Unsinkable: Episode Four (The Review)

I often get asked if there is anything I can do or alter in regards to my training to minimise the chance of this 'injury' happening again. I know everybody who asks this or who tells me to 'train less' or 'train smarter' wants to see me succeed and has my best interests at heart, however of course if there was something I could change I would already be doing it... trust me.
Rather than have me explain, I think Bill Campbell answers the question very succinctly in episode four and puts to rest any questions over the control some may see me having in regards to my artery entrapment issues.



On the day I went to see Bill, i was quietly freaking out, I knew if the scan showed entrapment my sporting life was over, I couldn't stomach it to say this on camera on the way to the appointment however I am at a point now where I am comfortably able to reflect on the day, and say that the signs of a full return to sport are extremely promising.
I hope you enjoy the episode.

Cheers, John

Solid week and body holding up well

Hello all, 

I wanted to share with you what my week of training has looked like. I chose to share this as it is the first time my week has resembled a 'normal' training week. 

Although I am pretty fatigued from the workload, my body is gradually adapting to being back in the boat again, and although tired, my legs are not showing any adverse vascular signs. What I can tell you about my legs is that even as I am almost 6 months post op, after the training this week I still get swelling in my ankles and lower legs, a sign that the soft tissue is still repairing and adapting to being physically active again. The good news is, they are improving each week, and according to the medical advice, will continue to do so for some time still. Attached below is a screen shot of everything physical i have completed this week. I understand as an elite athlete or rower this is nothing super impressive, but hoping to show those outside that category the commitment and hours of training being completed each day and this may encourage you to continue your own personal fitness challenges.

Now I have some time away from the boat and I will be cycling lots of Km's on the Great Ocean Road until training camp which starts on the 2nd january. The training camp held in falls creek will be a big challenge for me, but as always am up for it.

Be in touch.
John

Fantastic BikeNow opportunity for Unsinkable fans in Melbourne!

I have a fantastic opportunity for you!! 

It's almost Christmas time and I thought that it's a great time to give you something back for following and supporting my journey so far. As such, I am willing to provide you with some amazing products from BikeNow (240 Kings Way, South Melbourne).

With a lot of you being health and fitness enthusiasts I know you will all be thinking about purchasing cycling-related goods as Christmas presents for your loved ones. What better present to give than something from BikeNow (at 10% discount) which not only provides them with great presents they will cherish but also supports the Unsinkable: The Race To Recovery web series.

Do you need a new pair of Oakley Sunglasses? Come check out the range in store and protect yourself in style from the glaring sun this summer.

If you are a school rower, athlete or general fitness enthusiast looking to improve in your chosen field, then what better time to get a Garmin GPS heart rate monitor to track your training. Or purchase some new cycling apparel/cycling equipment to help you get stuck into your training.

Why not purchase a GoPro camera to help capture all the exciting moments over the summer break.

Come check out the store to see for yourself the exciting range of what they have to offer you.

I will be in store this Friday from 12:00-1:30pm to assist you make all your purchases and also give you the opportunity to ask me any questions you may have.

*All 'giveaways' will be exchanged for 10% less than the listed price of the goods

**Disclaimer: all sponsorship proceeds contribute directly and solely towards the production costs associated with the Unsinkable: The Race To Recovery web series**

Unsinkable: Episode Three (Baby Steps)

I wrote about some of these emotions of which I am speaking about in posts on this blog through July this year. This clip sums things up very nicely and hopefully gives you an understanding of some of the turmoil i put myself through. Watching this episode makes me feel a bit 'funny'. Looking back at where I was a few months ago is proving a powerful motivation for me to keep pushing forward, I have come a long way since this point, but much more water to pass under the bridge before I am where I hope to be (pun intended). Looking back at all the pain and frustration I caused to those close to me drives me even harder to achieve my goals so I ensure that it wasn't all for nothing. Enjoy the clip!

