Well after graduation and moving to Ottawa for work, it was time to back in shape. You know ditch the frosh 15 and the 15 pounds every year thereafter. Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but it wasn't good. I decided to join the local Ultimate league (http://www.ocua.ca/) in hopes of jump starting the process. The first few games went well, and I even seem to hit it off with one of the ladies on the team, she'd eventually be my wife to be, but that story for another day. And then something terrible.
Chasing a disc, with nobody around me I managed to hit the only hole on the field with my left leg. I'm not sure if time actually slowed down, but I seem to recall thinking, "huh, my foot hasn't found the ground yet". Then I looked down just in time to see my leg bend backwards, then in and possible out and then a face full of sod. There was a distinct snap, sounded like a very loud cracking knuckle. And as tried to pull myself off the ground I must have looked like a wounded dog, left leg sort of hanging there while my other leg and arms formed tripod. I remember thinking I need to walk this off, but wasn't sure how to move without causing the worst pain ever getting worse. As both lines which were on the field gathered and circled around me, people were asking if I was okay. I'm not sure what I responded with, if anything, but I do recall others whispering "did you hear that". I've been that guy whispering before and always assumed the injured couldn't hear me. As it turns out they can. I also know for a fact, that some some of those people were clear on the other side of the field.
So after lots of help from friends, team mates and physio, I was ready to return after about 10 weeks off. I felt great, and the doctors and physio's thought it was just severe sprain. During the first game back, and went to plant off my left leg and it gave out. Just slid along the joint. I fell down, and knew it was torn. I guess that's what that "snap" was the first time. A few weeks later I got an MRI and the results confirmed, torn ACL, grade 2 on the MCL, grade 1 on the LCL, a tear on the meniscus and bone bruise on the joint line. A few months later surgery and 6 months later I was back on my feet with a shiny new knee brace in time for the new fall season.
That March I was playing indoor and everything was right again. Then out of the blue I came across my endzone to defend a disc, which I did. However, as I made the play the offensive player which the pass was intended for plowed through me and bang. Felt my right knee go, and this time I managed to let the biggest, loudest eff-bomb go that I've ever done. The next year and a half of my life flashed before my eyes. Two months of physio to get back on the field, another re-injury, an MRI and ultimately surgery and 6 months of recovery. Sure enough - that is exactly how it panned out.
That last 6 months to recover from the second surgery was much different than the first. After a few weeks I was able to get onto a spin bike. Having one at home encouraged me to get on the bike more and more. My Physio then encouraged to start swimming to help my recovery. So I did. And let me tell you, the first time in the pool I was pretty sure I was going to die. But after a few weeks things started feeling better and it really did help my knee. Then after a few months of biking and swimming my physio encouraged me to start jogging again. So I did. By then I had decided to retire from ultimate; I don't have the inner thigh gap to play in two braces and I'm out of hamstrings to graft. Given that I was already swimming, biking and running - making the transition to train for triathlons was pretty easy.
Of course by this point it was September and the season was over, I'd have to wait until 2010 for my first race....
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