The Hardest Part About A Running Comeback

Make the changes so you can come back stronger

Everyone loves a really good comeback story.

Sometimes it’s a comeback from a bad injury. Other times it’s from a pregnancy. And more often than not, it’s after years away from the sport.

Once running becomes part of who you are, does it ever really leave you? I don’t think so, but that’s up for debate. Even the people who swear they’re done forever usually find their way back when the timing is right.

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Over my 27 years of running, I’ve spent time on the sidelines battling different injuries.

• Stress fractures

• A pinched nerve in my foot

• Major calf strains

• IT band issues

• And plenty of other bumps and bruises along the way

Every setback has taught me something. Each one forced me to adjust my training, rethink my approach, and learn what my body needed to stay healthy.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that coming back from an injury or time off isn’t about picking up where you left off.

Photo by Marsha Reid on Unsplash

So whether you’re returning after an injury or getting back into running after months - or even years away - the temptation is the same: train like you used to.

Resist that urge.

Instead, take a smarter approach. A few simple strategies can help you stay healthy, enjoy the process, and keep you running for years to come.

Don’t Rush Back

Once you’re good to resume running, you might think you can jump right back into training. You shouldn’t.

Instead, you need time to reacclimate your body to running. Play the long game and take your time building your routines again. Start by stacking easy, slow miles and focus your non-running time on recovery.

Do Wait Until You’re Ready

You might be pain-free for a day, but that might not be enough to start back up. Be patient and don’t jump right back in. Use cross-training to start ramping up your training until you can incorporate more miles into your plan.

Don’t Forget What Got You Here

You’ll want to avoid that long layoff again, so start analyzing what got in that situation in the first place.

At the same time, spend some time building your fitness with non-running activities. Cross train like you love it. Because you will.

Don’t abandon the cross-training and the strength training, though, once you’re back to healthy running.

Keep it in your training plan to see major gains in both recovery and fitness.

Do Be Patient

The time you spent not running is behind you, and there’s not a lot you can do about it now. Maybe you cross-trained to stay fit, and maybe you had a completely different life. It doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that you found running again.

Instead of trying to play catch-up on all the training you didn’t do, focus on setting good goals that incorporate your entire well-being.

You aren’t going to make up for missed time, so the next best thing you can do is be grateful for running.

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