Cheers, John 

How YOU can support Unsinkable

Hello all,

By now I am confident all of you have viewed the first two episodes of 'Unsinkable: The Race To Recovery.' The feedback I have received from people in passing has been fantastic and is greatly appreciated. I would also love to hear thoughts from those of you outside of the Melbourne rowing community through comments on the YouTube channel, my blog or the official Facebook group.

The reason for this post is to update you on what has been going into producing these episodes. Like anything great in life, it isn't free. The Unsinkable production team are enthusiastically putting significant amounts of time into producing the web series. This ongoing effort requires your support and the following are all opportunities for you to become involved and ensure I am able to continue sharing my story with you all:

If cycling is your passion please head to BikeNow (240 Kings Way South Melbourne) who have kindly offered you a 10% discount on all products in store, with 5% of your purchase going towards Unsinkable production costs. Simply download from our Facebook page or by commenting on one of the posts here with your email address, print off and bring with you when you visit the store.

The photos below are from the SPORTAROO crowdfunding website and give you an understanding of what you can get in return for supporting this project - because I know that if it was me, I wouldn't be willing to give a donation for nothing:

I want to make things extremely clear in regards to the fact that I am not asking for charity. By purchasing SPORTAROO items you are directly assisting the production costs to make sure this digital media project comes to fruition. The fundraising goals are not overly ambitious and if everybody who follows the web series presently contributed just the cost of a coffee then we would reach our fundraising targets and ensure the sharing of the journey is able to continue :)

As a final note, if you did have other ideas of what you might appreciate in turn, we'd love to hear from you so drop me a line or contribute a comment through the aforementioned social media hubs.

Regards, John

Pushing Boundaries...

Hello all,

Just a quick update on where I am currently up to. 

Every athlete will know that every day is an attempt to do as much training as possible to produce the biggest physiological and technical gains, all while not overdoing it to the point you become sick or injured and end up missing training time. 

For me, having multiple operations this year and missing significant periods of training time, I am in a race against the clock to find my boat speed before march/april next year. Over the last few weeks I have been putting in some solid sessions in the boat, on the bike, in the gym and in the pool. I have been challenging myself to ensure I return to full rowing fitness asap. Unfortunately it turns out I may have pushed slightly too far. Over the last 10 days I knew I was starting to fatigue and felt flat even after periods of rest. Over the weekend just been I took things very quietly and I did little training. I felt this would be enough to bounce back and feel fresh, however yesterday I woke up feeling very average and sick. This leaves me with no choice but to rest for a few days and take it easy until my body lets me know it is ready to start training again.

In regards to the workload I have been doing, it is not anything more than I have done in the past, it is just that I am coming from such a depleted state that clearly I have not been able to maintain my health like I expected I may have been able too. It is very frustrating when you are sick and unable to exercise, but as i learnt during periods of post op when I was unable to exercise, coming out of this and exercising again makes it all the more pleasurable. This does serve as a reminder to me, but maybe also to some of you as readers that our body's are not machines and it is important to monitor and manage ourselves to ensure that every now and again we give ourselves the down time we need from both work and exercise.  

**not to the extent that dan has though....

Cheers, John 

Recent Training

Hi everyone, 

Just a really brief post to share with you my last three weeks of training. I am really enjoying being back in the boat. My last two sessions I have completed 12km in the single scull and have felt reasonably comfortable. My next step of progression is to begin rowing each day of the week, compared to alternate days which I am currently doing. Following that will include adding some intensity during the on water sessions. The photo below is from my row yesterday, as you can see the sun has finally returned to Melbourne which makes training much more pleasant. 

Below is a screen shot of my garmin connect calendar, i find it very useful to track my sessions using this and it gives me a weekly training time which is useful to monitor my progression and periodisation. This also will give you an understanding of what training and how much training I have been doing. 

