Injured?

It’s ok to be grumpy and miserable if you are injured because it is rubbish, it is disappointing and it is frustrating!

If your typical weekly, monthly, and or even yearly calendar of races and running routine has been blown out of the water out for the foreseeable future, there’s no need to apologise if you are more than a little moody; I get it, on top of this (gigantic) setback, I imagine your typical source of stress relief has just vanished!

I don’t know any runner who hasn’t had to deal with some kind of disappointment or set back in their running life, anyone who runs, at some point, will face a time when their usual running routine has to take a back seat, life gets in the way, injury, illness, medical treatment, family responsibilities, job loss or promotion, teenagers! the list is endless.

But please do not underestimate the impact that a running break or disappointment can have on you, I’ve had my share of glitches, some major, some minor, and I’ve had to learn to accept them, learn not to chase happiness, whether that is believing that a goal race or time will finally bring me happiness; I’ve learnt to accept where I am in the here and now.

And this skill isn’t easy to learn, because for runners, running is so much more than just being physical, for some it’s a stress outlet, a time to sort out the jumble of thoughts, a time to be creative and innovative, for others a chance to be with friends, or a sense of freedom, being childlike; running motivation is such a personal thing, and then suddenly it’s gone.

Learning to fill in some of the gaps where running used to be can help you build up a skillset that can enable you to become a better, stronger runner. I’ve watched good runners stop running altogether when a setback has happened, which to me is such a shame, but I also know runners who have come back much stronger, both physically and mentally. 

 You could be feeling a magnitude of emotions that might surprise you and whilst there are plenty of strategies out there that can help you cope during this rough patch (and it is just a rough patch) you will still need support.

 First things first, you don’t have to be positive all the time, accepting that it really does “suck” is ok, you don’t have to pretend that you are ok.

And once there is some acceptance this can shift in your perspective, focus on what you can do.  There is usually always a way to incorporate some movement into your life, even the slightest bit of movement, in comparison to no movement is always going to be better long term.

 Remember when we were in lockdown and we learnt how to self soothe? We learnt how to create a mini pleasure list, it could be reading, a face pack, baking, a walk, whatever makes you feel some joy.  If you try and create a new routine, the gaps where running used to be may not feel so huge.

Try not to look back at what you used to be able to do or move forward too quickly and plan what you are going to do when you have recovered, seeking happiness in future races can lead to unhappiness, be where you are right now. 

 You will run again, because this time out will enable you to remember all the reasons why you run in the first place, it’s a normal blip and part of every runner’s journey, and whilst it might feel like FOREVER, it is just snapshot of time in the whole grand scheme of things.