What to Do if you Feel Sick or Get Injured

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.

Not training with us yet? Try a FREE 30 day trial here  or have a complimentary coaching consultation with a 1:1 Coach. Train Smarter to Ride Faster