Being physically active is so beneficial to not only your physical health but also our overall well-being. It’s something that I have become more aware of and is being spoken about more widely over the past year. I have some very special people in my life who suffer with different forms of mental health issues and whilst I don’t personally, seeing how it affects them makes this something I am keen to understand better. I should note I am not a professional in this area and this post is not intended to offend in any way – something I am very conscious of with it being such a sensitive subject.

My husband has spoken out the past couple of years about his own struggle with depression, stress and anxiety and so this hits home very close for us and this post was written with those people I mentioned above and includes quotes directly from them.  They all suffer from different forms of mental health issues and fitness and self-care are the main, non-medical, ways in which they help to keep this under control.  Here my husband speaks about this below:

Exercise, for me, is paramount to my overall well-being and without regular sessions I quickly become my own enemy. The daily struggles range from not wanting to get out of bed, talk to anyone, letting personal hygiene lapse to anything as bad as totally shutting myself off from the world for days on end.  I’m not saying this is the answer to a well-balanced mind and something that will get rid of the issues of depression, anxiety or stress but it does help.

I’m extremely lucky to have an amazing wife who took the time to research, understand and got to learn and know the signs of when I’m going into a bad place.  Exercise for me is the key and she is incredibly aware of this and encourages me to do any form to make me feel better and it works.

Having come to terms with the mental health issues I have was the first step I found to really understand and get better, recognising the signs of a re-lapse is paramount to remaining the best you can be.  Having these issues is not a weakness and honestly I think it is the complete opposite, strength within comes from those who know they need help and want to overcome their issues. My daily worries range anything from being body conscious,  doubting myself to not becoming ‘that friend’ who is down again.  I’m lucky to have a great group of friends who have been there for me in the low times as well as the great.

 I’m a very open to talk about my issues and feeling and a big advocate for others to do this as this is the only way the stigma is going to be broken.

 The help is there and I encourage those to seek out the answers they want to make them feel better.  

Mental health has in the past been something people tend not to talk about and is often a taboo subject, however, awareness appears to be on the up with more people talking honestly about different mental health conditions and how they cope with this. Mental health and fitness is often something that comes up time and time again as this is something people find helpful for their mental health and in helping to stop the stigma and overcome barriers that surround this subject.  This can only be a positive thing especially as 1 in 6 people suffer from a mental health illness.

Mental health conditions or diagnoses comes in all different shapes and sizes and I think this is the first misconception by many who haven’t had any such experiences, or know people who do.  All too often you hear comments such as “you look ok?” or “you don’t look depressed?” I want to ask what does mental health look like?  A very close friend of mine who is a mental health professional added this:

I guess I have always been someone who worries about things.  This could be anything from “What should I wear?” “Will I fit in?” “Should I eat this?” to, “am I doing a good job?” “Am I quick enough?”. 

Last year I started to have really bad panic attacks. It started one afternoon at work, out of the blue – or so I thought. Things had been unsettled in my workplace for a while and there were some big changes happening in my personal life. I didn’t put them together or think they could be some of the root of the problem at first. I didn’t like to think of myself as having weaknesses, which if I’m honest is how viewed this.  

I was so worried about what people at work would think if they knew I was having panic attacks, worried the view would be that I couldn’t cope or work to the best of my ability. 

Some key moments I remember is a close friend saying “I didn’t realise panic attacks were a thing for you” and a colleague stating “I never would have known, you were so together at work”. 

My partner noticed that I had stopped exercising regularly, and reflected that I was generally happier/more ‘me’ when I did. I’d been to my GP who gave me the option of medication and talking therapy. I had already found a counsellor online, as I didn’t feel I could wait for NHS services. This helped me hugely over the period of about a year.  

It was a real struggle but I made myself get back to exercising. It wasn’t regular,  or for very long, but it really did help me. I love swimming, and some days all I wanted was to be in the pool. I might only swim for 15-20minutes but it felt good. I started yoga and got back to running, sometimes alone and at others with friends. Some of the friends knew what I had been struggling with,  others didn’t.  It didn’t matter so much, it was being out in the fresh air and moving that was helping me. The social side was an added bonus to that, I love to chat! 

