Following on from my last post, things did get better and very quickly!:)
Swelling went down in my thigh, the bursa on my knee started to go down and didn't need any intervention from my surgeon and training started to settle down into a good rhythm.
I needed to change my socket system that I use on a day to day basis to take the pressure off my bursa which has worked well, we was also using the same pin system socket to test for use on a cycle leg but that just didn't work for me as a cycle leg socket. So we are opting for the suspension system for the cycle leg, I think with a short stump it just allows me more stability to put power through the residual limb but the other system was worth a try.
The winter has had its problems but feeling very positive going into the 2014 season, I have been doing lots of testing with Blatchford on Prosthetics, mainly the Blade XT but on other legs to and things are progressing nicely. I have put good strength work in at the gym over the winter and it has shown good progression. Swim is still a little tentative with my shoulder but have made massive improvements in my kicking technique and endurance. The bike I have been able to keep up with very few interruptions over the winter and am showing good signs of improved power and endurance over the winter. I have also managed to loose a little weight while still increasing power which is always a good thing and am trying to make sure I get plenty of sleep, which are areas allot of people don't take enough care of!
In all feeling fab:)
Thursday, 13 March 2014
Sunday, 12 January 2014
Don't Panic
Things started well after my recovery from the cracked femur, placing 3rd in a local triathlon and running 20:30 in a 5K, which was good considering I had done no real running in anger for 3 months.
Things can change very quickly though and they certainly have. I fell over in my kitchen the end of November, landing on my elbow and this caused an AC injury in the shoulder. I've rested it up for the last 6 weeks, no swimming or weights and doing physio but is still not right. It is just a case of being patient but it wasn't the start to my winter training I needed.
I've had a lump on my knee on the amputated side for about a year that myself and the people looking after me have been keeping an eye on. We decided to leave it alone while it was causing no discomfort or problems but it began to get painful at the end of last year, it was just when my knee was bent sitting down because of pressure from the outer sleeve of the prosthetic. I still had no pain from running or cycling and flexibility, strength and movement was still pain free. I have an appointment on Monday with my consultant which has happened at just the right time as I haven't even been able to get my leg on as my hole leg ballooned after I went food shopping the other day. I've managed to get the swelling down by ice, elevation and ibuprofen on the thigh but the knee is still swollen.
Things can change very quickly though and they certainly have. I fell over in my kitchen the end of November, landing on my elbow and this caused an AC injury in the shoulder. I've rested it up for the last 6 weeks, no swimming or weights and doing physio but is still not right. It is just a case of being patient but it wasn't the start to my winter training I needed.
I've had a lump on my knee on the amputated side for about a year that myself and the people looking after me have been keeping an eye on. We decided to leave it alone while it was causing no discomfort or problems but it began to get painful at the end of last year, it was just when my knee was bent sitting down because of pressure from the outer sleeve of the prosthetic. I still had no pain from running or cycling and flexibility, strength and movement was still pain free. I have an appointment on Monday with my consultant which has happened at just the right time as I haven't even been able to get my leg on as my hole leg ballooned after I went food shopping the other day. I've managed to get the swelling down by ice, elevation and ibuprofen on the thigh but the knee is still swollen.
Swollen Leg and knee!
I was hoping to getting really good quality winter training in as I lost so much time last year but it just hasn't happened and the knee needing intervention has put an end to that thought. I have made massive improvements on power output on the bike and my running technique is improving which is a positive to take with me. Typical though get new running kit and upgrade bike components and everything goes to pot!
The thing is though not to panic, initial thoughts were great that's the season over before I even start. It wasn't that I thought these problems would last into the season but just that I have lost allot of the winter improvement time. I will just see what the consultant says tomorrow and will just probably look at starting the triathlon season a little later and get some good strong training in before hand.
Most importantly get healthy first!
Saturday, 19 October 2013
Endolite bladeXT
Promotional video for the Endolite BladeXT that I was in and it was based around a triathlon theme:)
Saturday, 12 October 2013
Onward and Upward
To say its been a tough summer is understating it, its probably been the toughest time period in my life. When I first broke my ill fated leg in February 2003 although it was unexpected I was positive about the outcome and stayed positive and if not positive very accepting of what I new would happen. When after finding out that after 9 years the leg was still not uniting and more infections I made the decision to have the leg amputated but saw it as a positive decision and the only one that made sense to me anymore.
