Start by telling your Coach or CoachCat what’s going on, right in the chat.

When your body throws you a curveball, tell us right away: 

“I hurt my leg.” or "I'm sick".

That simple sentence kicks off a process that can save your season.

Below is a 6 step, real example of how Coaches and CoachCat handle injuries, illnesses, and health hiccups with coaching advice and training plan revisions.  Try it today!

Step 1: Say Something Immediately

The worst move is pretending nothing happened and “pushing through.”

As soon as something feels off: pain, illness, fatigue, weird symptoms -> tell CoachCat (or your Coach) in plain language:

  • “I hurt my leg”

  • “I’m getting sick”

  • “My knee feels weird”

  • “I slept terribly and feel awful”

You don’t need a diagnosis. You just need to speak up. That’s exactly what the athlete did in this example.

Step 2: Pause First, Ask Questions Second

CoachCat’s (or a 1:1 Coach's) first response is always protection, not toughness.

In this case, the immediate advice was:

🚫 Stop today’s hard workout

🚫 No sprints, standing starts, or strength

🧠 Ask clarifying questions before making decisions

Why? Because one bad decision today can turn a 2-day issue into a 6-week layoff.

Step 3: Triage the Problem (Not Overreact)

Next comes smart triage, not panic.

CoachCat asked:

  • What exactly happened?

  • Where is the pain?

  • How bad is it (0–10)?

  • Is it getting better or worse?

  • Can you walk normally?

In this case:

  • Pain = 0 at rest

  • Pain = 1–2 while walking

  • Improving overnight

  • No limp

That’s good news, but still not a green light to train hard.

Step 4: Make a Clear, Short-Term Action Plan

Once the situation is understood, CoachCat lays out a simple, conservative plan:

What changed immediately

  • Hard rides removed

  • Strength + plyometrics stopped

  • Recovery days added

What stayed allowed

  • Normal walking (no limping)

  • Rest

  • Optional very easy spin only if pain stays ≤1/10

What was explicitly banned

  • Jump squats

  • Plyometrics

  • Standing starts

  • Anything that alters your gait

This clarity matters. You don’t have to guess. You just follow the plan.

Step 5: Adjust the Training Plan (So You Don’t Have To)

Here’s the key difference between good coaching and DIY training:

👉 The calendar was actually changed.

Instead of you mentally deciding to skip a workout (and feeling guilty about it), CoachCat:

  • Replaced workouts with “OFF – Knee Recovery”

  • Added notes and guardrails

  • Set up a reassessment the next morning - this is a clutch move, taking your reintroduction to training one day at a time.

This removes pressure, second-guessing, and bad decisions.

Step 6: Reassess Daily, Not Emotionally

The next step wasn’t “train again ASAP.”

It was:

  • How does it feel tomorrow morning?

  • Pain at rest?

  • Pain walking?

  • Any limp, swelling, instability?

From there, CoachCat decides:

  • Easy spin test or

  • Another full rest day

This is how you stay consistent long term—by respecting small issues early.

The Big Takeaway

When you get sick, injured, or something feels off:

1. Speak up immediately
 2. Pause before pushing
 3. Make decisions based on symptoms, not ego
4. Revise the plan
 5. Rebuild gradually, one day at a time

Most injuries don’t ruin seasons but ignoring them does. And it all starts with a simple message in the chat:

“Hey CoachCat, something’s not right.”

That’s smart training.

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