Bouncing back

You may have noticed I've been missing in action?  Apologies the last few weeks have been very challenging.  In my last post I mentioned about avoiding injury well......no sooner said than my niggling hammy stopped me from running.  My wonderful chiropractor Gill got to the route of the problem.  It was my sacrum that was causing the problem so once that was sorted the hammy eased up but obviously there was some damaged caused which my sports therapist Pamela set about sorting.  
My training was altered to avoid running and I was enjoying the gym, the elliptical machine and the stair master but for whatever reason I developed shin splints and tendonitis in the ankle.  These were being treated and I had my fingers crossed but on Friday came to the very difficult decision to withdraw from Ultra Race Romania.  The hammy was 95%, shin splints more or less gone but the tendonitis meant my ankle was badly swollen which would have meant another week or two with no running.  This would have left 3 weeks before the race and I haven't been in the mountains doing long back to back days with a weighted rucksack.  If I'd rocked up to URR I wouldn't have lasted the first day as it's so tough.
I've made a few tough decisions in my journey from my first sprint triathlon in 2008 to URR 2021 when I withdrew on medical grounds and it's never easy.  But I've never regretted them because this is meant to be fun and causing damage to your body that could affect you for the rest of your life isn't sensible.
The challenge is how do you respond to them.  When I had my first DNF in a 70.3 Ironman due to cramping up I took up yoga and the following year did Marathon des Sables with no cramp or muscle injuries.  So how do I respond to this latest challenge?
My training for URR 2023 started the following day - I got into the swimming pool to continue with my aqua jogging.  The theory being you are working your legs like running without the impact.  I've been doing it for over a week now but again my ankle swelled up which only confirms there is no way I could start the race.  Within an hour I'd contacted my coach and other than some light stretching and upper body work, I'm taking a rest.  I'm also booked in to see a specialist about my ankle - got to get this sorted so I can get back to training as there's just over a year to my "A Race" - URR 2023.
The organiser of the race Andrei has been very supportive and I am going to follow the race ever day and cheer on the runners who are in for the experience of a lifetime.  If I could offer them any advice before they turn up it would be to get long back to back days in on the mountains.  If that's not an option get on the stair master with a weighted ruck sack.  Get the ruck sack weight down to a minimum for the race and test your food before turning up - it's too late when you are in the camp and you don't like your food!
Please start slow, this is a multi-day event, not a sprint.  Your position on day 1/2/3 doesn't matter if you don't make day 4 because your done in.  Be patient, take in the scenery and if there was one extra piece of equipment I'd carry it would be "bear bells".  Let their merry jingling keep the bears away.  Come with robust shoes and please bring poles - they are essential and bits of wood from the forest will only give you blisters.
To all who are fortunate enough to be at the start line, this is like no other adventure you have ever been on.  It's as tough as hell but well worth the pain.  I won't be with you physically but will be in spirit.  I'll leave it to Andrei to sing 500 miles at the start of every day - he's a talented singer so that's a bonus!
I'll come bouncing back and will be stronger for it.  Things happen for a reason which I have mentioned before but sometimes you don't know what that reason is at the time.  I hope you continue to follow me through rehab and see how I adopt my training over the coming months.  I'll finish with a Chinese definition of success; success is falling down 7 times and getting up 8.  Thanks for your support.