Three weeks after coming back from the European paratriathlon championships though and my hip was still very painful which was thought to be bad bruising but turned out to be a cracked femur. The greater trochanter, a small knuckle of bone at the top outer part of the femur had been dislodge by the crash on the bike. Bearing weight through it was possible because of where it was but because there are allot of muscle attachments there I could only move on level surfaces to start with.
I was able to swim with no pain from about 3 weeks after the crash with no pain atall and also use the turbo in a very low gear, it was more a case of muscle memory. The main thing I concentrated on though was the physiopherapy, small and regular sessions every day and quickly started getting movement back in the hip area.
Financially its been hell, although at uni I work when I can and would have worked all through the summer break. I worked for two weeks before the Europeans and then because of the femur then just bad luck didn't get any more work till the end of September, 16 weeks with no money coming in! I had applied for the paratriathlon worlds and was back training in time but didn't get selected which was really gutting but that's just the way it goes sometimes. Having missed the British paratriathlon championships 4 weeks after the Europeans because of the femur would have not helped my application but was only just about walking normally by this stage let alone running. It was just one stress after the other and with allot of time on my hands to think about it, being off uni and with no work.
I can't thank Ashford Tri Club enough during this time, both the committee for their financial help with physiopherapy and the members for listening to my moaning:)! Also a big thanks to Debbie the limb reconstruction nurse at Kings and Mr Groom orthopaedic consultant for seeing me when I told them about my injury, always so supportive!
Silver lining though, the femur crack has united very well looking at the x-rays and I have no pain from the site. I raced in a mainstream sprint triathlon the other week coming in 3rd place with no specific training, just base fitness. This bodes well for the future and with a good winters training will be in the mix next year, cant wait!!
They are such great people to work for and looked after me so well and the video looks great, never keen on close ups on the face but still great video, great idea and very well put together. I saw the semi finished cut and it looks very cool but am looking forward to seeing the finished article!!
Three weeks after coming back from the European paratriathlon championships though and my hip was still very painful which was thought to be bad bruising but turned out to be a cracked femur. The greater trochanter, a small knuckle of bone at the top outer part of the femur had been dislodge by the crash on the bike. Bearing weight through it was possible because of where it was but because there are allot of muscle attachments there I could only move on level surfaces to start with.
I was able to swim with no pain from about 3 weeks after the crash with no pain atall and also use the turbo in a very low gear, it was more a case of muscle memory. The main thing I concentrated on though was the physiopherapy, small and regular sessions every day and quickly started getting movement back in the hip area.
Financially its been hell, although at uni I work when I can and would have worked all through the summer break. I worked for two weeks before the Europeans and then because of the femur then just bad luck didn't get any more work till the end of September, 16 weeks with no money coming in! I had applied for the paratriathlon worlds and was back training in time but didn't get selected which was really gutting but that's just the way it goes sometimes. Having missed the British paratriathlon championships 4 weeks after the Europeans because of the femur would have not helped my application but was only just about walking normally by this stage let alone running. It was just one stress after the other and with allot of time on my hands to think about it, being off uni and with no work.
I can't thank Ashford Tri Club enough during this time, both the committee for their financial help with physiopherapy and the members for listening to my moaning:)! Also a big thanks to Debbie the limb reconstruction nurse at Kings and Mr Groom orthopaedic consultant for seeing me when I told them about my injury, always so supportive!
Silver lining though, the femur crack has united very well looking at the x-rays and I have no pain from the site. I raced in a mainstream sprint triathlon the other week coming in 3rd place with no specific training, just base fitness. This bodes well for the future and with a good winters training will be in the mix next year, cant wait!!
My ever supportive dad and mum!!!
I also did some work for Blatchfords who supply my prosthesis, the Endolite brand and they have been so supportive. A while ago I got to test their Blade XT running blade and really liked it and have been using it and giving feedback since the beginning of the year. Two too three weeks ago I featured in their promotional video and photos for the Blade XT and they based the video around paratriathlon.
My new Endolite Blade XT the finished article:)
Im back at uni now too and although very hard work some of the stuff we are now doing is very interesting but just wished it sunk in a little better, its pretty full on.