Lastly, on Sunday I returned to the Dandenongs for the first time in 5 months and gave an all out effort up the 1:20 climb. May not mean much to all of you, but this is a popular strava segment and I was able to achieve a PB by holding 470 watts for over 14 minutes. I also had some help from other elite rowers and Karsten Fosterling did some mean turns on the front during this climb to help achieve the PB.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to post a comment below and I will do my best to answer it. I am also looking forward to sharing my next episode with you on friday so stay tuned for that.
Cheers for now, John

139 Days post op and a PB on a cycling step test.

Hi all,
Just a brief update: by now I hope you have all seen the first episode of the Unsinkable: The Race to Recovery web series. Lachy is doing a great job producing the episodes and I look forward to sharing with you what is and always has been an honest insight into my rehabilitation and how I have felt in the last five months. You can subscribe to the Facebook group 'Unsinkable: The Race To Recovery' and the YouTube channel of the same name to stay in the loop with updates. Episode two of the web series will be released on Friday 22nd November.

On Monday this week I completed a lab test at the Victorian Institute of Sport. I am not physically ready to complete this on a rowing ergometer, but as you know I have been challenging myself on the bike for some weeks now. For those of you who are not into power outputs and data, all you need to know is that I produced an all-time personal best. I have completed this lab test on the bike multiple times in 2009, 2010, 2012 and now 2013 and what I achieved on Monday significantly topped them all. **Disclaimer: the following paragraph is the protocol and data so skip this if it's not for you**

The lab test protocol consists of 5 minute workloads, the first 5 minutes is at 150 watts, each 5 minutes the wattage increases by 50 Watts and the test is continuous. The test is a maximal test so you push yourself until you think you are going to die, then you hang on for another few minutes until you actually do explode in a ball of lactate. In this particular test, I was able to complete the entire 5 minutes at 500 watts. The best I had ever done before this was 2 minutes at this workload before failure.
Vo2 max for the test was 6.3L with a max heart rate of 199.
The photo below shows me on the bike with VIS Sports Scientist Nick Owen monitoring my progress:

Four and a half months ago I couldn't stand up to walk to the bathroom let alone turn the pedals on a bike. To be able to produce this effort in a rather short period post operation does suggest that the blood flow in my legs is now more optimal than it has ever been. This is an exciting prospect for me!

Lastly, I completed my Bachelor of Exercise Science degree this week at the Australian Catholic University. Safe to say it has been a good week!!
Until next time..

Cheers, John

Unsinkable Episode One

Hi all. 

Here is "Unsinkable- The race to recovery" episode one. As a small insight into how I felt the day of surgery on June the 25th this year.  I have always found the days prior to a major procedure (now up to 9 in total) very calming as you are preparing to have your body repaired as such. I think my confidence and excitement for this particular surgery is shown well, particularly compared to my feelings only a few weeks prior to this where I was waking up each day facing the prospect of potentially never finding a solution to my ongoing symptoms. Particularly thinking back to April this year where the surgeon for my previous two procedures had told me I had to retire from sport and that I would never be able to exercise again at a high level. 

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this insight, your feedback is greatly appreciated and readers new to my journey please take a look back at some of my previous posts and also be sure to read about unsinkable supporters gaining access to 10% storewide discount at one of melbourne's leading bike stores "BikeNow". Also be sure to like the Unsinkable facebook page to see future updates on my progress.

Cheers. John 

Ground Zero 

BikeNow supporting the Unsinkable project with 10% off ALL PRODUCTS in store

One week before surgery in June this year I went to the marketing department at the Victorian Institute of Sport with a proposal. I spoke to them about how I would like to track my journey through surgery and if I was to make it back - after what was to be the fifth major operation - it had the potential to be a powerful story. The conversation evolved into this blog, and also the production of an Unsinkable web video series. This post is about sharing with you the partnership between BikeNow in South Melbourne and the Unsinkable project. BikeNow want to offer all Unsinkable supporters 10% off all products in store and will pass back a small percentage of all these sales back to this project where it will be used to produce the ongoing web video series and ultimately a longer form documentary.
To be involved in this unique project and support me all you need to do is leave a comment with your email address on one of my blog posts at any time between now and the end of April 2014 and I will be happy to forward you a digital voucher entitling you to a discount.
How can you go wrong!? You can support this project by purchasing cycling equipment at a discounted rate. Everyone knows the benefits of cycling on good health, however it is the benefit of cycling that has seen many of Australia's top international athletes excel physically in the rowing boat. By reading my post from 13th October you will have read about the VIS spending three days on a cycling camp riding over 400 km: this shows that the VIS places high importance on the benefit of cycling to its elite international rowers. If you want to see how much importance I place on cycling simply check out my Strava page or look at this graph showing all 76 of my 30min efforts I have completed on the wattbike in the last three months.