Over time I have really come to value exercise because of how it helps me. I still worry, I get low sometime,  I don’t want to do or see anyone, I don’t always exercise. When I do, it’s good. It doesn’t matter about intensity, length of exercise or what it is. I value it because it’s good for my Mental Health & general well-being. 

I will do my best not to judge myself on my performance, but the movement, according to what I need at the time.  After all, my life is for me, not other people.  

Fitness can have such a positive impact on not just your body but also your mind. It can help with stress relief, increase energy levels, reduce anxiety, increase confidence, self-esteem, help with sleep and provide an overall boost to mind and body.  A qualified personal trainer with exercise referral and client psychology quoted the below.

Exercise has massively helped and continues to help my mental health. The gym or the outdoors never judges you or makes you feel bad. When I’ve been at my lowest in the past getting out and exercising whether it’s in a gym or outside has really helped me and is the reason why I retrained and joined the fitness industry. Now whilst I’m maintaining my mental health I also get to help others improve theirs. You always hear about the endorphins that are released when you exercise but it doesn’t have to be that scientific, what about the social side of the gym, or the ‘you time’ away from life’s stressed and worries. No matter the duration of the workout!

An amazing man I met from OCR, Stuart Amory, recently completed his ‘Run of Gratitude‘ for Mind charity.  This run started from his house in South West London to his girlfriends house in Aberdeenshire, which meant Stuart covered approximately 50km per day for 17 days.  To quote Stuart the reason for the run ‘I am running to my girlfriend to show gratitude for what I have in life…legs that work, support from friends, family and some major companies.’ On Stuarts website you can see his blog posts as he recounts the run and his mental account of it here.

You can find a lot more information available on this subject from many different resources including:

• mental health charity, Mind
• Mental Health Foundation who explain the link between mental health and movement here and also have a publication to download on how to look after your mental health using exercise that you can find here
• Rethink who provide help and support for those affected by mental illness
• Heads Together a mental health initiative spearheaded by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex
• Calm (charity focusing on mental health in men) are also great resources
• NHS have a large amount of resource with regards to mental health including a Moodzone discussing common problems, tips and advice and real stories

I would also recommend The Mental Health Podcast and to quote the two awesome ladies behind this ‘aims to break the stigma around mental health. Bethan and Laureen know a bit about mental health, they both live with mental illnesses. In one episode they discuss why we shouldn’t confuse a common condition with something that’s normal. ‘

You can read more from Bethan on her blog at Bethan Taylor-Swaine, one of my favourite blogs to follow and refreshingly honest in her accounts of keeping both physically and mentally fit.

My biggest take away from being around people who are suffering with their mental health is that it is ok not to be ok.  According to the Mental Health Foundation 1 in 6 adults experience a mental health problem and 1 in 5 adults have considered taking their own life at some point due to the daily struggles they live with and so it is important to break the stigma and talk about it.

This past weekend I was in France, Chantilly to be specific, and it was gorgeous.

My husband and I were there for the Castle Triathlon weekend being held at Chataeu du Chantilly.  I was signed up for the 10km run and my husband was signed up for Le Gauntlet which is a middle distance triathlon.  Let’s just say our weekend did not go to plan.

The day before we were due to go I had a hospital appointment following a fall a couple of weeks before on my bike.  I have a haematoma on my left thigh that is giving me problems and until I have an ultrasound I was advised not to run – the conversation went something like this:

Me: so I have a 10km run on sunday, can I still do it?

Doctor: yes if you want to potentially make it worse but if you want it to get better then no.

Me: fair enough

That pretty much told me and I knew it would be stupid to run – it was very unlikely I would be able to run and that it would be more of a long walk to the finish, probably seeing me finish in the same time it would take some of those taking on the half marathon route.  And so I had my first did not start (DNS) and I am fine with that as it was the sensible option.

When we arrived on Friday we made our way to the Chataeu and got Brett registered.  The grounds were simply stunning and I could see why it would attract so many taking part in the Castle Triathlon series.

On the Saturday we headed to the Chataeu once again to support two friends from our cycling club who were taking part in the Super Sprint triathlon – well done to both Joel and Mo who were superb and loved the event.

