My last attempt at Ironman (2006) ended with neck pain. When I was 15 I was in a serious car accident and injured my neck. In 2006 I was told that I have two bulging discs and that with some strength training I could build these muscles up and hopefully make the pain go away. So strength training I began. I ended up dropping out of the race in 2006 at the advise of my doctor.So, fast forward to this year. My neck has once again been sore. As the miles accumulate the pain increases. Last night after 50 miles on the bike it was very, very sore. Sore to the point of spasms and shooting pain. I got home and iced it. Today it is still very sore. I'm really beginning to worry as the rides get longer and more frequent the pain starts sooner in the ride and has intensified. I have already decided that following this year it will probably be sprints and a few Olympic distance for me next year.
After reading about Commodor and his issues it really scares me. He pushed it and now can't do much of anything. I don't want to end up in his situation. He is now working just to be able to participate at any level. Scary stuff! One thing I've learned about Ironman training is that it exposes all of your weeknesses. A little problem or pain in sprint distance training usually becomes a big issue when Ironman training. I guess that's why it's called Ironman. Your soft spots are exposed.
All for now. Swimming tonight, sore neck and all. Could be interesting. Have a great day!
have you had a tri specific bike fit?? a few adjustments of stem, seat post, and aero bar position and that could make all the difference in how you're straining your neck. but it takes a pro, not necessarily the dude at your bike shop. look for a F.I.S.T. certified bike fitter in your area. any good F.I.S.T. fitter will have you come back and reassess until they get it right and you feel you're riding comfortably
ReplyDeletehttp://www.slowtwitch.com/dealersurvey/fistcoaches.html
here's a story of a guy who got a F.I.S.T. fit from one of my coaches, ian murray, here in cali.
http://www.trifuel.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5211
i had similar neck and shoulder issues going into my first half ironman on my new tri bike. anything over 50 miles would kill my neck to the point of spasm or feeling like i'd pinched a nerve and unable to move my neck in a certain direction. i went to ian and he noticed how rounded my shoulders were from my aerobars being way too close for my broad swimmer's shoulders. since my shoulders weren't in a position to support me properly, my neck had to take up the slack. he spaced the bars out by over a centimeter which is a HUGE adjustment. long story short, that was two seasons ago, and i've never moved anything on my bike since. no more crazy neck pain, and i made it through ironman!!!
Yeah, do what it takes to nip that!
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