Aw Damn! Dealing with Injuries

I absolutely hate being injured. I want to run. I want to do my workouts. I want to compete in races. Call it dedication. Call it determination. Call it an obsession. But running is what I do. Being injured messes all of that up. It makes me run shorter distances or take more days off or miss races. Being injured makes me second guess everything I’ve done. As much as I don't like it, being injured casts a dark cloud that hovers around me, permeating every aspect of my life until I'm back to my workouts.

As I write this, I’m dealing with a left hamstring that’s graduated from annoyance to painful. With two of my favorite races coming up in the next several weeks, I don’t want to cut back on my training. But I also know that if easing off on my workouts is needed, the sooner I start means the sooner I can resume my training. Given that this left hammy has been something of a problem child, past experience offers a guide as to what I should and shouldn’t do.

Honestly, this latest injury is nothing new. Since resuming competitive running, I’ve experienced several injuries that have limited or stopped my running altogether. Nor am I seeking any sympathy as I know many of you have experienced running injuries as well. I know that some of you have made truly remarkable comebacks from injuries that I find inspiring.

Even though we're in a non-contact sport, runners face injuries more than most other sports or activities. Let me share what I came across from YaleMedicine.org. “As a workout, running has much to offer. Runners don’t need classes, physical facilities or equipment, other than a pair of shoes, so it’s inexpensive. It’s an easy and accessible sport that can be done nearly anywhere, so it is not difficult to fit a run into a busy schedule. But there is one disadvantage to running as a workout: People who do a lot of it tend to get hurt. In fact, at least 50 percent of regular runners get hurt each year—some estimates put the percentage even higher—sometimes from trauma, such as a fall, but more often from overuse.”

I know better than to argue with anyone from Yale. But since I do want to run and not fall prey to frustration or pointless despair, I’ve developed these seven techniques that help me.

1. Pay Attention to the Injury. There’s a reason this is Rule #1. Nothing good ever occurs when we disregard what our bodies are trying to tell us. I learned this one the hard way when I ignored a “sore butt” that it became a serious enough hamstring injury that shut me down from running for nearly a month. Even my ignorance about hamstring injuries does not excuse me from waiting until it hurt enough that I was slowing down on every run before I visited a doctor. If there’s ever a choice between being a wimp for worrying about a potential injury and being tough by ignoring it, my unwavering advice is to “Be the Wimp!”

2. Do The Research. Another one that I was slow to learn. Working with the PT's at The Kinetic Edge and my coach at The Body Project spoiled me. If I had an ache or pain, I would just ask them and do whatever I was told. Nothing wrong with that. Except that I still didn’t know what may have caused it or if there was something in my workouts I could do to prevent it. There's no excuse not to become more knowledgeable when that information is "one-click" away. Along those lines, research means reviewing a number of reputable sources and looking for consistency. This approach proved quite helpful a several weeks ago when I developed heel pain. The research pointed to plantar fasciitis. That was confirmed when I met with one of the PT’s. Their treatment was also consistent with what I had read. Which leads me to the next bullet.

3. Listen to the Experts. In my work as a professional advocate, I often ask questions of our attorneys even when I believe I know the answer. Most of the time, doing so confirms my strategy. If my initial assessment is incorrect, then I’ve learned something I didn't know. I do much the same now with my running. I want to know as much as I can about a particular injury so that I’m back to full strength as soon as possible along with knowing how to reduce the likelihood of a reoccurrence. While I want to find a consensus approach in my research, that isn’t always the case. When that happens, I always defer to the experts. Their guidance has proven beneficial time and time again.

4. Realize That Every Injury Is Unique. As you may have guessed by now, I have reoccurring issues with my left hamstring - although my right hamstring demanded equal time in 2019. What I've learned is that no two injuries are quite the same. The recovery for my left hamstring has been different each time. From being off running for almost a month to enduring about six weeks with modified workouts. Ditto with my IT band. Don't assume that because a certain injury kept you out of action for three weeks before that it will be the same another time. Other factors, such as the severity of the injury, play a significant role in determining the duration of the recovery.

5. Be Patient. I know that’s easy to say and can be difficult to accept. When I went through a mishap with my left hamstring in mid-April 2020, past experience told me it could be 8-12 weeks before it would heal. Fortunately, it didn't take quite that long. But I didn't know that at the time and it seemed like an eternity before the discomfort eased six weeks later. From there, I still had several weeks of easing back into my routine. before I felt ready to return to my previous training levels. But I did resume my full training schedule.

6. Reflect on Potential Causes of the Injury. This one's tricky. It's tempting to overthink this step and beat yourself up. That's pointless - even damaging. Instead, this should be where you consider what may have led to the injury with the hope to prevent or minimize a future reoccurrence. This year's flare-up of my IT band at the Drake Half Marathon is a good example. Upon further reflection, my coach and I realized that I had not had a lot of longer runs to build up my base for thirteen miles. Another potential factor was my "pulling up" on the downhill early in the race. Some revisions of my hill techniques combined with longer runs allowed me to avoid this issue with the next half marathon six weeks later which had a much steeper decline.

7. Focus on the Future. Being injured can be a miserable experience. To help me get through it, I try to focus on a time when I know that injury will be behind me. For me, that’s most often a future race when I know that I’ll be ready to compete. I may start thinking about the playlist or what the weather may be like. Just something to direct my thoughts in a positive direction, acknowledging that there will always be another race and another day to run.

Right now, I suspect I'll to cancel participating in my next two races. I don't want to do it. They are two of my favorite races and occur during the fall - my favorite time of the year to race. But with one at 10 miles and the other a half marathon, I believe attempting to compete in either would likely lead to a setback in my recovery. It's not the plan I had in mind for September and October. But if this is what it takes to get back to where I want to be, then this is what I will do. And in the grand scheme of injuries, this is frustrating - not devastating. I can deal with it.

What about you? How have you dealt with injuries? Feel free to share any thoughts in the comments below or on the FB page.