The Road to Recovery

Its nearly 3 weeks to the day since I arrived back home in the UK from my absolutely epic trip to New Zealand & whilst its nice to have all the comforts of home i.e. a shower (I forgot what one of those was for a month!) & a bed too… I’m missing that dirtbag lifestyle; living on the road, chasing the next adventure, & living out of the back of little Mazda hatchback, not knowing where I’m going to be sleeping each night.

 

 

I’m sure everybody reading this blog will have also felt that post trip come down when returning home, all you want to do is book the next flight back to wherever you’ve come from! Getting back to reality is the worst part! It’s probably fair to say that this injury, in conjunction with being home, yet unable to do anything I’d call normal, is really starting to take its toll on me – as those closest to me will probably testify with my ratty moods!

I for one love the feeling of being out in the freezing cold snow, with blue skies all around, I find it so refreshing & healthy for the lungs. I’m therefore quite disappointed to be missing out on some of the best winter conditions the North West of the UK has seen for a while. But its probably best to listen the doctors when they say I need time to help my fractured vertebrae repair itself & ensure a full recovery.

For those of you who have read my about page will know that I’m not one for sitting down, inside, doing nothing – My mentality is that there is always something productive we can be doing to better ourselves. As such I’ve dedicated these past few weeks to adventure planning & catching up on my degree work, whilst regaining my strength and fitness.

 

 

Whilst in the hospital in New Zealand, I was preparing myself for what I knew would be a slow few weeks when I got back, however one thing which was a massive help in preparing for my recovery was speaking to others, who had also suffered similar injuries. After reading a few threads about injuries sustained during extreme sport participation & speaking to individuals affected, it became clear how different people are affected in different ways.

Several things stood out for me; 

• Weight gain during recovery – some of you may know I lost a lot of weight last year (almost 20kg’s), I feel a million times more energetic, positive & raring to go since loosing weight, so I’m doing everything I can to keep that excessive lard off!
• Staying positive whilst not being able to live your ‘normal’ lifestyle – I’m one for living my life at 100mph, I’m always finding something to do! So having that freedom taken away can certainly lead to mental health/depression issues, during the recovery.
• Fears & doubts when getting back into the sport, i.e. loosing that confidence in your ability – I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it; getting back in a kayak, getting my running shoes on & back in the saddle of a bike will be a massive step first and foremost!

  

I’ve decided to make a couple of lifestyle changes, taking into consideration the above, in order to combat the potential negatives of a serious injury. The two key things I’m going to try; Eating clean, by trying a semi-vegetarian diet & Yoga… don’t worry, I laughed at first too!

The main reasons for yoga, I hear a lot of people say its a great way to keep the body nice and supple & flexible – ideal for kayaking. It is also supposed to be exceptional for mental wellbeing, almost like meditation. For me, exercise has always been the best way to sort myself out after a crappy day, getting the endorphins flowing & sweat dripping always makes me feel a million times better & keeps my mind a lot more focussed.

Clean eating is something which I try to do ordinarily, but I find it hard to stick to when I’m off adventuring or getting snowed under with work/uni commitments etc. I’m not going to be one to admit I’ve been swayed by all the vegan vigilantes (no offence to you guys), instead I have been swayed by several kayakers who swear by it. As such, I’ve decided to make a compromise with a semi-vegetarian diet (I couldn’t bring myself to go full-frontal veggie!). So I’m going to use the new year & my injury as an excuse for a fresh start & jump on the (semi) vegetarian hype.

 

In order to stick to this, I’ve drafted up a meal plan;

“Some” of these meals have come from my own creativity (but mostly inspired by BBC Good Food!).

As you can see I’m struggling with the whole concept of semi-vegetarian meals, so any suggestions are more than welcome! Just keep the broccoli well away – an excellent source of nutrients, vitamins & minerals I know, but its disgusting – Mum, I hope you’re reading this & take the hint!

One of the few things I did learn at school which I still find useful today was all about the principles of rest & recovery and the importance of it. Obviously knowing about it & being able to apply it are two very different things! ‘Resting’ i.e. sitting down inside & not doing anything, is not something I’m particularly good at it. But right now, both the professionals & my body, are telling me its what I need to do, so I’m going to do it.

I hope that this, in conjunction with the lifestyle changes I’m in the process of making will contribute to a real good state of mental wellbeing & feel good factor, whilst aiding my recovery & getting myself back charging as soon as possible. The advice & support I’ve received, from family, friends & others has been greatly appreciated & a massive boost for me, I can’t thank people enough for their kind words!!

 

Whitewater kayaking is a sport which is growing rapidly – all around the world, from amateur to top level pro’s, kayakers are consistently pushing the boundaries of what is possible, from the biggest drops, to the stoutest rapids, the steepest creeks to the raddest tricks. The level kayaking is being taken to requires not only the best kit, but the best athletes. So whilst boat manufacturers are taking boat designs to the next level & kit manufacturers alike, it becomes equally as important that kayakers using the kit are also in the best possible shape to cope with the demand of this level of kayaking – who knows what the outcome of my accident may have been, had I not been in good shape.

Whilst kayaking for me has always been a hobby, revolving around adrenaline, the incredible people & incredible places I get to experience – I personally think this advance is great for the sport. The kayaking community has always been one of the most open due to small size of it, by this I mean that kayakers everywhere instantly become friends. You see a car driving with kayaks on the roof, you wave… you see another kayaker on the river, you say hello… you paddle with new people, you go for a pint afterwards. I’ve never experienced an unsociable or unfriendly kayaker – everybody helps everybody, its what makes the sport so friendly & welcoming. I hope this soul always remains, keeping kayaking welcoming & accessible to all, whilst continuing to show support and love for the athletes, sponsors & kit manufacturers all pushing the performance boundaries in the sport!

 

I’ve been lucky enough to meet some incredible people & travel to some incredible places through kayaking. Living the dirtbag life on the road has become a norm for me – and I wouldn’t change a thing about it! Unfortunately kayaking back in the UK won’t be the same as the lush warm waters of the Kaituna – but, I’m looking forward to it all the same. Then again, has kayaking in the UK ever been about being warm?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For me, adventure isn’t just about where you go, it’s the people you go with… Within this blog post are just a few of my favourite moments in the past few years, looking back at each of these photos brings a smile to my face & reminds me of yet another brilliant adventure – just another little thing keeping me positive during my recovery! Here’s a few more…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thing which has been pretty torturous is seeing all the runners out and about, come rain or shine, snow or high winds, massive props for sticking to the new years resolutions! Heres a photo of me running to prove I do run & motivation that, in time, I’ll be able to lace up my Asics classics & hit the road!!!

Thank you so much for reading! Please feel free to like, comment & share!