 I encourage as many of you as possible to not only take this opportunity, but to also share this with your friends and colleagues to ensure that as many of you as possible are able to share in this opportunity, utilise the friendly and supportive staff at BikeNow and help Unsinkable reach its full potential as a digital media project!

Many thanks. John

First row in 9 months. Making Progress...

Yesterday I went for my first row since the 30th january this year. It was nice to be back on the water. I enjoyed it, and it felt great to feel that I was taking a big step forward in my recovery. I simply paddled for 7km, my time in the boat over the next few weeks is simply about finding my feet on the water again. I am hopeful that all the core stability work with Harry while in the gym during the year and in the pool swimming lots recently will mean that my body is physically ready to do what I want and that it is a matter of learning to coordinate the rowing movements again. I know from the work on the bike that my legs are physically ready. Here is a short video of my row on the Yarra River in Melbourne yesterday. This footage is part of a documentary that is being put together and will detail my rehabilitation over the journey. The 'Unsinkable' project will produce 10 episodes detailing different stages of the journey I have been on, the first episode is due to be released next week so stay tuned for some footage of me on my back in hospital back in June this year.
As always, thank you for following my progress, the number of views I receive each post are of great support to me. Cheers, John

So I have been cycling again

Hello everyone.

An update to enlighten you on the progress I have made over the past few weeks since I last checked in. This month I have been fortunate enough continue my progress out on the road on my bike.
The first week of October was both a Uni break and also school holidays so I took the chance to head to my parents house in Hamilton spending time with mum and dad and to enjoy myself on my bike. I managed 4 good rides over the 4 days. Attached below is a link to each ride which shows more details and a map of the particular rides.

I love riding at home as I am spoilt for choice on where to head and have the option of heading up the Victoria Valley into the grampians which is a favourite ride for me. (not to mention i usually see maybe one car an hour during these rides) The ride I completed with my Dad and Ken Dacomb a close family friend was also particularly enjoyable as it was now 10 years ago that i first started riding with them on these roads, and during the ride I was able to reflect on how lucky I am that I am actually even able to be cycling at all after everything that I have been through this year in regards to my leg condition.

The VIC Valley Loop ride was also the first 'long' ride post op, and was a big milestone for me as I was very concerned prior as i knew that at the completion of the ride if there was any vascular problems I was likely to know about it after 4 hours continuous riding. Thankfully I passed my little challenge. God knows what would have happened had i realised after a few hours that something was up with my legs..

Home to Balmoral 

1 hour 42 min 60km NP 330W

Vic Valley Loop

3 hours 52 min 121km NP 313W 

Riding with Dad and Ken Dacomb on my MTB

3 hours 7 min 85km 

Love the Country Roads

2 hours 26 min 79km NP 333W

These two photos are during a 22minute effort in which I 

held 445W while chasing a strava segment which

I achieved by a few seconds. Full Hero haha

Over the weekend the VIS rowing squad headed to anglesea for a 3 day commencement camp. On the friday we jumped on our bikes and cycled to Anglesea from melbourne, Saturday we cycled along the Great Ocean Road and had a fantastic day, we cycled up to Erskine Falls behind Lorne, something which i spoke about in my blog a few months ago that i was looking forward to. So this was a really enjoyable ride. That afternoon I went out for the first time in a Surf Ski with Glen Singleton for some training while the rest of the group completed a 23km hike. On the Sunday we cycled home again from Anglesea back to Melbourne, and spent 75% of our ride in the rain which put a slight dampener on the spirits of the group. For those interested, again I have posted links to the rides if you are interested to check them out.

