Ep. 138: Danny and Colin discuss dealing with injuries, surgery, and explore the mental impact of injury on sport.

Episode Overview: Discuss Colin's recent hernia surgery recovery and explore mental aspects of injury/recovery for triathletes. Key Takeaways: -Colin had dual-sided hernia surgery 8 weeks ago, still with lifting restrictions -Recovery taking longer than initially expected; doctors gave conflicting timelines -Mental challenges of injury include self-doubt, identity issues, and managing expectations -Gratitude and perspective shifts help cope with setbacks and appreciate the sport Topics: -Colin's Hernia Surgery and Recovery -Dual-sided sports hernia surgery on Dec 23rd, ~8 weeks ago -Still has lifting restrictions, some pain when overdoing activities -Initially told 6 weeks to normal activity, later revised to 3 months for running -Full recovery could take up to a year according to doctors -Dealing with frustration of conflicting recovery timelines Causes and Diagnosis: -Likely overuse injury from high training volume -breathing patterns (more belly breathing) may have contributed -Took ~2 months and multiple doctors to properly diagnose -Pain started subtly, worsened over time, especially when running Mental Aspects of Injury/Recovery: -Self-doubt about ability to return to competitive level -Identity challenges when unable to train normally -Managing expectations vs. reality of recovery timeline -Importance of focusing on what you can do vs. limitations -Gratitude practice helps maintain perspective Impact on Family/Support System: -Significant sacrifices made by family to support triathlon pursuits -Balancing family time with training/racing commitments -Appreciation for those who enable pursuit of the sport Reflections on the Sport: -High costs (time, money) make it inaccessible for many -Valuable lessons in perseverance and self-knowledge -Reframing "have to" to "get to" for training/racing -Importance of vulnerability and sharing struggles Next Steps: -Colin to continue gradual return to activity, respecting recovery timeline -Both hosts to maintain gratitude practice and positive framing of training -Consider ways to discuss mental/emotional aspects of sport more openly Please like, share, subscribe, and rate the podcast