What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

This past week has been incredibly challenging and frustrating, but a huge learning kerb all at the same time. Unfortunately, I have had to end my overseas journey and return to Australia with a broken right foot. Definitely was not part of the plan!

After my first French grand prix in Les Sables D’Olonne, I was struggling to stand on my foot, let alone walk or run. The pain decreased across the following week and everything was looking up. However, we decided to get some scans done to make sure everything was looking as positive as we thought, but some terrible news resulted from the scans; an acute broken navicular. In the surgeons words, jumping off a 3 storey building and landing on your feet would be another way to break the same bone. As you can imagine, I was devastated.

I returned home last week and underwent surgery last Tuesday to have a pin put through the bone. I am now sporting an attractive plaster cast and crutches for a couple of weeks, waiting to be replaced by a boot. 

Apart from not training, the crutches have been by far to most difficult thing to adapt to. Currently, I have fallen up two flights of stairs, fallen down one and just generally stacked it three times. There is definitely an art to using them, one I clearly don’t possess.

Fortunately, I am able to swim again as soon as the plaster comes off next week and then cycle soon after that. I have a very specific rehabilitation plan in place to get me back to full fitness as soon as possible, whilst still giving the injury ample time to heal. Even though I am extremely frustrated with not being able to train, it has given me a great opportunity to get on top of other aspects of my life that will help me move forward as an athlete.

I am very positive at the moment and know that I will be a better athlete from this adversity. In the meantime, I will keep you updated on my progress, rehab and the many more stacks off my crutches that are bound to come.

Ellie xx

Facebook Fan Page

Hi guys

I am very excited about creating a Facebook fan page. I will be updating it regularly so that you can easily follow my results and adventures!

Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ellie-Salthouse/387421924634161 :)

Ellie xo

A Spanish Adventure

I am stoked to finally be back in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain as it is the perfect training base for us during the Australian winter. Although the weather has been much like the current weather back home, we are making the most of the long days and impeccable training facilities that are on offer here. It has been a little over a week since arriving in Spain and already we have packed so many adventures into our trip.

Ron and I love our morning swim sessions. For a start, the pool doesn’t open until 8am which means we get a sleep in, always a positive for an athlete. And with the pool at Mendizorrotza being of Olympic standard, we are always keen to swim hard in every session. It will even be the venue for the USA swimming team before World’s in Barcelona later this year.

The rides around the lake are always a highlight of the trip and really make us look forward to our aerobic rides. The lake is 60km around, with minimal traffic and beautiful surroundings. I even had my very first snow sighting!!

On Sunday afternoon, we were lucky enough to win some tickets to a local basketball match between Vitoria and Bilbao. Vitoria has just finished building a brand new stadium, with a 15,000 person capacity, and the game was set to be a sell-out. I have never seen so many people in one place, all such avid basketball fans. All I can say is that I am glad we were cheering for Vitoria otherwise I am not sure we would have come out alive. The atmosphere was incredible and, although I am not a huge basketball fan, the game was awesome to watch.

I also received some very exciting news this week, that I have been selected as a member of the Australian junior sqaud. From the squad of 6 girls, 3 will be chosen to compete at the World Junior Champs in October in Auckland.

After a recovery week, I cannot wait to get back into some solid training here in Vitoria in the next couple of weeks.

Ellie xx