If you are reading this then most likely you are either injured or you have dealt with a running injury in the past.
Injuries are never fun. We can go ahead and get that out there.
No matter what the circumstances are surrounding it, whether it’s from your mistakes or just something that was unavoidable it’s hard.
The good news is we aren’t here to focus on that today! Today we are going to focus on the positives that can come from an injury. I’m sure you’re wondering how you can find positives when you can’t run – I know, I’ve been there. Right now you may not see it but after dealing with several bigger injuries over the years you are able to look back after the fact and see it from a different perspective
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Enables You to Fix Mistakes
I’m not one to be shy about the fact that several of my injuries have stemmed from my own mistakes. Guess what – that’s okay!
We aren’t perfect and sometimes we all get carried away or skip the small things that help to make us the strongest runners possible. The good news is this is the perfect time to learn from those mistakes and make better choices.
Not strength training? This is a great time to start! Is your nutrition less than stellar? Now is the perfect time to make the changes you’ve been saying you would.
Acknowledge the mistakes you’ve made and move forward. We won’t always be perfect, but making the necessary corrections in your training or life to improve is proof you are learning from your mistakes and will help you come back stronger!
Sometimes it’s a Much Needed Wakeup Call
Injuries are tough and you shouldn’t be hard on yourself, but sometimes injuries are just the thing we need to realize that something needs to change.
It’s okay to push the limits sometimes, but other times we know we shouldn’t and still do. While injuries sometimes don’t have a rhyme or reason as to why they happen a lot of time they can be used as a wakeup call to finally make some necessary changes for your overall health.
It could be as simple as needing to work on your running form, strengthen your lower (or upper) body, or even focusing more on your core work. These are simple tasks but often ones that get skipped.
Embrace what an injury is and learn from it. Use it as a wakeup call to make some serious changes and come out of it better than you went in.
Puts Running into Perspective
Ever noticed that when something is taken away from you, you suddenly appreciate it a lot more? Sometimes we feel like we aren’t running enough, we are running to slow, or we aren’t as close to our goal as we want to be. However; the moment that we can’t run anymore all of that goes out the window.
A running injury is a great time to look back and take a look at all that running brings you. It is a great time to make you appreciate simply being able to lace up those running shoes and get out the door each and every day.
It’s also a great time to realize that for most of us running is a hobby. Yes, we have big goals and dreams to achieve things but there are other things in this life that are more important. Sit back and look at all the blessings you do have and focus on those until you are cleared to run again. Sometimes they help us realize that we aren’t appreciating the other things in life.
Injuries may be hard and frustrating but they have a great way of putting running into perspective.
Learn to Find Joy in Other Things
A running injury can be a great time to find another great joy in your life. No, running doesn’t have to completely go out the window but in the down time find another passion.
The passion could be fitness related, work related, or family related. Pick up a new hobby, try out a new spin class (if you can) or weight training, go see family that you haven’t seen in a while. Learning to find joy in other thins is important and sometimes injuries can help us do that.
While one of your joys may be taken away, it’s the perfect time to reflect and find other joys to focus on!
Enjoy the Comeback
I can promise you one thing, if you allow your body to properly recover then you CAN come back stronger after a running injury.
I had a femoral stress fracture at the end of 2013 and beginning of 2014. I thought there was no possible way I would ever come back from that and be able to achieve me dream of qualifying for Boston. Once I was cleared to run again, I found a reasonable plan, focus on the little things, and was able to run my first BQ by December 2014.
Does it always work that fast? No! I can promise you though that the comeback and reward when you achieve your first goal, run your first race, or even just step out the door for the first time is so amazing.
An injury means there will be a comeback. It may not be today, tomorrow, or even this month but it will happen!
The most important thing you can do is let your body properly recover and set yourself up for your best comeback yet!
A running injury is hard. There is no sugar coating that fact. However; there are always positives to be found in any situation!
What was the last running injury you faced?
What was one POSITIVE you discovered from being injured?
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