Rachel takes on Great West Run a year after serious injury
After rupturing her ACL last October, Rachel Gabriel from Plymouth, is impressively set to run Exeter’s Great West Run almost exactly one year on.
Being a member of the Armed Forces and having a very active lifestyle has made Rachel aware of how disheartening an injury can be, but she has not let this affect her motivation.
In October 2014, Rachel slipped on wet grass during a warm up for a morning circuit at work. She said: “I immediately knew that I’d hurt my knee as I heard a snap.”
After an MRI scan in November 2014 revealed that Rachel had completely ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament, she had surgery at the end of January this year. The aftermath of the surgery was not easy for her due to her previously active lifestyle, and having an also extremely active two year old daughter.
Rachel said: “For the four weeks that I was on crutches after the surgery there was a lot that I was unable to do, including simple things like dropping my daughter to nursery. It wasn’t easy for my family and my partner had to take on a lot on his own.”
When she returned to work after seven weeks off, Rachel was completing two hours of physiotherapy a day. Recently, Rachel was given the go ahead to begin a walk-run programme by her physiotherapist. This means that eight months since she last ran, Rachel now has just 16 weeks to get ready to take part in Exeter’s Great West Run.
Rachel chose to take part in Exeter’s Great West Run in particular as it will be taking place almost a year to the day that she was injured. She said: “I am extremely nervous for race day already and hope I can do enough preparation in time. I think the most challenging part for me will be pain management, but even if I don’t run the whole 13.1 miles it will be a huge achievement to cross the finish line”.
Rachel will be motivated on race day by both her partner and daughter, who will be waiting for her at the finish line.
To be part of Exeter’s Great West Run this October or for more information about the race itself, visit www.thegreatwestrun.co.uk.
