Alex Yee’s decision to step away from triathlon to make his marathon debut in London in April, with a 2:11:08 finish, has now come with a physical setback.
The Olympic and world champion revealed this week that he’s dealing with what he called a “small acute overload injury” following the race, which took place under warmer-than-usual conditions in April. Yee finished 14th overall in the elite men’s field, a respectable result for someone better known for his performances across swim, bike, and run.
“Post-London I sadly picked up a small acute overload injury,” Yee wrote on Instagram. “Honestly before this I’ve been lucky. Since my crash I’ve been consistent and I believe that’s been one of my super strengths.”
The “crash” refers to a traumatic accident in 2017, when a then-19-year-old Yee collided with a bollard during a triathlon in Cagliari, Italy. He suffered a collapsed lung, broken ribs, and fractured vertebrae, a serious incident that forced a lengthy recovery and put his career briefly in doubt.
Now 27, Yee has become one of the most decorated triathletes in Olympic history, with four medals across Tokyo and Paris, including individual gold in 2024. But this spring, he put his triathlon calendar on hold to chase a long-held goal: racing his hometown marathon.
His 2:11 performance in London was one of the fastest ever marathon debuts by a British triathlete, and a little more than two minutes behind the top British finisher on the day, Mahamed Mahamed.
The time places him among the fastest British marathoners of the past few years and was especially noteworthy given the unseasonably warm conditions, which peaked above 70 F (21 C) during the race.
Yee had already begun ramping back up into full triathlon training following London, but now appears to be taking a pause due to the injury.
“The first few weeks I definitely felt down and had a constant urgency to get back,” he said. “But recently this has turned to gratitude. A gratitude I can push my body, I’m healthy and an understanding of the opportunity and challenge somebody has given me for myself and to others.”
He ended the post with a quote from Bruce Lee, “Don’t pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one,” and signaled that he still has big plans for 2025. “This year isn’t done! LET’S GET IT.”
Yee didn’t specify the nature of the injury, but the term “acute overload” typically refers to a soft tissue injury caused by a spike in training load, something not uncommon when endurance athletes increase volume quickly.
According to research in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, sudden increases in mileage and intensity are among the most common factors in running-related injuries, especially in athletes who cross over from multi-sport training into marathon-specific blocks.
For now, Yee hasn’t confirmed whether he’ll return to racing triathlon later this season, continue his marathon training, or take more time to recover.
