Recent Questions
- What was your first triathlon like?
Did you know you were going to be a triathlete? - What do you think about when you race?
What is going on in your mind? - Have you ever done a triathlon backwards?
- I feel like I’m always injured even though I’m
careful about my mileage, stretching, and recovery. - Can you recommend any good
motivation/mental training type books? - When you race, do you race
the entire Ironman in your Splish suit?
I feel like I’m always injured even though I’m
careful about my mileage, stretching, and recovery.
Kim: I love triathlons and I love training but I’m having a hard time with running. I feel like I’m always injured even though I’m careful about my mileage and stretching and recovery. I’m training for my first iron-distance race but I’m so depressed about running that my other training suffers for it. I can’t pull myself out of this rut. I know you are a pro-athlete not a pro-psychiatrist but how do you deal with times like this? Are you ever injured?
Bree: I sure wish I had a magic answer for you with all the ways to NOT to get sick, injured, tired, worn out, burned out, or just bummed with over training/racing… but it is all a challenge and all a huge learning experience. As for me, I think I keep such a healthy balance because I have a family and my son that mean more to me than sport. So I just never allow myself to get too caught up in sport.
Thankfully I think my attitude towards sport remains so excited and passionate about it because I try my best to keep it fun, just loving my training friends, my routes, and I have learned that when I am training or racing to be in that moment. The second I take off my shoes or get out of the pool I am a mom. No more focus on the swimming, biking, running… I have learned to shift gears. That really helps keep you in the right spot at the right time and not get too caught up…
As for running injuries, I only run 3x a week. That really helped me a lot. I had to cut back, I love running the most and want to run more, but coach and I are learning that I need to build up to it and that could take a year or several years. So while most pros run 5-7x a week I am at only 3, just waiting for my body to adapt, then we will bump it up. I have found though, that new shoes, rotating shoes, ice baths, salt baths, and stretching & massage all help so so so much!
I know what you mean with feeling bummed about having injuries… that happens though. Stressing it never helps with the healing process though. Just relax, endure it, and work on the other areas that don’t hurt (swim/aqua jog/bike/ect). And find cool friends or training groups, that helps so much!
Not to sure if this helps at all… I wish you ALL the best with your training and racing! I have only done 2 Ironmans, and let me tell you, they were two of the most fun adventures in my life, I HOPE you do take on that goal of yours to do one! Keep it fun!