We then got our bikes ready and took them for a short spin to check everything was ok for Brett’s race the following day.  One of the great things about travelling to different countries is experiencing cycling in each of them.

I should note that four weeks ago my husband was in hospital with a recurring leg issue and on IV antibiotics for six days and for a while we had assumed that this weekend would not even take place but Brett felt that he could still participate and that his strategy would just be amended and instead of racing this would be a training event.

The Gauntlet event started on Sunday at 7am and the plan was for me to drive the short distance to the start and Brett to cycle though neither of us had been expecting it to be so dark.  I mean it was early but it was pitch black so last minute change and both of us in the car we set off.

Brett racked his bike and left his cycling and run kit in transition and headed out to put his wetsuit on.  Yes, there was an awkward moment avoiding eye contact as sudo cream was applied to avoid chaffing on the bike (yes you can guess where), though most people who take part in triathlons or cycling would not bat an eyelid at this.  The briefing was held and after a good luck kiss he was in the water, which was a large T shaped pond in the grounds, and they were off.  He took longer to finish than he usually would for this distance but the pond is more shallow with most being able to stand and there are a lot of reeds, which caused quite a problem for some.  I saw him heading towards transition in his wetsuit and he stopped and spoke to me commenting that he felt it was a tough swim but I was confident that once on his bike he would be in his happy place.

I saw him leave transition on his bike and with a mouthful of food he didn’t say anything but was on his way and I went for a walk in the grounds.  Lucky I did as I came across a swimmer who had cramp and got out of the water dazed and confused with the onset of hypothermia.  I took off my dry robe and gave it to him and walked him to the medical tent where the staff there were taking care of those who were in similar states.  Don’t get me wrong the water was not cold and wetsuits were optional so many were opting not to swim in one.  I waited to locate this mans girlfriend and was on my way.

Some time later I decided to head to bike in to see Brett return for the run leg but as I walked up the stairs I noticed the striking Havering Tri kit walking towards me to see my husband.  I could see from his face he was devastated and knew in that moment that his race was over.  He said he didn’t know what had happened but something was not right and he had pulled out of the race.  He was extremely cold, with purple hands and lips and I think had the onset of hypothermia but being the stubborn old goat that he is refused to go to the medical tent.  I know you are probably thinking why didn’t I make him go – I get that, but you don’t know Brett and those reading this who do will completely understand.

We got his bike and kit after he had sat down and composed himself and left the grounds, heading back to our apartment.  He could not remember talking to me after the swim, seeing me before the bike and another cyclist had pulled up to his side to ask if he was ok as his speed was decreasing and we think he was swerving on the road, which could have been dangerous to himself and others.  On further investigation we can see from his ride stats that at the 10 mile point his heart rate plummets for the remaining 18 miles, as does his speed and power.  In his swim out pics he looks a bit dazed (though this is not unusual for some coming out of the swim), and his helmet is not on properly, which is extremely odd for him as he is usually so anal about things like that for himself and others (at a recent race he was supporting and actually shouted to a friend that their helmet was not on right).

He was understandably upset and it took a huge amount to withdraw but I am 100% confident this was the correct decision and have the upmost respect for him for doing so.  I know it would have been a hard thing for him to decide to do but health comes first and in this instance was necessary.  And so he got his first did not finish (DNF).

So our weekend started with a DNS and finished with a DNF – not the best weekend for the Thake household but undeniably the correct decisions.

Thank you Castle Triathlon for the opportunity to take part in your events, as always the venue was stunning, the staff were amazingly helpful and we will be back.

We’ve both learned a lot from the weekend and neither of us will let it define us, we can look at what went wrong and learn from it.  It’s true what they say ‘don’t be afraid to fail, be afraid not to try.’

Since a child I always went on holiday with my grandparents and this became the norm for my sister and I. Always in the UK and always somewhere near walks and in stunning locations. My grandparents say don’t see the need to travel abroad when there are so many gorgeous places to see in the UK.

Picnics, country walks, visits to National Trust properties and being outside was something we grew up with.