Sunday, 23 June 2013
European Paratriathlon Championships Alanya
Hang on to the positives, take them with you on your journey and learn from the negatives!
As an overal experience there was allot of positives to take away and a very valuable learning experience for me. To be part of the GB team meant so much more to me as an adult than it did as a child when I was skating. This was all my choice, my drive and part of my goals to represent the country again and to be included in such a talented team felt good!
Preparation in Alanya went well, I just stuck to the plan, short sessions with fast intervals just to acclimatise and allot of rest. It was good to get to know the rest of the team and the support team and got good advice from some of the more experienced team members, chatting in down times. In my build up to races I normally keep myself to myself for the week before the race so this was a very different environment to get used to. I was surprised I had no nerves but I do feel better racing like this when I feel like I have control of everything in my little world:)
The only nerves came in when we was sitting on the pontoon in a wet suits and I was getting very hot waiting to get in. There had been a back and forth for a couple of days on whether wet suits would be band as the water was to hot but on the day you had a choice so I along with most went for a wet suit. The swim went okay and I came out of the swim in about 4th or 5th place but lost places going up the ramp on my crutches and a few more going round into transition, so the transition still needs work. I went out on the bike knowing I had work to do but was confident on how much stronger my bike had gotten over the past few months. I was passing allot of people on the bike, the heat wasn't effecting me at all and was feeling very strong. I passed two BK amputees on the second lap so new they was in my category and passed Faulch, one of the guys I thought would be one to watch for the race, on I think the third lap. I managed to keep pulling away from him but then hit the sweeping corner just after transition for another lap and the bike slipped from under me! I was pushing hard but had taken a tiny bit of weight through my stump, which was the inside leg and of course this was probably just enough weight on the inside edge to make the bike slip from under me. I bounced hard on the hip and then stopped at the feet of the barriers and that was my race over. I got myself back on, did one lap but the hip was really painful so stopped for about four or five minutes and was going to pull out, the team mechanics where shouting to just finish the bike. When I got back on I just relied on the good leg to cycle and when I got back into t1 had to lay the bike flat to try and get my prosthetic leg out of the pedal, the hip was agony. I should have called it a day here but when I got to Chris, my handler I still think he wasn't sure what had gone on! I sat in the chair at t2 and said my hips buggered I can't do it but then put my leg on and trainer and tried to run but couldn't put any weight through the running blade so hoped/ran to the t2 exit. I stopped at the exit of t2 and was going to call it a day but again just went off again.
Pre Crash
I did finish but this is a lesson in what not to do! I limped and hoped round a course that should have taken about 20 minutes in 48 minutes in pain, a week later and my hip and elbow is still bleeding and the hip/ball and socket joint is very painful. I saw the physio Ben Sims at Podplus yesterday and he doesn't think anything is torn but cant rule it out so has requested an MRI. If anything it has just motivated me even more, I was really doing so well before the crash so will just concentrate on that and know that when I am back fit and well I will be tearing it up out there!!!
Post Crash
Thanks to Patrick (doctor) and Penny (physio) for their treatment after the race and for the support of the team in general. I was holding it in all the way round the run but needed a bit of a cry after the race, a bit of an emotional experience but if you learn from it, it can only be positive! Also a big thanks to Chris Sardo, ATC team mate and my handler in transitions who also competed in his first international in the age group race coming in 11th place, well done mate!!!
My first two internationals haven't gone to plan and feel like missed opportunities but I am relentless and I will be back with venom:);)
Thanks again for everyone's support:)
As an overal experience there was allot of positives to take away and a very valuable learning experience for me. To be part of the GB team meant so much more to me as an adult than it did as a child when I was skating. This was all my choice, my drive and part of my goals to represent the country again and to be included in such a talented team felt good!
