Injury and some lessons learned

Being sidelined due to what I think is tendonitis stinks.  I was in the groove of running four to five times a week and loving it.  Now I am waiting on my body to heal and to get into physical therapy to strengthen my left leg so this won't happen again.  Here are the lessons I have learned from this experience.

-If you are just beginning a running program, or coming back from a break, take it slow.  Real, slow.  I ran cross country in high school and have to remind myself I am no longer sixteen years old and can just jump off the couch and run three to five miles at will.  These are things you have to gradually work up to and the quickest way to find yourself sidelined with an injury is to try to set a world record when you are just getting started.

-An injury is not the end of the world.  These things happen.  Even people who are taking it really slow and being super careful can still get hurt.  I think this is where I fit in.  My injury was not a case of too much too fast but something that just happened and will, with time, heal.  In the mean time I am thinking of things I can do to exercise so I don't lose all of what I have gained since I began conditioning.

-Cross Train.  About six months ago I was able to run for thirty minutes pain free.  As I have reflected on that something stands out.  I was cross training.  Once I am healthy again, this is something I am going to take more seriously by working in at least two days a week of strength training, or strength train in addition to the days I run.  This will ensure I have strength and endurance.

-Stay Positive.  I have a choice.  I can either bemoan my state or be patient and realize that people have come back from much, much, worse.  For instance, last night I read about an ultrarunner who had a severe Achilles tendinitis who came back to complete the Badwater.  As I read his story the thing that stood out to me was he believed he could do it and then trained smart to prevent injury.

If you are sidelined like me, hang in there and realize that for some of us shin splints, pulled muscles, stress fractures, blisters, and even tendonitis are part of the challenge and can be overcome.

Chris