Dealing with Injury
Injury can be discouraging. If you read my last post it is pretty obvious that it can not only be the source of frustration but a lot of doubt too. Over the past few days I've had the chance to think about my prognosis from the physical therapist and have been trying to adjust my attitude towards the whole situation. There's a part of me that still feels like the "running village idiot" because I've been here before! When the best thing is rest and recovery I think the rules don't apply to me because I feel "great" and injury results. Recall my postpartum experience: ambition and a desire to succeed all get in the way of my better judgement. Despite the fact that it appears I haven't learned anything...the good news is I have been here before. So I can look back and know that I will come out of this a stronger, more efficient and overall better runner. Here are a few things that are helping me deal with injury:
Shift Focus: At the onset of injury it is easy to focus on what you "could" or "should" be doing. Focusing on missed training or races can lead to a lot of frustration and disappointment. The best thing is to shift you focus to what you can do. In my instance I can still run short distances 2-3 miles without pain. So that's what I'm doing along with my physical therapy exercises. Don't get caught in the "what if's," focus on now and what you is possible.
Be Grateful: Injury is your body talking to you, tell you something is wrong. It's letting you know that there is weakness and imbalance in the body that needs correcting. Or maybe your body is telling you to rest. When we receive correction or instruction from a running coach we don't hesitate to follow because we know it will help make us better runner. Our bodies can give us similar feedback. It's important to listen and to see injury as an opportunity to become a better, more efficient and stronger runner.
Follow the Rules: I have a tendency to think the "rules" don't apply to me, you know those rules about running like these ones. Sometimes running is about taking risks and going out on a limb to push yourself a little harder. But when recovering from an injury it is best to follow the guidelines of your physical therapist, following their rules and plan will most likely be the thing that gets you back up and running.
Try Something New: Injury is tough because often it means losing the outlet for how we deal with stress. But injury is a great opportunity to find other activities that are fun, different and move our body in a new. Back in December when I took three weeks off (proactively) to help deal with a tight hamstring I found barre class and absolutely loved it. Now I do it regularly. Look for activities that support your recovery and have been OK'd by your physical therapist.
Volunteer: If you're feeling discouraged because your racing plans have been thwarted by an injury, go to the race an volunteer. There's something about cheering for and helping other runners that really changes the way you think about running and racing. And it's a great way to be in the race atmosphere if that is what you miss.
Injury is never easy. And we often can't change our circumstances in an instant, but we can change our attitude and the way we approach injury and recovery.
What are you tips for dealing with injury? What's the longest period of time you were off from running due to an injury? Have you ever had to miss a big race because of injury?
--Sarah
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