My husband and I had our son young and I quickly adapted from party girl to mum and soon found myself with my own National Trust membership and in the garden helping my son make mud pies.

It’s funny though as my husband started with obstacle runs years ago and at the time I thought he was crazy and running around in the wet and mud absolutely did not appeal in any way shape or form and now we’ve totally swapped and that’s when I’m at my happiest. I’m not the biggest fan or urban OCRs and much prefer those that use the natural landscape available with many using lakes and streams and woodland.

We have had a dog for over 8 years and so country walks, or even to our local parks, are part of our everyday lives now.

I’m one of those people who are always busy and long to just sit in front of the TV and do nothing but on the rare occasion it happens I am completely twitchy and need to get up and do something. I’m fairly certain it’s the being indoors element as I could sit in a park for hours.

I’ve been swapping regular run routes for trail runs and just making the route up taking whatever turn I come across knowing that none of them go too far out of the local woods so what’s the worst that can happen? I’ve even run through streams and gone through tunnels during a walk and run – what’s the worst that’s going to happen? It’s only a bit of water and mud!

I’m lucky with my cycle club that we have a good number of routes so I’m never short of places to head but sometimes I do just go where is familiar and make it up and they can be the best rides. And I often find myself noting different places that I will go back and visit another time.

I’ve even taken to doing some of my workouts in the garden rather than at the gym if I am able to. With the weather we’ve been having it seemed silly to go inside if I didn’t need to.

Being outdoors and in nature for me is a happy place. I’ve found over recent years that the fresh air is something I end up craving, the peacefulness that comes with it too. I always sleep better when I’ve been outdoors and feel like I have more energy and most importantly less stress! Being outdoors is simple and about just enjoying what is right in front of us and when it’s good for your health, both physically and mentally, why wouldn’t you take advantage of that?

I’ve found I’m planning events for next year but there are so many gorgeous places I want to see including hiking so any recommendations are gratefully received.

Are you like me and like to be outdoors?

Why not try it? Get outside and explore – you never know what beautiful places you might find, what adventures await and you’ll get an added dose of Vitamin D to top it all off!

Have you incorporated strength and conditioning training into your training schedule?  I have, and there are a number of reasons for this including seeing many people around me who do and how it has benefitted them.

I recently took part in Outlaw half Nottingham as part of a relay, completing the bike leg.  This was 56 miles and I completed it in 2 hours 56 minutes, there is a separate post about this you can read more on here, but it is safe to say I was really proud of myself for that result.  I have, however, had several people congratulate me but also ask what I think saw me achieve that time.  I should note that the previous year I did ride the route, not as part of the event, but just for myself the day before as my husband and friends were preparing for the event.  I rode the route in 3 hours 29 minutes and so in one year I achieved a PB for this of 33 minutes over the 56 miles.  Hence why I was so pleased with the result.

So the questions of how I achieved this made me reflect on what had I changed in my training?  Three things:

1. More structure to my cycle training.
2. Strength and conditioning training.
3. Healthy eating.

I am lucky that my husband is a qualified cycle coach and so I have him on hand to tell me how I should be structuring my rides rather than just putting in the miles, that are never wasted, but to just ride with no structure is often referred to as ‘junk miles’.  So I have tried to make sure I include slower recovery rides, hill training, tempo rides, concentrate on specific cadence levels over structured intervals and on top of this I now commute two or three times a week covering 28 miles per day.

I am also lucky that my best friend is a qualified personal trainer and we do a lot of training together that is geared around goals I have.  Her sessions are invaluable and I truly believe they were a huge part in the result I achieved.

With my strength training I have found that:

• I am able to maintain a higher intensity during continuous exercise than previously.
• My core strength is hugely improved.
• Aside from my knee injury, which was caused from a trauma, I have been injury free and am sure that the improvement of my mobility plays a part in this whilst also increasing my power, as I am working muscles that I had not concentrated on before.
• The sessions I have on a weekly basis concentrate on specific muscle groups allowing them to activate fully. A good strength and conditioning coach knows what muscles are used for what sports you take part in so they know how to activate them, where to target them and help rehab any injuries.
• Technique is key and every session ensures that movements and exercises are done so with correct technique for maximum benefit.
• I feel stronger and incorporating weight training into my routine has seen the weight I can lift increase relatively quickly with the correct guidance.

