I never anticipated this long of a break from regular running. Three+ months now…yikes! At the onset of “injury” in late July/early August I decided marathon training was a no-go but still expected a much faster return. Nothing was broken and inflammation should have subsided by now. Well, months later and the pain in my foot has now become a pain in the ass.
Not literally, thank goodness.
I’ve hesitated posting an “update” on my recovery because, truthfully, I still don’t know where I stand. An inconclusive diagnosis has been harder for me to handle than the concrete “stress fracture” injury from last year, which required solely rest. I’ve seen countless doctors (Western and functional) in my quest for pain-free running and, like most things, everyone has a different opinion. When there aren’t any red-flags on tests and the pain isn’t localized to one spot, it leaves a lot of room for interpretation…
It’s your orthotics! It’s your hips! It’s your gut! It’s your gait! It’s from life stress! It’s because you eat too many nuts and seeds!
Not making that last one up….
While one specific remedy hasn’t been a cure-all (shocker), a combination of things have contributed to overall progress, namely reducing inflammation and fixing longtime structural and mechanical issues. Over the past eight years, I’ve admittedly “gotten away” with a lot as a runner. It’s kind of embarrassing! I always did my glute-activation drills but my form needed a little more TLC. By addressing overstriding, my hip-drop and heel strike with a professional (hands-on guidance), I hope to better prime my body for strong return.
As much as I wish there was an easy solution, I’m grateful for the steps I’ve made.
I’ve let go of “why did this happen?” and started focusing on “what can I do now?” Among other things, this includes maintaining a healthy mindset. Accepting and honoring this stage of my life, fitness or otherwise, has been a crucial part of recovery. The cycle of negativity and comparison does not do me (or anyone else) any good. There’s value in every stage of life, or so I’ve been told by those older and wiser.
Source
Currently? My non-routine “routine” includes some movement 3-4x a week. I can jog/walk occasionally. I go to yoga. I strength train. I do my PT exercises. I rest. I do what feels good. I fully believe in the power of both a good sweat session and a good rest session, I’ve just needed more of the latter this year. No biggie. I’m an overall healthy and functioning person just trying to get back to life on the run!
Simply put: recovery has been a puzzle that I didn’t intend to solve. This entire year has been a puzzle in itself! I *think* I nailed the four corners, so now it’s just the middle that needs to come together.
A little more time, effort and prayer. I can handle it.
I definitely have fitness seasons in my life. I think a lot of us are bound to have seasons of fitness since our bodies don’t really like doing the same thing day after day (physically and mentally). Right now I am focusing 100% on running, but once my half marathon is done next month I will probably run less miles and work more on strength training over the winter. I think my fitness seasons go with what I am training for running-wise and the actual weather seasons, since fall running is my favorite — and winter running – not so much ;)
Brie @ Lean, Clean, & Brie recently posted…Thinking Out Loud #11: Football, Oiselle, & TV Time
If I was going to be injured I picked the best season (summer in Florida) so maybe the tides will change with the weather :)
Life as a whole is just a big puzzle! A puzzle that is and always will be missing a few pieces, but those one or 2 pieces never really matter and you can still see the big picture if you keep working at it day by day. It doesn’t have to be perfect! xoxo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted…Freedom Feature: Kristina Schumacher “Ms. Modify”
I like that perspective. Thanks for sharing :)
LIfe is what it is, and it doesn’t care if what it is isn’t what you thought it would be.
If that makes sense, lol.
We spend so much of our lives working SO hard, but sometimes hard work just isn’t enough–we need to be in the right place at the right time. What accepting THAT hard truth has brought me is a certain level of calm and perspective, and it has also taught me that reactions are everything. When you hit a knot in that crazy rat’s nest of a diagram, what do you do?
Reactions are everything.
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Currently (End of October)
So much of it is timing, and that has taken me a long time to come to terms with (things out of my control = no bueno). It does bring some level of calm to me too.
girl, i feel you! i initially stopped running to get pregnant…. well now my babe is two and a half years old and i haven’t found time to run consistently… i go through phases where i run two miles here and there, but nothing like before. and i miss it.
Linz @ Itz Linz recently posted…Easy White Chicken Chili Recipe
I miss it too. I wonder if (and when!) I will get back. I dream about it so hopefully it will be a reality soon.
Feeling your pain. What started as a little discomfort in my knee back in May after 3 spring half marathons has turned into “bad knees” according to more than one doc and minimal to no running. I’m just now getting back to some running and fear pain every time I go out. I went from running 30~40 miles a week to none to now just wanting to be able to run 3 miles without pain and swelling and huge setback. Thankful for my bike. I’ve put a tone of miles on my bike this summer! Your post helps me keep perspective!
Hi Marsha, I’m so sorry to hear about your knee. I fear pain every time I run too. Part of me wonders if it’s all mental, but I know there has to be some physical aspects to what I’m feeling. So glad you have the bike to keep you going :)
I can definitely relate to the struggle of ‘not knowing’ although in a different way. When I hurt my hip in July and felt I had to take a break, that meant no more NYCM. Little did I know that we were going to have a baby and I’d be so sick that my run at the end of July was my last run for almost 2 months! Then, just as I started to feel a little better and my doctor OK’ed starting some easy, much slower running, I was only able to run three or four times for about 3 miles before I hurt my right foot badly on our honeymoon (bone bruise at the 5th metatarsal and severe strain on the peroneal tendon). It’s been 5+ weeks and still not back to running, I can’t walk a few miles without feeling the burn in my foot. Maybe I can get back to it a little in another few weeks, but after that, it would be no running for me until after our little guy is born because you can’t increase your heart rate THAT much more if you haven’t already been doing so. Of course it’s all to a good end, but man is it frustrating sometimes – I always thought I’d be a pregnant runner who could keep at the miles, and the universe seems to have conspired against that!
