Articles - Train Away Chronic Pain

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The Athlete PEACE Survey

September 28, 2018 / Joanna Zeiger / 0

Hello! I am a Boulder based Olympian and former World Champion in triathlon. I now spend my time doing sport science research in athletes. My previous study on mental toughness in endurance athlete can be found here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/authors?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0193071 If you are interested in learning about your mental toughness, I created a quiz based on the results of that study: http://sisu.racereadycoaching.com I am currently the lead investigator for The Athlete PEACE Survey. Our aims are to … Continue reading →

Find your x

August 7, 2017 / Joanna Zeiger / 0

When I first got injured, my main objective was information gathering. I wanted to understand the nature of my injuries and how to fix them. It was obvious from the start that the answers to those two questions were complex; what was not at all obvious was that 8 years later, even though I now know the nature of my injuries, I would still be trying to “fix” the injuries. Early on, doctors all asked … Continue reading →

The Desert Allegory

July 19, 2017 / Joanna Zeiger / 0

Imagine you have to walk through the desert to get to much needed water. Imagine that the shoes on your feet are a size too small. They were super cute when you bought them, but suddenly, when you most need them, you realize they just don’t fit right (don’t you hate that?), but they were expensive, so you keep them. And now you’re stuck. At first, when you start your journey, the too small shoes … Continue reading →

Override Button

July 12, 2017 / Joanna Zeiger / 0

We all need an override button. A button that can be pressed to prevent us from making bad decisions. A button to override thoughts of going out to train when we know we shouldn’t, or conversely, a button that would help override the inclination to skip a training session for no other reason than lack of motivation. Lately, my override button has been seeing a lot of action. So much so I traded in my … Continue reading →

Training for Life

June 20, 2017 / Joanna Zeiger / 0

Training for life took on a new meaning for me last summer. I put racing on hold as I tried to figure out the next steps in dealing with my injuries. There was no point in subjecting myself to extra pain that would only result in a poor outcome. However, I still ran almost every day. My “training” wasn’t regimented as per my usual protocol. It couldn’t be. I was never certain, on any given … Continue reading →

Unfinished Business

June 20, 2017 / Joanna Zeiger / 0

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the word “failure” and how much I dislike it. It has such a negative connotation and truly does an injustice when applied to the world of sports. When an athlete does not achieve their goal, but tried very hard or just had a tough day, did that athlete fail? Tires or brakes fail causing accidents. Machines fail. You can fail a test. But, does adding 30 minutes to … Continue reading →

Exercise helps chronic pain

June 12, 2017 / Joanna Zeiger / 0

People with chronic pain often hide their condition; perhaps they are embarrassed by their suffering, or they are just tired of people saying to them “but, you look fine”. I have been very open with my struggles because I want people to understand that the face of chronic pain is very different from the stereotypes. Chronic pain sufferers are not all drug addicts, or lying helpless in bed, or unemployed, or look like shit. And, … Continue reading →

Are you happy?

June 12, 2017 / Joanna Zeiger / 0

What is happiness? It is a subjective emotion that Wikipedia has defined as “a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy.” The other day, while shopping at Safeway with a friend, I asked him if we polled everyone in the store, how many would say they were happy? When I got home, I looked online to determine whether people, in general, are happy. Polls indicate that Americans are 49-81% … Continue reading →

Accepting Acceptance

June 8, 2017 / Joanna Zeiger / 1

We all must be open to accepting acceptance. Tenacity is lauded in endurance sports, often with dire consequences. People view the Ironman motto as “Finish at all costs” rather than their current salvo of “Anything is possible” (which is equally mythical), since anything but obtaining a coveted medal after crossing the tape is generally deemed intolerable. The truth of the matter, though, is that despite putting forth best efforts, and pushing and pushing and pushing, … Continue reading →

My friend called pain

June 7, 2017 / Joanna Zeiger / 0

I have a new friend. Its name is chronic pain. Since receiving the diagnosis of intercostal neuralgia, and learning that the condition is permanent, I have unilaterally viewed the pain as an adversary. The 24/7/365 symptoms of stabbing, throbbing, and dull pain around my ribs along with the muscle spasms and difficulty breathing would test the patience of anyone; of course, I would view such an interruption to my life as adversarial. Who wouldn’t? Recently, … Continue reading →

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