Sky Scholar and runner Louis Persent on needles and set-backs
Friday 24 March 2017 13:09, UK
Sky Scholar and 400m runner Louis Persent has been asking recently if all the pain and dedication is worth it.
The 24-year-old has been under a surgeon's knife and battling back to fitness after a relentless spell of injuries. It's been a very testing time for someone dreaming of Rio next year and it'll be tough to watch this weekend's British Championships from the sidelines.
It's all made Persent question whether he wants to carry on running. But after some gut-busting weeks jogging in a swimming pool, jumping on a bike and coming in close contact with some needles, athletics and the Olympics are firmly back on the radar. Here's Louis' latest blog....
I ended my last blog on an optimistic note. After racing for the first time in years I was ready to push on with the season.
I was positive, energized and determined to translate those early performances into fast times. Racing had made athletics fun again and I was finally beginning to connect the dots in training.
Unfortunately, things haven’t gone to plan. Seemingly out of the blue I tore my calf in training. At first it didn’t seem particularly serious and I kept my fingers crossed that I would soon be back racing and quickly continue where I left off.
I told myself that one little calf tear was nothing compared to the last two years of major injury. But instead of healing the tear got worse and I found myself once again having to aqua-jog in the pool, cycle and worst of all, for the first week at least, completely avoid training and exercise.
It’s been a tough five weeks but I’m finally getting back into shape and am getting close to competing again.
It sometimes feels like sport is a battle between mind and body – in my case between a willing mind and a body that is frustratingly fragile.
When things don’t work out it leaves you questioning what you do, why you do it, and who you are. What’s clear is I need to keep my hunger alive and find that desire and reason to chase my goals. So that’s the primary mission at the moment!
On a lighter note I thought I’d share a photo of some of the physiotherapy I am subjected to. I usually don’t mind acupuncture but having needles placed in to the adductor muscle is not much fun at all!
Luckily my physio Chris is a real pro and it’s amazing how effective it is at releasing the tightness.
Anyway, this won’t be the season I envisioned just two months ago, but it can be a season of racing, of improving my times, and keeping up the fight.
Louis Persent is one of 12 athletes being supported through the Sky Academy Sports Scholarships scheme.
The Scholarships offer a programme of support tailored to each athletes specific requirements covering areas such as funding, media coaching, mentoring and wider developmental support.
