Viljami Kaasalainen’s dream season slowed down dramatically: “Cortisone is not the best medicine”

Ending was supposed to come from the current athletics season Viljami Kaasalainen so far the best of all, but it turned out differently.

Kaasalainen got a persistent inflammatory injury in the groin area of ​​his left leg, because of which he did not run any competitions in the summer.

The most dramatic moment was experienced at the beginning of the summer at the European championships in Rome, where Kaasalainen was already call roomissa preparing for the 200m heats.

Kaasalainen, originally from Mikkeli, had to announce at the last minute that he could not run in his first prestigious competition for adults.

“It was hard to inform the team manager about it. I was ready to take a big risk to get on the track. On the other hand, I would have only had an even worse bad mood if I had stayed along the way,” says the 28-year-old Kaasalainen.

Year then Kaasalainen left for the upcoming value competition season with the greatest expectations. You train coach Antti Meron in steering were harder than ever.

“I had a wild charge since the fall. I admit that it was a little too much, when in each training session I had to run a little harder than before,” says Kaasalainen.

Although Kroppa warned him about this with small symptoms, Kaasalainen thought they were transient, as he had been until then.

“In general, I’ve always had a good toolkit to get foot problems under control with treatment and rest in two weeks. The serious injury then came little by little. At the worst stage, I ran with my teeth clenched, then not anymore.”

Kaasalainen persevered through the winter hall period, but times were tough.

On the same day, he ran the Finnish records in Jyväskylä for 300 meters (33.74) and 150 meters (15.94) and his record for 400 meters on a short track in the indoor competition in Norway (47.42).

“Even in the hall I ran half-fit records, but the whole time it was on a knife edge. It could have been hard times in the summer. Well, four years went by in an upward direction. Now I’ve got a black peka in my hand.”

In summer 2020 Kaasalainen won the Finnish championship in 100 meters in Turku with a time of 10.35. Four days earlier, he ran his record 10.34 on the same course.

After the season, Kaasalainen said that he would switch to a 400-meter runner. The project aimed Markku Kukkoahon For breaking the Finnish record of 45.49.

Helsingin Sanomat has followed the progress of the project ever since.

Kukkoaho’s SE time turned 52 this fall. Kaasalainen’s outdoor track record of 46.23 seconds is the sixth fastest Finnish time of all time.

The project still aims to improve Kukkoaho’s Finnish record.

“I still think that I have a chance to be among the top ten runners in Europe in the 400 meters. It’s not possible at 100 meters”, Kaasalainen thinks.

”

“Training has been hard. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go to extremes.”

Next the season’s plans and goals are still completely open. My groin still can’t stand a full run.

“I don’t want to rule out any goals. First you have to be completely healthy.”

Kaasalainen does not complain about the lack of treatment.

Many doctors and experts have studied the groin area. No quick cure has been found. The only ones would be months of rest or surgery.

“Cortisone was not the best medicine for this problem. Rest and physiotherapy. Surgery has not been completely ruled out either. I have never had surgery for sports injuries before.”

Are you afraid that your entire running career is in jeopardy?

“I’m not afraid. Training has been hard. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go to extremes.”

Discussion coach Antti Mero, who listened, admits that he too should have been wiser in the amount and intensity of training.

“But I couldn’t be. You have to go to the extremes if you want to develop. I myself have a lot of experience with injuries, probably a dozen during my career,” says Mero.

Mero is a former 400 meter runner. He ran his record of 55.4 seconds in Jyväskylä in August 1982. At an older age, he has still competed in veteran series.

Kaasalainen says that Mero tried to curb the hard training, but reminds that the athlete himself always bears the biggest responsibility.

“I would have liked to have taken this lesson more easily. At least now I’ve learned what the body can handle and what it can’t handle.”

Although the race season was stagnant, Kaasalainen thanks his supporters who did not give up at a bad moment. On the contrary, new supporters have also joined.

In his civilian job, Kaasalainen works part-time as an analyst in the Etelä-Savo welfare region. Remote work runs from Jyväskylä.

“There is a tremendous amount of motivation when someone believes in you.”