MELB-Anglesea

4 hour 50 min 157km NP 290W

Ripping it on the Great Ocean Road in the sun

3 hours 42 min 118km NP 296W

Anglesea back to Melbourne

4 hours 44min 144km NP 235W

I know i spoke about the first long ride being a milestone in my recovery,well the weekend just past which also significant milestone, as i write this on monday arvo my legs feel reasonably good, and certainly no sign of any vascular problems. To have this after 415km and 13.5 hours ride time over only 3 days means that my condition is not affecting me at the present time. Big high five to myself... haha

The last two weeks of training... 

After 2 solid weeks on the bike things are progressing well and I am now itching to get in the boat, a sign that my body is now ready for the task. Hopefully my next post will include an update on how my first row in 9 months goes. Until then keep at whatever it is you are working towards just as I will be.

Cheers, John

Recent Training data and pics

Hello all.
Just a short post updating you on the last two weeks. Things are progressing very well physically.
My data from the Wattbike shows things are tracking in the right direction, and more importantly my legs are not struggling with any ill vascular symptoms which is a very promising for me!! (YAY) Yesterday's training session prior to attending the AFL grand final was the 66th 30minute effort i have done on the wattbike since my last surgery.

On the wattbike at the VIS with Fergus Pragnell 

100,007 people at the AFL grand final. 

My average power for all these sessions combined is 309W with an average heart rate of 159.  This month i have done 54 hours and 45 minutes of training which is a combination of Wattbike, road bike, MTB riding, MTB commuting and also swimming. Not trying to bore you all with figures which may make little sense, but simply trying to give an insight into the type and volume of training that I have been doing. This graph below shows the wattbike sessions for those interested.

At the moment each day and each week is a challenging balancing act. I aim to do as much training as possible each day, while ensuring that I do not push too far and end up having to miss the next two days of training. The limiting factor for me is my calf muscular endurance. They will be fine, right up to the point at which they fatigue, when it is then crucial i let them rest and recover before training again, repeating this cycle each time gaining more strength and endurance. I feel that having been through these rehabilitation periods a few times now, I am better able to step back and make sure I am doing enough without pushing too far. I know that my 19 year old self would not be managing the training load as wisely as I currently am.

What has been very enjoyable over the last two weeks is that my leg strength has progressed to the point where I have been able to get out and do some longer rides on both my MTB and my road bike. Although i have been spending lots of time in the gym on the Wattbike, it doesn't mean I love it. More just something that needed to be done. Hopefully now I will continue progressing and will be able to spend less time inside and more time out on the bike, perfect timing really as the weather starts to warm. 

On monday last week, Tom Swann and I drove to Anglesea on the Victorian coast and spent the day riding our mountain bikes through the forrest. You can view where we ventured by clicking on this link ' MTB ANGLESEA ' We had a fun and challenging day riding, for the cycling enthusiasts we gained 1400m of elevation and my average heart rate for 4 hours was 140bpm. I feel it is important to mention that to ensure you are not reading and imagining Tom and I peacefully riding around at snails pace taking in the scenery. This was a very good 'escape' for both of us from Melbourne and we will be back there before too long. Here are some pics from the day. 

Somewhere behind Anglesea

Me posing for a photo. Felt like a better photo at the time.

Tom thoroughly enjoying his lunch in town mid ride.

 I spent 4 hours trying to catch up to Tom.

 'Hardcore'

For now, every training session that i complete without feeling any vascular restrictions in my legs gives me more confidence that things are going to be ok, and the dreaded condition is behind me once and for all. This helping put my mind more and more at ease, thus helping improve day to day living.

Any questions please fire away, and as always thanks for following and reading.
Cheers, John

One year on and back to square one. (Plus slight rant)

Over the weekend. The Amy's Gran Fondo was held in Lorne Victoria. It is a cycling race aimed at raising money and awareness for the importance of bike safety to better protect cyclists.