Preparation in Alanya went well, I just stuck to the plan, short sessions with fast intervals just to acclimatise and allot of rest. It was good to get to know the rest of the team and the support team and got good advice from some of the more experienced team members, chatting in down times. In my build up to races I normally keep myself to myself for the week before the race so this was a very different environment to get used to. I was surprised I had no nerves but I do feel better racing like this when I feel like I have control of everything in my little world:)
The only nerves came in when we was sitting on the pontoon in a wet suits and I was getting very hot waiting to get in. There had been a back and forth for a couple of days on whether wet suits would be band as the water was to hot but on the day you had a choice so I along with most went for a wet suit. The swim went okay and I came out of the swim in about 4th or 5th place but lost places going up the ramp on my crutches and a few more going round into transition, so the transition still needs work. I went out on the bike knowing I had work to do but was confident on how much stronger my bike had gotten over the past few months. I was passing allot of people on the bike, the heat wasn't effecting me at all and was feeling very strong. I passed two BK amputees on the second lap so new they was in my category and passed Faulch, one of the guys I thought would be one to watch for the race, on I think the third lap. I managed to keep pulling away from him but then hit the sweeping corner just after transition for another lap and the bike slipped from under me! I was pushing hard but had taken a tiny bit of weight through my stump, which was the inside leg and of course this was probably just enough weight on the inside edge to make the bike slip from under me. I bounced hard on the hip and then stopped at the feet of the barriers and that was my race over. I got myself back on, did one lap but the hip was really painful so stopped for about four or five minutes and was going to pull out, the team mechanics where shouting to just finish the bike. When I got back on I just relied on the good leg to cycle and when I got back into t1 had to lay the bike flat to try and get my prosthetic leg out of the pedal, the hip was agony. I should have called it a day here but when I got to Chris, my handler I still think he wasn't sure what had gone on! I sat in the chair at t2 and said my hips buggered I can't do it but then put my leg on and trainer and tried to run but couldn't put any weight through the running blade so hoped/ran to the t2 exit. I stopped at the exit of t2 and was going to call it a day but again just went off again.
Pre Crash
I did finish but this is a lesson in what not to do! I limped and hoped round a course that should have taken about 20 minutes in 48 minutes in pain, a week later and my hip and elbow is still bleeding and the hip/ball and socket joint is very painful. I saw the physio Ben Sims at Podplus yesterday and he doesn't think anything is torn but cant rule it out so has requested an MRI. If anything it has just motivated me even more, I was really doing so well before the crash so will just concentrate on that and know that when I am back fit and well I will be tearing it up out there!!!
Post Crash
My first two internationals haven't gone to plan and feel like missed opportunities but I am relentless and I will be back with venom:);)
Thanks again for everyone's support:)
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Representing Great Britain
Its been a pretty hectic and amazing few weeks!
Thanks to Chris Frost (paratri cat 4), team mate at VO2 maximum for offering me a lift and a place to stay in Besancon, France for the ITU paratriathlon and to british triathlon for entering me. At the last minute we found out that the swim section was being canceled due to the current in the river being to strong so it got made into a duathlon, 5K run, 22.5 bike and 2.5 run to finish. It was a stella performance by Chris putting in a massive PB on the first run and a just as strong bike and second run. Well done Chris, Stella performance in a strong field mate! My performance in the run, bike, run was also strong coming 2nd fastest in both the run sections but let myself down with a massive bulls up in the first transition costing me 2 minutes. It wont happen again and will just learn from it, that's why they call transition the 4th discipline!!! Also learnt how important it is to actually ride the course beforehand. I had some good tips before the race from Chris as I had never ridden or drove in Europe so his advice was just keep saying right, right, right to myself coming up to roundabouts and junctions but still found it very confusing especially as we were racing and being shouted at in French. At one point myself and two other riders one Dutch the other Spanish I think were being shouted at by a marshal by a line that was marked out on the floor and we all thought it was the dismount line, so stopped then realised that the finish was further on so we all got back on again. It was a hilly and very technical bike course going through some small side streets with sharp corners and also some cobbles to test the nerves but loved the course. The 2 minutes I lost trying to get back into transition when I mucked up went on my bike time so very happy with the bike time at this point a strong time for me as it would have been about 40 minutes. There was allot of crashes probably because of the tight technical course in places and the torrential rain we had that morning!
I am also very proud to say I have been selected to represent Great Britain at the European paratriathlon championships on the 16 June in Alanya, Turkey. I would like to say a big thank you to all my family who are always there to support me, friends both old and new who had belief in me, ATC my triathlon club who have helped me all the way, Paula my coach from VO2 maximum who has performed wonders already with her coaching and to British Triathlon for having confidence in me it means allot!