Healthy eating – its a no brainer that when you eat rubbish you generally feel rubbish and I feel so much better when I eat well.  I am eating to fuel myself and it feels great!

I am also not alone in my thinking about strength and conditioning training.  I am surrounded by many friends who also incorporate this into their training and have seen huge results from it.  Last year my husband took part in his first full distance Ironman event in Austria and completed in a time of 11 hours 19 minutes and he is absolutely certain that a main contributor to this time is down to his strength and conditioning training.  He is one of many from our triathlon club who complete this sort of training in addition to their swim, bike and run sessions and also one of many who train with the same trainer as I do (she’s that good!).

One of my closest friends is a Specialized ambassador and we were recently discussing this very issue.  She compared the difference in her cycling from this year compared to last year, when she was completing three strength sessions per week and felt much stronger whilst on the bike and so is incorporating this back into her schedule this year.

So in short train smart and train strong!

I am not sure what is harder being the participant of an event or being the supporter.  Now I know that probably sounds ridiculous but bear with me on this.  When you are the participant of course the effort is harder as you are doing the actual event but I think the stress of the support role can be tough, albeit in different ways and for different reasons.

I have just returned from Marbella where a number of friends and club mates from Havering Tri completed Ironman Marbella 70.3.  It is awesome to see everyone on the course and especially the beaming smiles on the finish line but the day generally goes something like this for the supporter (I am using myself as the example here):

• up as early as my husband to make sure first and foremost that he actually gets up
• going to the start line with him
• waiting outside transition as he does a final check on his bike and drop bags
• waiting as he applies sudo cream and glide to stop chaffing (yes you read that right)
• waiting as he goes into the sea to acclimatise
• waiting as he stands in his timed pen before he enters the water
• running round to bike exit to make sure I see him on the bike out
• running round to your decided place on the run course so I can see him head out on the run (I say run but a good spot is like gold dust so you get there early and camp out)
• spend hours on the tracker seeing where they are and if there is a glitch panicking and wondering what has happened – inevitably suspecting the worse to then thankfully know that was silly as your team mate runs out and soaks you with water (not the husband but a friend – thanks Nick).  You also know roughly when people should finish so there is also that moment where you start to say he should have been here by now, do you think he’s ok?
• run around the run course to see him at difference places
• run to the finish to get my good spot to see him finish
• stay around until everyone you know finishes
• scream and cheer a lot
• realise you are probably sun burnt
• realise you have not eaten or had anything to drink over the course of the day (and this never happens)
• stay around until the final runner finishes, which is what everyone from Havering Tri did at this event (last tri club there to support #justsaying)
• walk slowly with your tired participant to get their kit and bags

This doesn’t mention the months of training, moods, stressing, packing (and often unpacking), laying out kit the night before, getting nutrition ready or any of the pre-event prep.

I knew 12 people taking part in this event (plus 6 adult supporters and 4 kids) and seeing each and every one of them before, during and as they completed was amazing!

It is all totally worth it and I certainly earned my beer! And so did they as they came first in their division!

How do you get fit?  Everyone knows the sports retailer Decathlon right?  Regardless of what sport you take part in you can almost certainly find some part of your kit here.

Decathlon have a passion for sport and their main mission is to make sport accessible to as many people as they can and encourage active lifestyles.

Having an active lifestyle myself I often find myself in Decathlon for any number of reasons whether it be for kit for obstacle racing, running, swimming or cycling (there’s loads more on offer too, I am just thinking of things I regularly do myself).

As my fitness journey continues I find I have more active wear at home than I do normal clothes and the workout accessories around the house is growing also, which is a good thing (despite possibly needing an extra room in my house to accommodate this stuff).

What I love about Decathlon is that they have such an extensive range, all so reasonably priced and good quality too.  If it can withstand the obstacles, mud and water I regularly use them on then I am sold!

I have ended up with a training schedule that I follow on a weekly basis that will include varied gym workouts and differs depending on what events I have planned but it generally will include:

• cycling
• running
• obstacle training
• gym sessions

For me having a plan works well as I know what I am doing and when and I find it easier to ensure I have time to get everything done.