Last year I was lucky enough to be able to participate. And training for this ride provided good motivation for me in my comeback from surgery in April last year. I came 7th overall in the race. With a normalised power output of 377Watts for just under 3 hours of riding, Within the ride for one hour i averaged 414Watts. For those unfamiliar with riding data these numbers are pretty high. And if I wasn't so heavy I would have been flying. Check out some more data here on strava if interested.
http://app.strava.com/activities/22132706

Anyways, the purpose of this post is to share with you how frustrating it is for me one year on from this ride. At that point in time last year I was extremely fit, and it held me in great stead for the 2013 rowing season, which I was able to notch a win in the long distance time in december, which was definitely a result of all the hard work I put in cycling to get my body physically prepared. As you are now aware, I wasn't able to carry on with my comeback and in january this year was struck down with my medical condition, And at the moment i would struggle to simply ride the 110km course in Lorne, let alone race it.

Now, there is not a single thing i could have done to avoid this. It is the nature of the condition, and all i can do now is progress with my training and hope that as I become fitter and stronger the problem does not start happening again. I am sick of having people say to me that because i trained 'too hard' i caused my problem to occur again. For these people, either don't comment to me at all, or do some reading and come to me with an explanation as to how I could have prevented it from happening again, because i sure would love to know how to prevent it from happening again. I know that is a bit of a rant. But I just need to clear it up that i am completely powerless and all i can do is stay positive and trust the surgeons finally have hit the nail on the head and i will be problem free going forwards.

Got slightly sidetracked there, but the purpose of this post is to share with you what it feels like to work your ass off for something and dedicate a huge amount of time, return to a level you desired only to have the floor taken out from underneath you. Only to have to start the progress all over again one year later. I know from my rehabilitation last year that where i am now I am still a long way off what I would consider as elite standard. Yes i can do one or two 30minute efforts on the wattbike with semi decent outputs, But I am a world away from completing 4x30minutes at 360+ as i could last year. I dream one day of having an injury free period for a few years as i wonder just what my capacity might be if i can train without getting hampered and without sitting on the couch for a few months each year. Oh and as to what it feels like to bust your ass, make it back, only to have it fall apart. Well, that sucks big time and is the cause of a lot of my frustration presently.

I am sure some of you have similar experiences where you have worked very hard for something only too loose it all. I would love for you to share some below. Maybe leave out the times you wrote an essay only to have the computer wipe it all.. haha

Pre-Ride photo June 2012. 

As always, Thanks for reading.
Cheers, John

2013 World Rowing Champs Reflection

Hi all.

To begin with, obviously I was not a part of the 2013 world-rowing champs in the way that I was planning to be in January of this year. Also, for those of you wondering why this reflection is being posted now over one week post the event, I decided to let things sit for a while to make sure my post was a logical and unemotional account of where I am upto and what I felt like watching from afar.

For me, the week was a normal week and life went on, I went to University a few times, coached the school boys, did some of my own training and carried on as per normal really. I basically tried to keep as busy as possible and train as much as my body would allow to ensure I was as tired as possible and therefore not lying awake thinking all night.

As an insight into how I felt I will use the example of sitting in class at university watching the heats on my phone. I obviously wasn’t super interested in what was going on in class, I remember sitting there watching the splits come up on my phone and thinking this is not how I imagined this day would feel. I was sitting in a room with students I barely knew learning about sports psychology. Last year was frustrating to have been on the sidelines. However I got on with the job, and my major motivation every single day was to remind myself how bloody good it would feel to get on the plane this year and fly to Korea as a part of the national team. I reminded myself before and during every session I didn’t want to do or found tough that it would all be worth it. And that when I got on the plane it would be the most amazing feeling and all the frustration would have been worth it. So to have been sitting in a uni class letting my mind wander through these thoughts wasn’t the greatest experience.