Alyssa @ Renaissancerunnergirl recently posted…My Other 25th Birthday Gift
Emailing you ASAP! We have so much to catch up on.
Be proud of yourself you look fabulous!
Thank you so much <3
Your attitude is so amazing Em, and I love that you do feel good right now, and that you are doing what works. Praying for healing and a continued journey of peace and restoration! <3
Emily recently posted…Thinking Thursday: New Fall Foods, Fluffy Friends, and the Gospel
Your words always mean so much to me <3
I’m going through the exact same thing!
I feel like a broken record when people ask me how running is going and I say, “meh.” It doesn’t feel good physically though there isn’t a specific injury I can point to. I still so crave it mentally, though!
I took a step back from training just because I know my body isn’t ready for it but I so cannot wait for my next marathon training cycle! I just hate not knowing when that may be!
Wishing you a speedy recovery but it’s nice to know that there are others struggling on the road to “recovery” from an unknown injury.
Lauren, thank you so much for your comment. Like you said, it’s nice to know we aren’t alone. I’m very “meh” right now too, despite wanting the endorphin rush so badly. Such a weird feeling.
I’m going through something similar right now–not an injury but with crazy hormone imbalance and treatments due to marathon training 6 MONTHS AGO! It’s just crazy how sometimes life kind of forces you to stop pushing so yourself so hard to allow a very necessary break to relax and recover.
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I’m so sorry to hear that, but you’re right…it could be a very necessary break. Much longer than we/I anticipated!
With you every (slow and occasionally painful) step of the way on this one… My physio is 95% sure it was/is a stress fracture but over the course of the past month i’ve also had podiatry assessments that have recommended insoles to correct foot, knee and hip imbalances that I never knew I had, as well as analysis that pulled up weakness in my glutes and a technique that overstresses my IT band…
As you said though- when we do get back, we will be back stronger both physically and mentally.
xxx
We are the same person…just separated by a large body of water. Keep me posted on how you’re feeling! xo
It is awesome that you have been able to run again. I hope you can be back at it fully soon.
Right now I’m in a weird stage of my fitness. I stepped away from the gym completely this year and I’m trying to learn to enjoy exercise again. Right now that looks like taking more rest than actually working out but it is good.
Megan recently posted…The week in review
I’m with you, Megan. More rest feels good right now. Different seasons for everything!
The inconclusive diagnosis must be so frustrating…your attitude of “what can I do now?” is so wise and positive! Also…too many nuts and seeds? That’s too funny that they thought that could be a cause of your injury. Hoping for as fast of recovery as possible for you!
Liv @ Healthy Liv recently posted…Peanut Butter Cookie Laraballs
That was the acupuncturist…Eastern medicine has a different approach to things! Thanks, Liv :)
WOW i am so with you. this year has been pretty shitty for me. hamstring injury/semi recovery that as you state is not going as planned and looks a lot like that swiggly line picture !!! like am i recovered ? am i still hurt ? why did i get hurt in the first place ? how ? what to do now ? Ugh i got fat that sucks ! just all sorts of things and general anxiety and unhappiness. well…dont i sound lovely ?? but i just feel like i got into a funk last sept/oct and im still not out of it ! and its nor for lack of trying it just seems nothing is working. and like you i hear all different things, its the diet, stress at work, new job, wrong shoes, imbalanced quads and hammys, depression. and i need to eat more protein, eat more veggies, eat less fat, walk more, strength train more but not that muscle group, not where heels, not wear flats, stretch more but active not static, find a new job, be happy with my current job, work less hours, get more done at work, etc. i just feel stuck and pulled in 20 directions all at the same time ! i am sad for you that you are in a similar place but feel comfort that its not just me. is that mean ????? i hope not. hopefully you get some solace in it too ! every day/week/month i want to do better. i make lists, brainstorm ways to be happier, healthier, etc and it just doesnt happen. hmmmmm maybe we both need to take a step back and sorta let it be for a bit ? i dont know. when you get the answer please do a post and in big caps let me know YOU HAVE THE ANSWER and i will make sure i see it :) hahahaha. have a good weekend !
Well I’m going to be doing a lot of rest with the stress fracture so I better get used to it. Focusing on checking out my gait, strengthening my imbalances, and coming back stronger is the only thing keeping me from crying all the time.
I sometimes still cry (or just get really antsy and want to run) so this has been both a lesson in patience and proper running form.
Deep in a season of rest right now, and loving it so so much. Since my freshman year of college (back in 2010) I was always doing “something”. And at that point, I rarely let myself have rest days because I felt I NEEDED to workout every day or nothing matter. I am happy to be in a much better place now, and realized after nearly 6 years with a combination of running, workout DVDs and CrossFit, I hadn’t taken an extended break. September & October I took CF completely off my plate – it was the BEST thing I did this year. I’m back at it again, and now in a new mindset =)
I’m so happy for you! Resting feels weird in a really good (sometimes challenging) way.