Bioscience exams now finish for this year, Mondays exam went brilliant, Tuesdays went okay and Wednesdays was not to brilliant, I new the subject just had problems elaborating and getting my point across in the answer. I'm sure it went okay though, exams aren't my strong point with dyslexia and even worse memory problems. Still looking for part time work preferably just very short hours so I can fit in uni too, the bills don't stop for nothing! A sponsor would be good to, one that wants to part with a time trial bike.... pretty please as my bike is a road tour bike and pretty heavy.... thanks:)
Thanks to Chris Frost (paratri cat 4), team mate at VO2 maximum for offering me a lift and a place to stay in Besancon, France for the ITU paratriathlon and to british triathlon for entering me. At the last minute we found out that the swim section was being canceled due to the current in the river being to strong so it got made into a duathlon, 5K run, 22.5 bike and 2.5 run to finish. It was a stella performance by Chris putting in a massive PB on the first run and a just as strong bike and second run. Well done Chris, Stella performance in a strong field mate! My performance in the run, bike, run was also strong coming 2nd fastest in both the run sections but let myself down with a massive bulls up in the first transition costing me 2 minutes. It wont happen again and will just learn from it, that's why they call transition the 4th discipline!!! Also learnt how important it is to actually ride the course beforehand. I had some good tips before the race from Chris as I had never ridden or drove in Europe so his advice was just keep saying right, right, right to myself coming up to roundabouts and junctions but still found it very confusing especially as we were racing and being shouted at in French. At one point myself and two other riders one Dutch the other Spanish I think were being shouted at by a marshal by a line that was marked out on the floor and we all thought it was the dismount line, so stopped then realised that the finish was further on so we all got back on again. It was a hilly and very technical bike course going through some small side streets with sharp corners and also some cobbles to test the nerves but loved the course. The 2 minutes I lost trying to get back into transition when I mucked up went on my bike time so very happy with the bike time at this point a strong time for me as it would have been about 40 minutes. There was allot of crashes probably because of the tight technical course in places and the torrential rain we had that morning!
Finish line and proud to be British!!
I am also very proud to say I have been selected to represent Great Britain at the European paratriathlon championships on the 16 June in Alanya, Turkey. I would like to say a big thank you to all my family who are always there to support me, friends both old and new who had belief in me, ATC my triathlon club who have helped me all the way, Paula my coach from VO2 maximum who has performed wonders already with her coaching and to British Triathlon for having confidence in me it means allot!
Bioscience exams now finish for this year, Mondays exam went brilliant, Tuesdays went okay and Wednesdays was not to brilliant, I new the subject just had problems elaborating and getting my point across in the answer. I'm sure it went okay though, exams aren't my strong point with dyslexia and even worse memory problems. Still looking for part time work preferably just very short hours so I can fit in uni too, the bills don't stop for nothing! A sponsor would be good to, one that wants to part with a time trial bike.... pretty please as my bike is a road tour bike and pretty heavy.... thanks:)
Sunday, 28 April 2013
The training leading up to the British Paraduathlon Championships went well, the speed on the run and bike continued to improve. Although the plan to work on my swim was unchanged I still continued to mainly work on this area ready for the triathlon season. The actual race went well, as Paula had advised don't go out to fast and I stuck to it. First run was very slow but still came into transition 2nd, dropped down to 3rd when caught half way round the bike but managed to retake 2nd and finished in this position. Both run times were very slow but the position is the most important part and I am happy with 2nd... for now at least! Well done to Matt who won and George who came 3rd, look forward to competing against them at the British Paratriathlon Championships in July!
The plan was to spend the week after fitness testing them take a week off before building up again but on the way back home on the train felt very unwell and spent the next 5 days in bed with flu, I was so ill. The next week was a big week at uni doing a microbiology practical week so Paula my coach had said we could do the testing another time when she got back from doing IM South Africa, which she did a PB. Well done Paula!! I did train that week but it was a very gentle slow build up after a week in bed and with doing long days in the labs at uni.Finally managed to start testing this week and although the times are a little down it is to be expected after illness and we have got a good base to build my training around for the upcoming year. Bring it on:)!
Got selected to be on the Ashford Active Talented Athlete programe so thank you to them for the confidence it means allot.
Thanks for all the support from my family, friends, Ashford Tri Club and Paula my coach from VO2 maximum!!!
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