I know it isn’t good to think about ‘what if’, but I kept and keep thinking to myself that this is not how I imagined this year to go. I had imagined being back doing what I loved doing, and I imagined spending time overseas competing, and even travelling post worlds with my girlfriend. Again, obviously none of these things occurred, and that’s what cuts me deep now. Its all manageable, but it just pisses me off, and now I have another 51 weeks of convincing myself that it all still is worth it and it will be worth it when I get on the plane to fly to Amsterdam with the team. This becomes even more challenging the second year in a row.  The 2011 world champs are starting to seem like a distant dream. Rowing to me now represents rehabilitation, and lots of training trying to get fit again post surgery..

Don’t take this the wrong way, I am actually just as motivated as I was last year. It would be a lie to say I am more motivated than I was during the second half of 2012 as I don’t believe that would be possible. Maybe somebody reading this post would be willing to comment below and confirm these thoughts of mine and give an insight into how I conducted myself last year as that would be more valuable than me giving what you may perceive as a biased opinion.

Anyways to finish up, the sessions I did in the gym during the week of the 2013 world champs will be a good memory if I do manage to pull this whole thing off in a April 2014 and manage to somehow get myself selected back onto the team.

I know for some of you reading you may see this as ambitious and some you may even be thinking you will beat me and take a seat before I do. However let me remind you as readers that I am not on a search for compassion or sympathy, I am simply sharing my story and giving an honest insight into the journey i am on, sharing with you how I think and feel during what is at the moment a challenge for me, but will hopefully develop into something very exciting. Here is hoping! 

Cheers, John

Photo: Final Sunday of world champs relaxing at 

Como park in melbourne.

What have I been up to?

Hi there.
Apologies for lack of reading material recently. I have become much busier over the last few weeks and every time I sat down to write something for you I decided either a sleep, food or an episode of suits was a better option. However, I do have some interesting thoughts to share with you so hopefully this will give you some insight into the last two weeks.

Why have I been busy? Over the last few weeks I have started back at university. I am in my final semester of Exercise Science at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. It is currently week 4 which means it is about time I open up the subject outlines and start on some assignments which are due this time next week. Yay. I have also started working with the Xavier College school rowing program. This season I am the strength and conditioning coach and also the 2nd 8 coach. At the moment as part of pre season training I work with a group of around 30 students 3 mornings a week and take them through a mixture of body weight and core stability exercises, an ergo session, a boxing session and also a game of ultimate frisbee once per week which they seem to enjoy. Over the last few weeks I have found it challenging turning up to inspire and instruct these kids, most particularly mornings when i was struggling emotionally with other aspects of my life. However, it has been important not to let the kids see this, and thus has provided a very useful distraction for me. This is similar to work i have been doing where I take school students on guided tours through the Victorian Institute of Sport, Along with the tour I want to show the school kids how positive and determined I am even after all the setbacks and leave them feeling extremely motivated to challenge themselves and to never give up chasing their dreams, showing this on the 'tough' days has taken some practice. I have also been busy training on the bike in the gym (I am getting close to completing my first road riding session). Attached is an update of the 30min bike sessions i have been completing. I am excited to see this chart in a few months time.

As this shows, physically I am progressing well and so far my legs are coping extremely well with the training. Other than some muscular aches and the neural pain that i have spoken about previously, I couldn't be happier with how they are feeling. However in regards to this, I have reached a realisation that I am all to familiar with which is the point where the excitement from being able to exercise post surgery has faded and you are left with a dreading feeling as you contemplate how much work needs to be done to return to an elite level and thinking about all the hours and time that I need to invest into this is a little confronting. Unfortunately for me it was only last year that I went through an identical rehabilitation post surgery in April, and the memories of what I put myself through from June-Novemeber last year is very fresh in my mind. And on that topic, following that training I managed to put myself in a good position and was able to win the national long distance time trial in december, so to consider doing anything different isn't really an option for me, as it seemed to work well for me last time. Just pray to the gods that once i build up my strength and fitness again this time nothing goes pear shaped. 'Touch wood' i am extremely confident the issue is behind me and i will be able to move forward and get back to doing what it is I so desperately want. 

