Getting through the frustration of injuries or life events......

I now know how it feels to be stuck, patiently waiting for an injury to heal. Mind you - my injury is merely a deep, open blister in the very annoying and useful position of the instep of my foot arch, but none the same, it is frustrating, disappointing and making me feel abnormally anxious!!!

I had been training for the last few months consistently and to a slowly increasing level of kilometres and strength in my chosen sport (even though I still very much class myself in the 'recreational' but 'love it to bits' classification of triathlon).

I turned up ready to fire for my first race of the season; for which I was hopeful of being able to fare better than in previous years. As I unpack my gear bag and lay out my items of clothing and fuel at the transition area, I realise I have forgotten a valuable item of clothing; my socks. Convincing myself that this would be no major issue, I continued on through the race as if everything was going to work out fine.
Was I wrong! Sliding my bike into it's well deserved rest after the 40kilometre ride around St. Kilda's bay area, I slip on my runners, throw on my visor and off I run out to the last leg of the morning.


Five minutes in to the Forty minute run - the rubbing begins. By the time I hit the twenty minute mark, I can feel the soft, bare skin underneath my arch getting thinner, sticking to the bottom of my shoe and pulling a little more of the fragile layer of skin off my poor foot. Did it hurt? Absolutely!!! Was I going to stop? No way!!!
I continued aiming to catch every female ahead of me, focussing on each as a small goal to keep my mind from wandering back to the pain in my foot. Until finally - the finish line was in sight and I could finally kick off my favourite Nike frees like the Karate kid when he fought in the concluding fight of the film, minus the focussing moment of 'wax on wax off' before he completes his winning move!!

That annoying blister and need to finish the race has left me stuck with an infected, swollen and very agitated left foot all week. On top of a record week of heat -my friends have told me I have been a little on the 'angry' side this week......and I somewhat agree!

This lead me to think about how we can get through injuries that stop us from training, or doing the things we enjoy most - that tend to keep us sain. I discovered, as most of you can relate I am sure, that when you take away the one thing that keeps me motivated, feeling a sense of achievement, being free from restlessness or anxiety, escaping any trace of depression, taking something which may mean you have to change your goals or plans for the upcoming months or simply just your escape from the fast paced and sometimes societal pressured world around us.


So - before you rip some poor un-expecting friend or family members head off with a short fused backhand of a comment, consider trying he following strategies to get you through the recovery period....

- Try another form of exercise. If the physical nature of exercise is what burns that extra nervous/anxious energy, why not give something else a go. There is a range of activities available both indoors and outdoors, competitive and recreational which can focus on different areas of you 'injured zone'. If you have hurt your ankle, why not focus on getting those 'wash board abdominals' or toned upper arm muscles? Strengthening any supporting muscles (such as your glutes or core) now can save you getting another injury in the future.

- Reach out to family and friends. use the extra time to catch up and spend extra time with the friends you struggle to see when you get so caught up with other commitments, invite your family over for a dinner party or picnic, try out that awesome new café or shop to your hearts content to fill in the extra hours.


- Talk to people who have been through similar situations. It's surprising how simply having someone who has been through the same thing can have the effect of making you understand and feel as if you are going to get through it. They often have great ideas to keep you entertained - tried and tested!


- If you have the time, book a short getaway, either with friends or fly solo!

- Take up a new hobby. Why not try writing, cooking, learning a new language or if you're feeling really adventurous, have a go at setting up your own small business, or extra study; now they will keep you occupied!

- If you feel yourself getting anxious, why not try meditation, yoga or simply going outside for some fresh air and to gain some perspective on the situation. Sometimes it feels like you're a boiling pot of hit water, when it just takes a moment to step your mind outside of its situation and look around at the world still continuing on.


- If you had to alter your goals. So be it. You know what? You're going to want it more when you get back to your 'picture of health' , and will be a force to be reckoned with knowing that you're now also equipped with a stronger and more motivated mindset. Unfinished business is a powerful tool when times get tough!


Just try to keep your mind occupied. The more you sit around, the more you will find yourself thinking about the situation and that growing little ball of frustration inside of you will be tempted to want to explode!!!


Good luck Gorgeous Girls!
xxx