I include a lot of photos and videos on my social media with regards to my training and looking a what I do almost all of it is accessible to everyone regardless of whether or not you have access to the same facilities that I do.  What do I mean by this? You can simulate the same sort of training easily elsewhere.  Where there is a will there is a way!

If you are like me I like to just get outside.  I’ve had the benefit of doing some outdoor training that has taught me that you can be really quite creative with your surroundings to get your training in with minimal equipment needed.

Don’t have a bike?  You can use a bike at the gym, most major cities have hire bikes.  Or run, or walk.  It’s amazing how reliant we are on cars and I include myself with that.  I try to cycle commute 2/3 times a week now to ensure I get my training in around my day.  You could also get off your bus or train a stop or two earlier and walk part of the journey or all if you are close enough to do so.

Don’t have access to an obstacle training facility? You can easily simulate a lot of the same training in local parks and woodland – you just need a bit of creativity.  I’ve added videos to my social media where I have worked out with my friend and PT in a forest and used logs instead of weights as an example.  Local parks are also always a great way of practising monkey bars!

Don’t have a gym membership?  Again loads that can be done outside or at home – you don’t need weights or fancy equipment.  At a bootcamp I attended we worked out on a field which had two goal posts and our coach would bring his TRX straps and attach to the goalposts – such an awesome idea and I have done the same myself both outside and at home too.

I haven’t always been active but it is now part of my every day life and I don’t look back.  I have a full time job and family (including a dog) so always on the lookout for ways to incorporate working out into my busy days.  I am an early bird so always prefer an early morning workout and find it sets me up so well for the rest of the day.  The dog will come with me when I run so I can kill two birds with one stone as it were and I get my run in and she gets her exercise too.

My husband trains a lot also and currently is doing so for Ironman Marbella 70.3 and Ironman Italy later in the year and so in order to ensure we still get some time together we can make some of our days together fit around our training – like an active date!

I find even if I can fit in a short workout I feel so much better for it and recently shared a pic with a quote ‘make yourself a priority, at the end of the day you are your longest commitment’  and its so true.

I also like to make it fun – if it is no fun then what’s the point?

The photos I have used in this post demonstrate some of my training and all wearing Decathlon kit which you can find here (and all of which I recommend!):

• Running Jacket
• Leggings
• Leggings
• Headband
• Bottle strap

Just a little sample of #howigetfit with Decathlon.

Is there enough time to fit in everything you want and need to do?  That is a good question!

I train a lot and my husband trains a lot and we have a son (who is almost 20 years old!) and if I had a pound for every time someone commented on where we find the time I would be very rich!  But it is a valid point and really something very important to me.  It can be very easy to fall into routine and where is the fun in that?

I did a write up post my husband completing his first Ironman event last year from my perspective and this is on a similar theme.  You can read the post here but I did open by saying I debated on writing it for a long time, as was the case with this post, as I don’t want to sound like a spoiled brat but this is a consequence of the journey’s we are both on.

Now this will sound totally geeky but we have a board at home that notes both my mine and my husbands training schedule on a weekly basis and the reason for this is so we can make sure we have time for each other and family time.

It is so easy to say you don’t have time, or something I find myself saying a lot is that there is not enough time in the week.  But there is.  We make time for what we love and those around you will do the same and that shows you just what your worth is to them and vice versa.  You will always have some free time and if it is of value you/they will free your time because it is not about having time, it is about making time.

I know this all sounds terribly cliche but as busy as we all are we are never too busy, it’s all about priorities.  Don’t get me wrong most of us live by the old ‘train hard and race easy’ logic so we live lifestyles where we expect our races to hurt but our training prepares us to be able to tolerate that and as such can be all consuming.  It’s about balance.

I recently found myself overwhelmed with the training that both myself and my husband are doing and realised our Friday date night (yes I hate that term too) and Sunday afternoon family time has turned into our ‘we have trained hard all week and now just want to go to bed early’ and it is important to change that and there are ways.  We are training for different things and are at different abilities but there are still workouts we can do together and so where we can we will.  Our son is now in the gym 5 to 6 times per week and so I am totally including him in this also. It’s important so we find a way.