A few weeks ago i mentioned a cycle of emotion. Some of you will have already seen part of the following but i have added to it. For those of you new to my story, i encourage you to go back to the 21st July post to gain a full insight into where i was only one month ago which will also mean the following makes much more sense. 

A CYCLE OF EMOTION

Happiness- doing what you love doing. Competing to a high standard. Living the dream, training with your mates and enjoying yourself and the lifestyle. 

Denial- feeling your feet going numb during exercise but not fully admitting the seriousness of the situation. 

Frustration/Anger- accepting that you are again unable to continue exercise/sport and you have to step back from your sporting goals

Despair - Wondering if you will ever be able to exercise again in your life, let alone compete in high level sport

Excitement - Being told by a surgeon that there is a major procedure that you have not yet had, and that this offers a high percentage chance of complete recovery. And the excitement of being in hospital and being on the road to recovery

Sadness/Frustration- Leaving hospital and beginning to comprehend and accept the long road ahead (this is not helped by having been through the same situation many times before, I think as i mentioned in a previous post that when I was 19 and having shoulder reconstructions I never thought about the actual road to recovery, it was more I just did it as that was what i needed to do)

Happiness- You are able to start exercising again, and initially you get some very rapid improvements which is very uplifting and makes you feel much better about yourself as you are on the road back.

A Reality Check- Where i am currently at now is a feeling of accepting the road back to a good performance. In some ways it was easier going through this last year when I just took it for what it was, However it only feels like yesterday that i was just starting back training prior to watching my ex team mates at the olympics last year. And the memories of what it took to return from surgery is all too fresh. And I am now accepting that to return back to where I want to be is going to take some time. And i will not be rowing super fast in my single scull or chasing 'strava KOM's' in the Dandenong ranges just yet.. 

I have much more I plan to share with you, and I have made some notes about the past 8 months of my life and what that experience has been like, what it has shown and taught me. However I want to keep these short enough that it doesn't take more than a few minutes of scrolling through on your Iphone so i will save this for a future post.

However in finishing this up, I just want to explain in regards to my 'medical condition' of "popliteal  artery entrapment". It is not like returning from a back injury, knee reconstruction or shoulder reconstruction where it is important to return as much strength as possible to the site which will minimise future problems. With my legs, there isn't anything I can do other than start progressing with training and hoping it is smooth sailing. The reason I mention this is I have heard a few whispers that the reason my condition returned at the beginning of this year was because i completed "too much cycling" or "trained too hard",  I actually wish that I did actually have some control as to ensuring i do not run into issues again, however it not like this which is something that has taken me a little bit to get my head around. All i can do is get stuck into it and be positive that things will be as the surgeon and medical staff suggest and expect. Basically the only other option would be to exercise a few times a week like the general population, however this doesn't offer much in regards to competing again on the world stage. For those unfamiliar with the photos posted on the 5th July i suggest you go back and have a look, as I am of the belief now that how could i possible have any trouble down the track after removing those steaks from each of my legs. 

Hopefully that makes sense, as I am now off to get into the gym to do some more bike (thinking time) and I actually plan on some swimming for the first time post op. The scars have finally closed over (only took 8 weeks) which means risk of infection has passed, it will be nice to get into the pool! Oh and i am also loving commuting on my new mountain bike. Won't be long now until you are reading about me riding up and (slowly) down the hills through the forrest behind Lorne on this bike. 

Until next time, please keep reading as I love checking to see how many views my posts get. By seeing that over 600 people are now consistently viewing my story is very humbling for me, so please help support me by sharing 'Unsinkable' on social media with those around you. If i can inspire a just a small percentage of you then all the 'blogging' at this point in time is very worthwhile. All going well at the end of this there is the potential for a very cool story and to be able to follow my story as it progresses is the reward I want to offer you by subscribing to this blog now. 

Cheers, John