Press Release 25 April 2010 from VirtualHealthClub.com
Summary:
Nick ‘The Machine’ Mitchell – is a seasoned marathon runner but three years ago, he was crippled with a heel injury and was unable to walk, let alone run. Here he tells how he overcame all the obstacles and triumphantly completed the London marathon again.
Shorter Summary:
Nick is a seasoned marathon runner but a crippling heel injury left him unable to walk, let alone run. Here he tells how he overcame all obstacles to triumphantly complete the London marathon again.
141chrs summary:
Nick, a seasoned marathon runner, tells how he overcame all obstacles to triumphantly run the London marathon again after a crippling injury.
How I Overcame Crippling Injury to Triumphantly Run the London Marathon
Nick Mitchell has run many marathons without batting an eyelid but three years ago, Nick was unable to walk, let alone run due to a crippling condition that left him in agony.
Nick is a seasoned endurance athlete and is no stranger to overcoming adversity to achieve what he strives for. On a regular basis he has to bring his determination to bear when training long hours for an endurance event whilst holding down a demanding full-time job, and regular family life.
But three years ago Nick’s training came to a grinding halt when, after successfully completing the 2007 Austrian Ironman triathlon, he suffered more and more pain with a heel problem and eventually had to stop running altogether due to what turned out to be a heel ‘spur’ and formation of a ‘Haglund’s deformity’.
A heel spur is where extra bone growth occurs at the back of the heel and this left Nick in crippling agony every time he tried to run. It got so bad he had trouble even walking. Nick went through months of appointments and visits to doctors and eventually was finally referred to a specialist who told him he needed an operation.
This of course meant he was not able to run or take part in triathlons, but this didn’t stop Nick, AKA ‘The Machine’, from competing in endurance events.
He had the opportunity to take part in the world-famous Race Across America (RAAM), said to be the hardest cycling endurance event in the world, encompassing a 3,000 mile journey from the Pacific Ocean near LA on the West coast of the USA to the Atlantic Ocean on the East coast. As luck would have it, his heel injury did not stop him from cycling.
In July 2008, Immediately on his return from a successful race in the USA, Nick went into hospital for his heel procedure. The surgeon had to tear through Nick’s Achilles tendon to get to the affected bone, and this meant that months of recuperation were ahead as this type of damage takes a long time to heal.
Before Nick could even walk again, let alone run, his foot had to be in plaster for 6 weeks, and then he had to wear a special boot for several months, followed by many months of recuperation, therapy and hard work, before he could run again.
Nick admits this was a hard time for him as he was unable to do any of his usual activities such as running, swimming, cycling and walking for several months.
However, he was delighted to be allocated a place in the 2010 London Marathon and was determined to run it. So, despite the op, pain and problems, he persevered with his convalescence bit by bit. It was hard, but he was keen to once again take part in the biggest marathon in the world.
His perseverance paid off and he managed to get his fitness back in time to run in the event.
Nick says: “I love the London Marathon. The atmosphere is unrivalled and it’s a fabulous experience. The crowd are so supportive, it really gives you a lift.
“There are so many stories of achievement, with many participants conquering adversity. I always get emotional. It’s a great day.
“As I ran round this time, I had a lump in my throat a couple of times. I saw a wheelchair competitor with bloodied hands as he’d had trouble with his wheels, and I saw a blind runner being led by a helper”
“Places in the London are getting harder and harder to get, as the race becomes more popular, so I didn’t want to miss the opportunity, as I’d managed to get a place”.
He thoroughly enjoyed his day and triumphantly completed the race without any problems, managing to finish in 3hrs 44mins. The Machine was back!
To drive himself through the hard journey back to fitness Nick placed the goal of running a marathon once again firmly in his mind whilst he worked his way back to fitness. He says: “Provided there is no medical or physical reason, anyone can run a marathon. If you see people running in the London Marathon and are inspired, there is no reason why you can’t run a marathon yourself, even if you’ve never run a step in your life before.”
Nick is passionate about helping others to achieve their sporting dreams, and has become the go-to guy for friends and colleagues for help with training for events such as the London Marathon.
In fact Nick has been asked to help so many people over the past few years that, in order to be able to help as many people as possible, he has now distilled his considerable knowledge into a manual for beginners so you can benefit from his experience (and mistakes!), so you don’t have to battle up the learning curve on your own.
Nick’s manual How to Run a Marathon Even if You’ve Never Run a Step in Your Life Before is available at VirtualHealthClub.com
Editor’s Notes
Nick Mitchell AKA ‘The Machine’ is an endurance athlete. As his day-job Nick works for Audi UK from their head-office in Milton Keynes. His title is Audi Service and Technical Manager. He enjoys participating in challenging events such as Ironman Triathlons, and is currently training for a QUINTUPLE Ironman event in June 2012 (A Quintuple involves completing an Ironman-distance race on each of five consecutive days).
Nick is available for interviews, guest appearances, speaking engagements, blogs and columns.
Contact Details:
Leigh Mitchell
Virtual Health Club
3 Beech Close, Hackleton Northamptonshire NN7 2BP England
e-mail: PR@VirtualHealthClub.com
Tel: 0844 963 2380
Images
Nick convalesces after his op on his foot, July 2008
 Nick convalesces after his op on his foot, July 2008 |
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Nick with his foot in plaster after his op, July 2008
 Nick with his foot in plaster after his op, July 2008 |
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A tired Nick with his medal, after his 2010 London Marathon triumph
 A tired Nick with his medal, after his 2010 London Marathon triumph |
For print-quality images, please contact us
Contact Details:
Leigh Mitchell
Virtual Health Club
3 Beech Close, Hackleton Northamptonshire NN7 2BP England
e-mail: PR@VirtualHealthClub.com
Tel: 0844 963 2380
