To say the last couple weeks have been kind of crazy is like saying the Alamo was "a little violent". Not all of it has been bad, in fact, there has been quite a bit of positive that has come out of everything, mainly the article in Triathlete Magazine. However, as some people have pointed out publically, and even privately, there are some things and people who were missed and for that, I am truly sorry. The focus of the article was Crossfit Endurance, and although that came across pretty clear, there is a disconnect as to how I recovered so quickly to be able to do Crossfit or any type of training. I intend to make that right today.
I didn't miraculously heal simply by going to Crossfit, and doing sport specific training. The simple fact is, I wouldn't have been able to even get to the door if it wasn't for the great team at Acclerated Rehab in Darien, IL. The clinic, owned and operated by Gina Pongetti, was where my rehab was put into place. Gina and her staff tailored a program that would be intense, but would get me healthier faster, as long as I put in the time. I told Gina what I was looking to do, just like I told my coach Jen, and my CF guys Nate and John. The work and time spent at Accelerated was critical because they made it possible for me to get in the gym, back on the bike, in the water and on the run. I didn't just wake up after surgery and start doing CF WOD's. And unfortunately, that was missed in the article.
This is of critical importance for a few reasons - 1. Some very special and important people were missed in the credit they so properly deserved - Gina, Mike, Jayme, Elisa and others from Accelerated, 2. Anyone who suffers a similar injury and believes you can just go back to training the day after surgery is way off, and need to understand that to even get to the point of utilizing any training program, intense physical therapy is needed. I wouldn't trust anyone else to work on me, even though my doctor had a competitor clinic within his office. Gina works with endurance athletes, at the highest level. Top pro triathletes like Peter Reed have gone to Gina and her experience as a triathlete and elite level gymnast has given her tremendous knowledge of the body, its limitations and how to get the most out of someone. In short, she gets it. And that is passed on to her team who carry that same work ethic and mentality. 3. I don't want people to get misconceptions as to how I got back to health. It was a process that started with surgery, then to rehab, with a very specialized program, and then I was able to start adding training. But Gina was as integral a part of my return to racing as Jen, or Nate, or John or Brian. Actually she and her team were the "gatekeepers" of my progress; I knew it was important to discuss my plan with them first before proceeding. The idea was to always be improving and healing quickly. Although I might have been motivated to do it, I didn't have the plan - Gina did.
Anyone, athlete, or not, is not alone in any journey like this. I had more help than was discussed in the article, and its important for those people to get the credit they deserve. Is my blog post enough to correct it? I don't know. But its what I can do, its what I needed to do, for all the reasons stated. Because without Gina and her team, there is no me and CFE. There is no me and racing in 2011. And that's a fact.
Stay strong,
Guy
