18 Comments

I deal with injury with some pre-work to ensure that my identity is not tied to being a runner. This means that when I cannot run (whether it's due to injury / life), there are substitutions I can make which ensure I remain healthy & fulfilled. For example, I've had little time to schedule runs due to other family-related issues — so the luxury of preparing for a long time outside, being on the trails for long than 1/2 hour, cool down & shower, etc. just aren't happening. But in its place is walking every few hours for a few minutes. That activity adds up, keeps me maintained physically (so I am not behind when running returns), and it gives me control over *something*. When injured, that lack of control sucks — but here is something I *can* do, and that is often enough to buoy me along until I heal & return to normal.

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Strength train! I've been amazed at how much strength training can help with various niggles, pains, and injuries. As far as the emotional side, try to keep perspective on the big picture. Taking time off running with injury seems terrible and each week seems like forever when you're in it, but after the fact it seems like just a blip in the radar.

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Coping or dealing with injuries. I have not even had a minor injury in past 8 years. Using proper foot wear, leg stride and taking a day off when something doesn't feel quite right help prevent injuries. Also being careful when increasing running mileage and doing speed work. Coping with injuries is a subject I happily admit I know very little about! Seems runners go from one injury to another.

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I really liked this newsletter and could relate to a lot of what you said. I had a pretty significant injury a few years ago and the emotional side of it was definitely harder to deal with after getting through the initial physical pain. One thing that was helpful for me was asking myself some of the other reasons why I enjoy running and see if there was still a way to do that. I realized that part of why I love running so much was being outdoors, so I discovered ways to do that. First it was just being out in my garden, but this eventually turned into kayaking as a way to not only be outside, but also explore new areas. I also took up non running hobbies, which I continue to do even now... playing a bit of guitar and drawing.

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I try to channel the focus and discipline that I would normally put into my training plan into the recovery process: the priority is to heal in a way that my body is even stronger [both mentally and physically], so I put together a gameplan on how I can build that--even from the couch! From bedtime goals to increase my body's chance to recover/rebuild, to making sure I'm eating enough so that my body has what it needs to rebuild solid, to working on things like visualization, I try to always be making progress whether running or not!

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Patience. In a world of ‘I have to have it now’ when you’re injured you have to have patience. I had a calf strain and was 6 weeks away from my A race. I stepped way back on running and focused on core/stretching /balance. First week I ran/walked 6 miles, then added miles in small increments while having an aggressive treatment plan of scraping, stretching, icing, heat, compression. I was able to run at full strength after 4 weeks and got to the A race fully healthy and set a PR at the 100k distance. PATIENCE

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The best way to cope with an injury? Don't run while you're recovering. It's a joke among runners that we ignore injury and that seems to have made it okay to continue training or just running to run while injured. Just stop and recover. Look at other options to stay fit and in shape while you cannot run.

I see too many people on social talk about being injured just chomping at the bit to get back out and go running, only to reinjure or worsen the problem. I think it's time we start to realize it's okay to not run or to take a break and recover.

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