I'll admit it has been hard to see running posts on Instagram and to hear about people's runs and races. I have a friend who suffered a stress fracture last winter. At the time, she expressed how hard it was to see running posts and hear her friends talk about running. I now understand that feeling. The feeling is a little bit of envy mixed with a whole lot of sadness and longing. But I'm trying to focus on being happy for others and their accomplishments; I'm trying to be supportive and encouraging. This ultimately makes me happier. It's truly amazing what focusing on the positive can do in any situation.
Yet I soooo long for that feeling of just running. Getting lost in a run. Having the miles pass without thinking about pace or distance because all that matters is that feeling of moving forward, of putting one foot in front of the other. When there is constant pain, there is no getting lost in a run.
So here I sit with ice wrapped around my leg, reminding myself that this too shall pass. I will be able to run pain free again. I don't know when, but until that day, I'll continue to do the things I can now that will make me a better runner in the long run.
I'll spend time on the bike. I'll swim and ellipticize my heart out. I'll strengthen my core. I'll get caught up on my Runner's World issues that have been stacking up. But mostly I'll just keep finding the good in every day.
Although I've been lucky for many years now I know the feeling and share your pain. It is so frustrating to wait patiently for the healing process to take its course. But you are right, it will pass and during this time there are many other positives to find and focus on. Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was first recovering from my stress fracture (still working on that) I too read Runner's World while on the elliptical. I found it pissed me off because I kept focuing on "I can'ts"--I can't run this cool looking race, I can't do this workout, etc. So I had to stop reading and allow myself to focus on what I could do--for me, the best thing was to focus on improving strenth. I could measure my progress, like with running, but it didn't hurt my leg.
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