MAIN TOPIC: Dealing with INJURY

Dealing with injury is never easy. While injury is a universal issue among runners, it can still be hard to navigate and runners often feel alone.

Why is it hard? We love running.

Runners love running and often not other things like crossing training, strength working, and PT exercises. Instead, runners will continue trying to run while injured.

SUGGESTION: Find another passion to channel the energy and then stop running, and make a plan. Let’s also channel our willpower and discipline into our PT exercises and cross training. 

Why is it hard? We value consistency.

Another reason it’s hard is that we understand that consistency and training over time are so important. We get discouraged because we think we may not reach our goals and that we are getting out of shape fast.

SUGGESTION:Realize you don’t lose that much fitness in a couple weeks. Find cross training to minimize the loss like cycling, swimming, or aqua jogging.

Why is it hard? We are habitual.

As runners, it’s also hard to navigate injury because just might be stubbornly habitual and inflexible. Many of us enjoy the control we exert in running and when we cannot control it, our life seems more unmanageable. It’s difficult to create new routines when we really enjoy our habits.

SUGGESTION: Make a plan. Create a new routine. Realize it’s temporary (which makes it easier to commit to).

Why is it hard? We find identity in running.

Why else is it hard? We tie our identity tightly to the sport. We convince ourselves that our well-being and fulfillment are closely related to running and fitness. It’s not just a thing I do, it’s who I am. In some ways we elevate what running is. We also use running as a coping mechanism for our emotions and we related our self-satisfaction to how fit we are.

SUGGESTION: Feel all these feelings. We cannot process with admitting first that we are grieving. Remind oneself that we can be qually fulfilled, thriving, and healthy without running in our lives. We are loved beyond the sport, even by our community within it.

Why is it hard? Our friends run.

Speaking of community, running is social in all the best ways and being injured may mean not seeing our “people.” For many of us, our chance to socialize is while running. The lose of health or injuries mean that we are missing our friends, adding another reason dealing with injury as runners is difficult. There also may be a social pressure to perform after commiting to a goal or a race out loud.

SUGGESTION: Stay around people. Go to the gym and ride next to a friend on a treadmill! Do some of your non-running work with your friends or at their workouts. Stay around the sport (don’t totally withdraw) like volunteering at events or supporting friends (HINT: it helps you stay motivated in your efforts to get well, too.)

Why is it hard? Nothing else is a perfect swap.

Finally, being injured is hard as a runner because the focal point of the activity is single-dimensional. It becomes harder to be healthy. Energy systems are not longer taxed in the same way. One may feel discouraged when gaining weight or losing tone. We also try to filled the gap in an aggressive way with an activity that we are not prepared to do as much as running. This ends up causing more issues including burn out, other injuries, and delays recovery.

SUGGESTION: It’s important to keep balanced and hold onto perspective. You may need someone else to help gain that perspective.

In Closing

You do not have to suffer alone. There are others who have gone through injury too (Zach and Andi have as well). Find people who can help you recover, find alternate activities, and have open and honest conversations with.

Not many runners think injury is the right time to find a coach, but perhaps it may just be one of the best times. As you know, we’d be happy to have that conversation!

Interested in a training plan and/or coaching? We offer personalized support to help you achieve your goals!

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