It takes a lot of emotional strength to build the momentum necessary to accomplish a really big goal on the bike, especially early in the season, when it’s cold and wet and dark outside. But once the training becomes habit, the rider gains momentum. The physical improvements begin to show up in strength, speed, and endurance.

Then, an injury sets you back. You can’t continue the training without risking further injury. But you can’t back off your program, without jeopardizing your fitness and ultimately, your ability to finish the ride you are training for.

How do you keep a positive attitude in the face of a seemingly no-win situation?

You must face up to the fact that you are injured. Just as it is with any other aspect of your training, dealing with a sports injury requires discipline and time. You can’t keep pushing the edge of the envelope and expect to recover. Healing must become the training priority. And, because of the anxiety you will experience, knowing your goal ride is in jeopardy, the focus of your riding, when you return to it, should be as much on healing the soul as healing the body.

So shift your focus to healing. See the health care provider that is most appropriate for your situation. Ideally, you will already have a doctor and a physical therapist that knows you and will help you get back on the bike as soon as possible. If you haven’t established these relationships, you might begin by asking riders in your club for the name of a clinic with a sports-medicine focus. That way, you won’t have to go far if your treatment requires multiple disciplines.

As you begin your treatment, it is crucial that listen to your body. That means staying off of the pain meds (if your doctor recommends it) so you are getting unfiltered feedback from the injury zone. If you can tolerate it, treat the pain with healthy doses of rest and ice. If you can’t, then riding the bike really isn’t an option.

Once you are ready to ride again, begin by spinning on the trainer, so you can control the intensity with absolute precision. When you decide to take it outside, do so on routes that are flat, short, and close to home. As you begin to feel stronger, you can add distance and climbing. Your objective is to complete the ride without pain, not riding to the point where it begins to hurt before turning around and heading home.

Most importantly, don’t over do. Instead, find a beautiful stretch of road where you can let the pedals turn over without so much effort, and just celebrate the fact that you are riding again. The time for ramping it up again is just over the horizon. For the moment, just sit back and enjoy the ride there.

Tags: injury, recovery, sports injury

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