junk food. Get drunk. Get laid.I'm not sure about your 'life' situation but enjoy the fact that you no longer always feel like you're in a rush. Enjoy the fact you don't have to get up at 530am to get to the pool. Enjoy the fact you don't have to eat breakfast in 5 minutes so you can get to work on time. Enjoy the fact that once you come home from work you don't have to rush around in an attempt to get ready to train again. Enjoy sleeping in on the weekend till 9am. Enjoy not feeling so tired all the time! Enjoy life!...there is much more to life than triathlon, believe me.

These things are all things that can make you 'feel good'.

Yes, sadly it continues to fly over the head of everyone!

Oh my God Jeff. So sorry to hear about the incredible misfortune and give you credit for finding a silver lining here. Not to take away from the OP's post, but wow, what a wakeup call!

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

dude, i can totally relate. last August I sufffered a herniated disk in my back, and was out for 3-4 months. no biggie, just a minor setback but was pronounced helaed in Novemeber. i gained some weight, lost from muscle mass, but come spring, I was back up to my old tricks, entering races, did a week long bike trip in Moab, doing Wildflower (although it was a disaster), and planning some halfs and a fun summer of training to build into Ironman shape again for next year.

well, two weeks ago, while climbing an 18% grade (seated as I finally felt strong enough to sit and push, and wanted to peg the old ergomo:), i felt a "shift" or twinge in my lower back. within minutes, i started experiencing the leg / nerve discomfort that only comes with a disk injury. well, 2 doc visits, PT, prednisone / drugs, stretching, etc, here i'm stuck on this gorgeous Sunday, laying on my couch cooked on Vicodin counting the minutes until my spinal epidural tomorrow, which will remove most of the discomfort and allow me to walk, stand and most importantly, sit on my ass without writhing in pain.

i'm depressed beyond words. i'm sure all the pain meds and lack of sleep for the past 5 days are contributing to my emotional meltdown, but FUCK, why NOW? i was just starting to feel like my old self, and now the rug has been pulled out from under me, again. i miss my life, my friends / training buddies, my bike. it will be weeks again before i can run and ride, and the weight will only pile on, because, i can literally do nothing but walk. so it totally understand your fear of the weight gain, but you are young and male, and i'm 42 female. i love to eat, and now i'm picking at fruit and salads, and there is no joy in starving yourself!

injuries suck.

I'll go with the people who think this is a good opportunity for you to have your head shrunk. Sitting on the side of the road due to an injury and the major problem you have with it is that you are going to have to address your food issues and body image/self esteem issues is a CLUE. Take it as such.

As for the injury, it can be delt with easier than the shrink issues. There is a lot of exercise that can be done without stressing an IT band.

My question: do you need a way out of triathlon? You really can just move on. Even if everyone knows you as that "triathlon guy" you can still just move on to something else.

This is the best thing that could have happened to you. It sounds like you are a bit older then me and completely obsessed with training. This is a very deep problem. It took me 2 years of injury and hardly being able to stand up last year to get over this myself. I now train about 30% of what I used to do. I am falling in love with the sport again! The fact that you were trying to ride 120 miles with a bad IT band shows that you have no desire to perform well or be fit and healthy. In fact I bet you hate the sport! I know I used to.

As a successful coach I do deal with this with some athletes more then others. My advice is don't do anything related to triathlon for 1 month and come back slowly. That includes avoiding the message boards! You could have the best year of your life with the sport. Athetes know went to rest. Your body is begging you to rest but it is up to you to listen.

Good luck. If you are an Ohio guy my name is Ed Alyanak and I'm around at most HFP wheelie fun races, and would be happy to talk with you about what I consider the "dark side" of the sport. Very easy for us 20 somethings to fall into ...

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Ed Alyanak

welcome to my world. dnt let yourself get too down, think of it as a world of opportunity.

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"The aspect of sport that you learn is that you have your good times and your bad times, but you share it with great people." - George Gregan

just because you've got an ITB flared up doesn't mean you cannot work out again. there are so many ways to stay in shape, and gain fitness; ways that will help your ITB.

i too, during my 20's was very motivated for (running) volume to stay in shape and look good; so i was really thin. now i'm a little older and realize how vain and empty all of that was.
IMO, maybe this is a good reality check for you; as being motivated for vanity will not be motivating forever, as priorities change as the years tick by--it's called maturity! and is a good thing. eventually you'll need to have a real reason to get through the distance; might as well try to identify that now and the sport will be more rewarding to you.

so you could aim to discover meaningful reasons--like appreciating what you can do; nature; feeling spiritual; whatever!

also (i have not read every response, so what i have to say next may be duplicated) it could be true that you're not totally done. perhaps you can manage and repair your injury with good volume; just not epic rides like 120 right now. or, you could swim more, lift weights, hike, run, bike shorter distances at faster speeds, etc. just explore what you CAN DO and focus on that (instead of what you cannot do).

remember, there is always someone else in a much worse situation than you're in. if you want to live happily, focus on others who need help so you're not drowning in your own problems. seriously, the best way to live a fulfilled life is to help someone else; this will get you out of your own head. ;)