Staying Injury Free and Training over 20hrs a week

How do professional triathletes train over 20hrs a week and stay free from injury? This is a question I often asked myself when I was an age-group level triathlete, training less than 10 hours a week and still getting injured! Part of this is due to the fact that most pro athletes are able to recover properly, because we don't have to run off to the office after a workout. We can sit on the couch or take ice-baths to allow our bodies to heal after a hard training session. However, the other reason we are able to get through our training without getting injured is the fact that we have the best possible team of health care practitioners making sure that the smallest little "niggle" doesn't progress to a full blown injury. My team of health care practitioners includes my amazing Chiropractor, Bill Wells at Urban Athlete.

The guy who referred me to Bill said that he knew a Chiropractor who could tell your injury just by looking at you and cure you just as fast. I had a race in 3 weeks and was not able to run at all due to a knee injury, so I booked an appointment with this Chiropractor ASAP. Sure enough, on my first visit I was in awe at what Bill could tell by just looking at me! Among many things, he knew that I had been a swimmer and that I must have specialized in breast stroke without me even mentioning this fact. Not only this, but I was back to running within a week, which allowed me to compete in the race that qualified me for the World Championships. Since then I have struggled with MANY injuries: strained muscles, IT band syndrome, a bruised tailbone, a stuck fibula...you name it! All of these injuries might have kept me from training and even racing, but Bill didn't only keep my on my feet, but he kept me in the pool, on the bike and in my running shoes throughout all of these injuries!

The team at Urban Athlete also includes physiotherapists, massage therapists, naturopaths, personal trainers (check out: www.urbanathlete.ca for a complete list or their services). When Bill is away I see Greg Lehman (chiropractor/physiotherapist), who helped me fight an adductor magnus strain right before I raced Ironman 70.3 Mont Tremblant!

Thanks, Urban Athlete, for all your support!