Chrissie Wellington on… recovering from injury

Surround yourself with positive people, focus on what’s possible right now and don’t rush back into training, says four-time Ironman world champ

Chrissie Wellington after winning in Kona

Chrissie Wellington

Published: June 13, 2014 at 1:37 pm

Have you picked up a nasty injury and wondering if and when you’ll ever get back to race fitness? Read on for top advice from four-time Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington, who went from breaking her arm in 2010 to winning Challenge Roth five months later..

I was injured going into Kona 2011; in fact, I’ve started more races with niggles than without! The psychological impact of an injury can be just as debilitating as broken bones, and hence healing means addressing both physical and emotional aspects.

So, first, take full responsibility for your injury. Could you have prevented it? If yes, then learn from that. If no, then accept that sometimes things happen beyond our control. You can’t turn the clock back. So after a brief toys-out-of-the-pram tantrum, look forward and make the decision not to wallow in ‘why me?’ self-pity.

Then take control. By that, I mean learn about your injury, prepare yourself for the road ahead and alleviate the frustration, confusion and fear that comes from the unknown. This means getting a clear medical diagnosis and prognosis, discussing various treatment methods, possible complications, duration of recovery and rehabilitation.

Ask questions and inform yourself. What foods should you eat/drink to promote bone deposition? Are there techniques or therapies that accelerate healing? Internet searches can be useful, but can also result in ‘paralysis by analysis’ or confusion from contradictory information.

Support network

Often we want to appear invincible and self-reliant. But just as it’s much more enjoyable to share good times with people, so too do you need to lean on rocks for support when the going gets tough. Surround yourself with positive, cup-half-full people – and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

Focus on what’s possible. You’re not helpless. You’re in control. It’s about adaptation and adjustment. Replace thoughts of ‘If I hadn’t broken my ankle I could have done this or that’ with ‘Because I’m injured it means I can do…’. You can still set – and progress towards – measurable, achievable goals. Yes, this could mean wallowing on the sofa for six weeks watching Wanted Down Under. Or you could opt for positive action: do some land-based swim stroke work or upper body strength exercises? Or train your mind through relaxation?

Or perhaps your goal could be to give back to the sport. Help out at your local club? Volunteer at a race? Coach a novice athlete? Or perhaps set a non-triathlon goal – learn a new language, perhaps? You’re more than simply a triathlete. Your sense of self and self-worth shouldn’t be tied to ticking the training logbook.

While injured, I watched videos, read books and spoke to those who’d overcome adversity. Their strength and courage inspired me, ensuring I kept perspective and retained belief in the power of the human body and mind to achieve the impossible.

Any injury is a short-term set-back, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. If it helps, remember that I broke my arm in 2010 and five months later won Challenge Roth in a world-record time. And when I broke my ribs, I did all my ‘run’ sessions on the cross trainer for four weeks and came back to win Kansas 70.3 with my fastest half marathon. And yes, I won Kona 2011 despite having spent the weeks before in and out of hospital.

When your body heals, don’t rush back. Seek specialist guidance to rehabilitate slowly and effectively. Your may be injured at the moment, but you will heal, and body and soul will come back stronger, focused and much more resilient. Good luck!

For lots more performance advice, head to our Training section

Chrissie Wellington

Triathlon legend

Chrissie Wellington OBE is a retired, British professional triathlete and four-time Ironman world champion. ​ She held all three world and championship records relating to ironman triathlon races: firstly, the overall world record, secondly, the Ironman World Championship course record, and thirdly, the official world record for all Ironman-branded triathlon races over the full Ironman distance. She remains the world record holder for Ironman distance (8:18hrs). Chrissie won the Ironman World Championship in three consecutive years (2007–2009), but could not start the 2010 World Championship race because of illness. She regained the title in 2011. She is the first British athlete to hold the Ironman world title, and was undefeated in all 13 of her races over the Iron distance. She is the only triathlete, male or female, to have won the World Championship less than a year after turning professional, an achievement described by the British Triathlon Federation as "a remarkable feat, deemed to be a near impossible task for any athlete racing as a rookie at their first Ironman World Championships." Since retiring in 2012 Chrissie has completed countless endurance events, from cycling sportives, to marathons and ultra-marathons and even a cross country ski marathon or two! Chrissie was awarded a first-class degree by the University of Birmingham (BsC Geography) in 1998 and a Distinction from the University of Manchester (MA Econ Development Studies) in 2000. ​ Prior to becoming a professional athlete in 2007, she worked for the British Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) as a policy adviser on international development and also managed water and sanitation projects in Nepal. Chrissie now devotes her life to work to improve individual and population health and wellbeing, and specifically interventions to increase participation in physical activity. She is the Global Lead for Health and Wellbeing for parkrun and is committed to engaging people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities in parkrun events, thereby addressing the entrenched health and wellbeing inequalities that impact many countries across the world. Chrissie published her Sunday Times Best Selling autobiography, 'A Life Without Limits', in 2012, and her second book, 'To the Finish Line: A World Champion Triathlete's Guide to Your Perfect Race', in 2017. In 2021, she co-authored and published two fully-illustrated children's wellbeing storybooks with friend and former athlete Susie Bush-Ramsey entitled 'You're so strong' and 'You're so amazing', as a means of sharing messages about belief, trust, love, friendship, trying your best and embracing change. ​ A trailblazer at heart, Chrissie is often advocating for change. In 2014 she joined three professional cyclists in campaigning for and successfully creating a women’s race at the Tour De France. Chrissie was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to sport and charity. She was also named the 2009 Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year and has Honorary Doctorates from the University of Birmingham and the University of Bristol. Chrissie lives with her husband, former professional athlete Tom Lowe, and their daughter Esme in a small village in Somerset.
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