When you voice this you realise most people in a similar situation, at some point, probably have the same feelings.  When I wrote my post about being an Ironwife I was surprised at how many people commented and could totally relate.  If you are training you have a constant guilt that you are not present enough and when you are you are inevitably tired/exhausted/just want a nap.  There will be times when you hate that event/sport that is all time consuming for your significant other and that is not uncommon either.  It’s important to remember it’s not personal.

We discuss our events with each other and whilst we do not ask permission from each other we try and balance what we both want to do and achieve to ensure we can be there to support each other as that is important to us.

So is there enough time?  Yes, in my opinion there is if you want it.  The journey is yours to experience together and on race day, after all the training, the feeling of pride makes it all worth it……..until the next bout of training for the next event that is.

Firstly I apologise for not bringing back sun with me from my training camp last week.  I was in Lanzarote at Club La Santa with Havering Tri and the weather could not have been more different to what we were faced with as we landed at London Gatwick – that was a shock to the system!

I went on the same training camp last year and signed up again for this year.  It was an intense week but also very beneficial, with an awesome group of people so I was excited though also not feeling 100% going into it.  I had thought about pulling out as I wondered whether having a knee injury and plantar fasciitis was not the best way to train in Lanzarote especially given that you are pretty much mostly going up hill wherever and whatever you do.  That and the fact that since my injuries my confidence in all areas is pretty much at an all time low.  However, I was persuaded otherwise by clubmates and decided if my knee and foot had other ideas there were a million other options to fill my days.

I kept my runs to short loops around the lagoon of just over 2 miles and at an easy pace and my foot felt ok.  My knee on the other hand did not feel right on every hill and I was more than a little nervous about making it worse so between that and the fact that my chain kept coming off my bike I ended up adapting the training plan anyway.  I missed a club ride but managed to complete that ride the following day so didn’t miss out and it meant that I got the chance to have some much needed time with the husband which even included a stop at a vineyard for lunch and saw the opportunity for some photo taking.  We are both always so busy and with him being a cycling coach he is helping others so I was quite pleased to be selfish and have a day with him just helping me.

If you have never been to Lanzarote then when people say it’s windy you may think oh ok a bit of wind, but the wind on the island can be savage and more than a little scary especially if it is a crosswind.  I had an accident on my bike from wind a year and a half ago and ended up in an ambulance so wind is something I am far from comfortable cycling in but there is very little escape from it in Lanzarote.

I knew before going to Club La Santa that some of the ladies I follow on social media from CrossFit were there training and so was pretty excited to bump into Sara Sigmundsdottir and even more excited when the resort put on a mini triathlon and Samantha Briggs beat my husband.  The final stretch of the run leg is around the running track and I was honestly confused who to cheer on out of my husband and Briggs.  She was very funny and joked with my husband as he crossed the line.  These ladies were at the resort with Emma McQuaid and the effort and dedication put into their training for their sport is something i am left in awe of!

I was sad to see the week end but got some great training in and big thanks to Kate Percy’s Go Bites that fuelled me through the week and Optimum Nutrition for their whey protein powder that I used post workouts.  It was good to share some of the Go Bites with my club mates as an alternative to gels – after a week of training even those who swear by gels were craving savoury!

Club La Santa I will see you again next year!

I have never had a broken bone (probably shouldn’t tempt fate by saying that) or suffered any proper injury until last year.  Towards the end of last year, at the end of September, I suffered a knee injury whilst cycling.  I should note that it was not because of the cycling in any way just bad timing that it happened whilst on the bike.

Just a few miles into a 100 mile bike ride something went in my knee, and after being taken off by an event ambulance I was told they suspected a tear in my medial collateral ligament and that they thought I had displaced my kneecap.  All I knew was that it was painful and I am not ashamed to say I cried – on the side of the road as other participants cycled past and I did not care!

