How to Get Past an Injury
Injuries are unfortunate, but how well we cope is key
We’ve all been there. I’ve been there 100s of times. You know what, more than that. I’ve been there way more than 100 times.
Training is going well until it isn’t. You come down with something that starts off dull then comes roaring to the forefront when you try to ignore it and now you’re full-blown injured.
No running and you’re in pain on top of it.
Here’s what I would do to accept the situation you’re in and what to do on the other side.
Focus on recovery.
You aren’t going to get back to running without rest and recovery. That means that everything you do has to make your running injury happy.
Eat foods that are good for you and eliminate all foods that don’t speed up recovery. Lay off the chips, the cookies, the beer, and the soda. Feed yourself quality foods that’ll help your body with recovery.
Get a ton of sleep. Sleep aids in recovery and that’s the name of the game.
Stay positive. When you’re injured, there isn’t much positivity going on. I get that. Find something to latch on to and make the most of the situation you’re in. Positive thinking is much healthier than negative thinking, so you might as well be positive.
Do your rehab work. Just resting will not get you back to healthy running. Spend your running time doing rehab drills specific to your needs.
Improve your imbalances. You got injured for a reason - something was probably off somewhere. Spend this time working from the ground up on getting stronger, more flexible, more athletic, so that when you come back, you can come back stronger.
Have a Life.
You are not a professional runner, so you need to have balance in your life. This is the time to lean on your non-running side.
Explore new activities, adventures, people, and places. You didn’t have time when you were training, now you do.
Don’t dwell. You’re injured. Life isn’t over. Make the most of your time.
Find/rediscover your passions.
Lean on friends. Rely on your friends to help you when you’re at your lowest.
Plan your Future.
You won’t know what you’re shooting for if you don’t have a target.
Create goals for when you’ll be back running. This will keep you honest and motivated to do the rehab work.
Having a plan will keep you focused on the rehab/recovery work necessary to get better.
If you have a direction you’re heading in, you’ll know if and when you’ve gotten there.
Friday’s Action Plan:
Injuries are very unfortunate, but how you deal with the setback could very well determine how quickly you recover.
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What I've learned from running is that the time to push hard is when you're hurting like crazy and you want to give up. Success is often just around the corner.
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Marc is a middle school teacher and coach but also works with distance runners online. I help distance runners around the globe by providing support, writing customized training plans, and designing workouts to help them reach their racing goals. I write for my blog every Wednesday morning and newsletter every Friday morning.