I fell 50 feet off a cliff two weeks ago, but luckily walked away with minor injuries, including slightly sprained ankle, bruised tailbone and bruised bicep.
I was most worried about my ankle - which actually seems to have healed up quite a bit.
However, the bruised tailbone and bicep have left me with some muscle spasms that can be quite painful.
I have decided to race IM Wisconsin, anyways, but wanted some advice on managing the pain from the spasms.
I am taking four days off completely before the race, trying to just rest and relax.
Ibuprofen has been very helpful, but I am worried about taking it for next 2 days, since I am susceptible to hyponatremia.
It’s not supposed to be a very hot day - so I am trying to weigh the pros and cons of taking ibuprofen or not.
I don’t think taking my muscle relaxant would be a very smart move! Does anyone have any advice on how best I manage the pain? I can probably push through it, but it would be so nice if I didn’t have to…
I have no advice on managing the pain, but hats off for continuing with the race. What I want to know is how the hell did you fall off a cliff?
I have no suggestions, only these comments:
I admire that you were someplace where you had the chance to fall from a 50 foot cliff. Sounds like a cool locale.
I do not admire the falling part, however. I would try to avoid that if I have the opportunity to visit that place.
I am glad you walked away from it… that is admirable.
Good luck in Wisconsin.
No advice for managing the pain but I have some for the race. I wouldn’t try to “push through the pain” pain is your bodies warning sign. I would instead go to the race planning on having a nice day and take it as far as you can without doing addtional damage to yourself. You are racing injured, keep that in mind, go for the finish, and if at some point you come to the conclusion you are doing more harm than good to yourself or it becomes a sufferfest, just walk away, no shame in that. At least you will have gotten to the start which is more than most people will ever do even uninjured.
Recommendations/thoughts:
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Perhaps stick to a race week regime with some short duration bikes and swims. Keep the bike light, focused on maintaining your range of motion, don’t worry about power. Swimming will help maintain your aerobic capacity, keep the metabolism up and be a great warmup for some stretching sessions.
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Get in for some massage to work on range of motion and relax everything around the injury. It’ll also help take the stress off.
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Ibuprofen is probably fine (1-2 twice a day), but stop taking it the day before and day of the race. Stomach bleeding is usually related to chronic useage. If you are in pain on race day, adjust your effort accordingly for the swim and bike.
Finally, you have done the best thing and stayed focused on the prize. COMPLETING THE IM! Now stay away from cliffs!
It’s a pretty stupid story - I was at a hotel lodge in Illinois for a wedding, and had NO IDEA I was anywhere near a cliff. Turns out the lodge is smack dab at the top of a bluff (we never drove up any hill!). The hotel bar closed - I had to pee, so like the hick chick I am - I hopped a fence, thinking there was a banked, grassy slope on the other side of the fence. Next thing I know, I am doing a Homer Simpson down this big cliff.
Good thing I was so relaxed - and, thankfully, I haven’t fallen victim to any female athlete triad induced bone thinning behaviors - so I walked out pretty much intact.
Oh well - best that I didn’t do it hiking or climbing or something more interesting - people can’t exactly get on my case about avoiding hotel lodges or weddings now…
I am going to try the above suggestions. I’ve already decided to make this a 3 hot-tub visit day…
Yeah, you have to question my intelligence/common sense, both for hopping a fence over a cliff AND for racing two weeks later - but I think I’d feel really depressed if I didn’t even just TRY to start… I already DNF’d at this race for West Nile disease. Maybe I’m just not getting the message…
That is an awsome story.
I’m sorry for your injuries and all that, but that’s an awesome story. Something out of a Farelly brothers movie.
I say whichever bar you are going to afterward is the official ST hang out.
With a story like that we all want to party with you.
Good luck
If that story doesn’t elicit a marriage proposal from R10C, I just don’t know what will…
West Nile?!
As for hot tubbing, if you can go back and forth from the hot tub to a cold pool/bath/dump a couple bukets of cold water over yourself, that would be better.
West frickin’ Nile?!
You will not DNF this race. You will not DNF this race. Get yourself to the run as loose, fed and happy as possible. Even walking 26 miles at a 14 minute/mile pace is a 6hr marathon. Even with your injury you can do better than that.
You aren’t saving yourself for another race are you?
By the way… for all of you who DON’T know this… The person who fell off the cliff… SHE GOT A KONA SPOT!!! So HURRAY to her!!! (i’m trying not to divulge her personal information, so unfortunately I can’t tell how she rocked her bike and run… but she did!!!)… Great ending to an entertaining (thank god) story!!!