My husband has private health care, that I also benefit from, and so within a fortnight I got myself an appointment to get to the bottom of it and find out what was actually going on with my left knee.  I was booked in for an MRI and the results showed that luckily there was no tear therefore no surgery was needed – this was good news!  That didn’t mean it was all good news.  The MRI showed damage that the consultant said was as a result of a trauma – it was told to me in a way that I actually felt bad that I had traumatised my own knee, the poor knee.  I was given a letter with my results and I won’t pretend I understood anything that I was being told (the medical terms sounded like a foreign language and I actually asked what it meant in English).  The long and short of it was that by the kneecap displacing I had caused significant damage to the medial collateral ligament (one of the ligaments that assist with stability), there was damage to the articular cartilage of the patella, there were cysts present and damage to the overlying cortex.  But as I said the good news was no fracture or actual tear.

I had already had time to RICE (rest, ice, compress and elevate) so now this meant I was given the all clear to continue training if I was sensible about it.  Cycling was allowed as it was low impact.  Running was allowed following a structured run/walk plan over a period of 14 weeks.  Swimming was allowed but not breast stroke because of the movement in the knee as it could aggravate it.  And most importantly if anything hurt I was to stop.

I had several physio sessions (it’s so good but my god so painful sometimes) and had a cortisone injection (again cried like a baby and spoiler alert it hurts like a bitch).  I was given ‘homework’ by way of different exercises with the intention of building up the movement, strength and circulation in the muscles on the inside of my knee to help re-align everything.  It was explained to me that an MCL injury can make a difference to the stability of the knee for a long time and so the recovery and rehab phase was important to be done properly to ensure the ligaments returned to their original elasticity.  I was told this would be a minimum of six to eight weeks.  Say what?

I was shown how to tape the knee which resulted in the tape acting as a brace and giving some much needed support during the recovery process and yes I did order some pink tape (of course).  You may also notice that post exercise I smell of joint ace gel – only yesterday I met a friend who asked if I had put joint ace on as she could smell it – its my new scent (I don’t think it will catch on!).

I was determined not to let this get to me and so started to look into what I could do until I was back to normal.  The obvious was to focus on other parts to train and so there was a lot done at home, upper body stuff in the gym, lots of core work and a change in my training plan.  I did have to pull out of a couple of events, which was hard but absolutely the right thing to do.

So what I have learnt in dealing with an injury (purely from my experience so far) would be:

1. Don’t self diagnose!  If you are not a doctor, don’t try to be one.  And certainly don’t google and try and work out what is wrong as it will not help in the slightest.  Obviously if a minor injury I am sure common sense can prevail but if you need to get medical advice to find out if you are hurt or have an actual injury and take on board their instructions for rehabilitation as it will benefit in the long run.  Huge difference between being sore and being in pain.
2. It takes time – the recovery is a process and takes patience, often where your expectations may end up being very different from reality (mine were – I am an impatient cow).  If you know the cause then easier to not repeat in future.
3. It hurts – don’t think you can exercise your way out of an injury as you will more than likely only make it worse.  Physio can play a huge part, if needed, though is not always pleasant but a necessary evil!  I found I have done more stretching and yoga that I should do more regularly anyway.
4. It’s frustrating – the road to recovery is long but it is worth it to avoid future set backs.  It can be hard seeing people around you training and doing events you would like to do, but switch sides and be the supporter (it’s actually a lot of fun).
5. Adapt – as I found I could do some of the training I did before but amended in a different way like following a run/walk plan and actually I am not hating running now whereas before I had a real love/hate relationship as I struggled through most runs so there is a silver lining.  Be creative!
6. Rest is also a huge part of the recovery process and without it can make healing much longer.
7. Stay positive! It is so easy to feel defeated and I found I had a massive confidence knock after my injury, which can be normal and will need to be worked through.  Set small goals – I booked a future event that is timed for the end of my rehab run plan so I had some forward focus.

It is now four months on and my knee is still not 100%.  I had no idea it would take this long but it is what it is.  Certain exercises really cause issues such as lunges are an absolute no no for me but that’s ok as I never much liked them anyway.  But there is always an alternative, especially if you are in a gym or class or situation with a qualified trainer as there will be an adaptation you should be advised to follow just be sure to let them know of your injury at the outset.

Trust the process.  It is difficult but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.