How does a former professional athlete who hasn’t experienced Long Covid still have something to offer to people?

If you have been following ThriveNinety for a while, you know that we are two women who have combined their knowledge and experience to support people experiencing Long Covid, or other post-viral conditions. You also know that we come to this work from two remarkably different angles. Katie has come with lots of experience in the health sector as an economist working for the National Health Service in the UK, working to improve care and support people with multiple systemic conditions that had similarities to Long Covid. She also has lived experience of Long Covid starting in March 2020, and Long Covid recovery. I, on the other hand, have a background as a former Olympic athlete with a passion for health and longevity. I stopped competing 10 years ago, and 12 years ago I started reading about the topic intently and also did several certification programs, all focused on what supports health, fitness and longevity. It makes a lot of sense that Katie is a great resource for people who are looking for solutions to manage post-viral symptoms, with her personal and professional experience to draw from. At first glance, it may not seem obvious that my background is also relevant and helpful. It didn’t seem obvious to me either until I helped Katie to manage her symptoms without even knowing about it.

To understand the last sentence, I have to back up a bit.

During my racing career I was competing at the highest level, but knew I could not carry on in that profession forever. I was focused on finding ways to keep my body working as well as it could to allow me to compete for as long as possible, but also to support longer term health. It was not only about finding out how long I might be able to stretch this life as a professional athlete, which I loved. It was also very important to have goals and a vision for my life after this high-end racing career. To support both objectives, alongside my racing career, I started certification programs with the goal of becoming a personal trainer.

When people think about professional athletes, they often think about people who follow perfect training plans to the letter, have perfect nutrition, have the best sleep patterns and have endless support on all aspects of performance. The real world is always somewhere in the middle because perfect doesn’t exist, and if it does, it may not be perfect for every person. Luckily, I’m a very practical person (so is Katie), which can be helpful when facing expectations and other aspects when standing at the start line, or facing any challenges in life.

The fact is, we are always in preparation mode for the next thing - whether it is a race, a personal goal or supporting resilience when something unexpected comes our way. We can not expect to perform when we are physically, mentally, or emotionally not ready and we can not prepare when we aren’t sure of the right steps to take or aren't even able to do what it takes to prepare.

This is where understanding the right activities to do, and building a strong foundation (at the right pace) are both critical. It is the conundrum that faces many people with chronic illness - how do you start to feel better when you feel unwell to start with and you aren't sure what to do to feel better. What are the first things you can focus on - that are doable - to build a foundation that will let you feel better? 

That’s one aspect where my expertise comes in; preparing a plan that builds strong foundations and leads to the desired outcome. A plan that allows focus and structure with room for individualization. The plan itself doesn’t need to be completely different from one person to the next. Individualization may only require small adjustments, but make all the difference to ensure people get the outcome they need. Every person, and all athletes, need to gain general fitness, endurance, strength, mobility, flexibility, a functioning sensory system to be able to feel in their bodies, and more. It is important to make sure programs that support healthy brain and body function focus on each element, and everyone benefits from that basic foundation building meaning that, from the start, steps are simple, doable and beneficial for everyone.

That’s how our Long Covid symptom management support programs are structured, with a focus on building a strong foundation and understanding all the elements that play a role in the whole picture. When we talk about symptom management, we are looking to both tackle the symptoms and to learn from them. A symptom is information that something isn’t right. This is where I bring my passion for helping myself and others to live a healthy life. It was a passion I had as an athlete but has grown after my career and developed a deeper understanding of the ability we each have to support our bodies and brains to help us live a long, independent life.

This passion has driven me to gain a deep understanding of what happens in human bodies, why it happens, and (crucially) how we can support those systems to function well and allow us to do what we want to do in life. I am grateful for the knowledge gained through a range of certification programs covering the impact nutrition can have on how we feel, how body systems work and interact, and the brain’s power over our movements, pain perception, mood, and everything we experience.

Ten years ago I stopped competing and I wish I had more of the knowledge about how the body works while I was racing. However, I’m grateful for the path I have been on since. It has allowed me to support other athletes and people impacted by chronic disease. This knowledge also supports my personal goal of still being able to cross country ski at the age of 90.

Let’s now jump back to when I first started using my knowledge and background to help people impacted by Long Covid. A little more than a year ago I met Katie when she joined my Monday morning exercise class. After a couple of sessions, she took me aside and mentioned that she was impacted by Long Covid and that some of the movements I was sprinkling in throughout the class were tangible things that she found to be beneficial for her Long Covid symptom management.  

She had gone deep into the research on Long Covid and exploring the cross-connections between new research and old research on chronic and post-viral conditions. This work provided some helpful answers about what is happening in the bodies and brains of people experiencing Long Covid, and some of the drivers. The next obvious question was how to translate those findings into impactful actions. She found some tools already, but the range I offered took things to the next level.

It wasn’t on my radar that my multi-system approach to improving body function and health could have a positive impact on people experiencing Long Covid, but it made sense to me when Katie shared her findings in the research papers.

So, what is the connection between professional sports and Long Covid symptom management? We have a lot of knowledge about Long Covid. We also have a lot of knowledge about what helps bodies and brains function at their best. Because they involve simple and gentle movements, this knowledge can be applied to help high-end athletes and those impacted by chronic and complex health issues. The steps are simple and impactful, they just need to be done consistently. 

The reward that’s waiting is incredible; more physical resilience and ability, and a natural dopamine boost when you hit a “personal best” compared to a month or even a year ago. This can look like walking up the stairs without needing to stop or experience a super high heart rate, cooking a healthy meal and cleaning up after, or a half-day trip with family. They are all important wins.

One last thing: don’t try to do it all by yourself. Yes, to win Olympic gold, I had to train a lot and do other things right, but I would not have been able to start this race without the support of my family, the expertise of my coaches, technicians, massage therapists, and so many more. It’s okay to get help, and you are not alone.

Warmly,
Andrea

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