The road back from injury: My unexpected start to my second season as a professional triathlete

Training in the new year got off to a great start. Week after week, I was able to train well and make remarkable progress. I was incredibly excited to put my all into sports and successfully complete my second season as a professional triathlete this year. But then everything went differently than planned.

Image: https://zamir-loshi.ch/

On February 20, I suddenly felt severe pain in my lower back. I had to stop my running training after just 5 km and could barely bear any weight on my right leg. Despite a week's rest, painkillers, and massages, it didn't improve, so I went to see my sports doctor. His initial diagnosis was an inflamed sacroiliac joint (SIJ). I was already doing the math in my head: Okay, 3-4 weeks off, then I can get back to full training. To be on the safe side, though, we decided to get an MRI.

The MRI surprisingly revealed a stress fracture in my sacrum. The shock was profound, and it felt as if someone had just pulled the rug out from under me. The sports doctor's prognosis was three months off running and reduced training. So my season plans, and with them my athletic goals, vanished into thin air. When you're lying around on the couch during the week and aren't really allowed or able to train, you feel a profound sense of identity being robbed. An athlete who can't do sports is simply not an athlete.

At least after a few days, I was able to resume my adapted swimming and cycling training. Soon, I was back in the indoor pool six times a week. It was a huge motivation for me to be able to train and develop at least the first two disciplines despite my injury.

In April and early June, I competed in two competitions to test my swimming and cycling fitness: one in Mallorca and the other in Rapperswil. Both events were important benchmarks for me. I made significant progress compared to last year and reached a new level of performance in both disciplines.

The last four months have been a huge challenge for me. But I've learned that setbacks are a part of life, especially in sports. It's not just about how hard you train, but also about how you deal with the inevitable obstacles. This experience has taught me to be more patient and resilient.

Now that I'm slowly starting to train for running again, I'm looking forward to the rest of the season's competitions. It won't be easy, but I'm more determined than ever to achieve my goals and fight my way back to the competition stage. Every day brings me one step closer to returning to my passion, and I'm grateful for the lessons I've learned along the way.

Image: https://zamir-loshi.ch/