Meet Carly the Runner 4.0. Why 4.0 you ask? Let me explain: I have had three major injuries since I became a runner in August 2004. In order: a stress fracture in October 2006, a calf strain in February 2010, and sesamoid inflammation in January 2013. Each episode reduced my running to zero for several weeks and initiated the cycle: Injury. Coping. Comeback. Therefore, if I started as Carly the Runner 1.0, I am now 4.0. Let’s look at the cycle:
Injury.
It happens to the best of us. Mine have usually been the result of overuse. Accepting being injured is the first step, and it’s a toughie, but more use on top of overuse does not lead to faster recovery or quicker times.
Coping.
Through my forced transitions, I have gained considerable skill in coping with injury and anxiety while remaining a pleasant human being.** The injury causes pure frustration, arising from an inability to do an activity I love. The anxiety is a nagging foe reminding me I am getting slower everyday, and I had better put down the ice cream spoon. These internal struggles become a serious hinderance in pursuit of being my best self, but I do think I am improving on this front by finding alternatives to running such as pool running and by reminding myself that I will recover, after all, I have before.
Comeback.
What has made me better at coping, is likewise what has made me better at recovering: confidence that my running ability will return. In transition from 3.0 to 4.0, I trusted more fully in the ability of my body to remember running: eight years and 10,000+ miles are too much to forget over a few weeks. Thankfully, this has proven true. In week one of 4.0, I have run five times for a total of 25 miles – that’s a good memory! I also take 4.0 as an opportunity to hit reset on certain metrics – like longest and fastest runs for general training purposes. This helps me avoid unfair comparisons to how I was then with where I am now. Therefore I would like to celebrate with you the longest run of 4.0: 7.25 miles on April 6. Take that comeback!
For my real comeback challenge: the Palmetto 200 April 12-13 with the Old Guns, Young Ones, and Banditos. Next post will be a follow up on the race. Ole!
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**I will confess that during my most recent injury, “pleasant human being” status faltered seriously one day in early March. The weather was beautiful: sunny and warmer than it had been, and I was driving to the post office when a song I usually listen to while running began to play on the radio (“Trouble” by TSwift, if you were wondering). The pangs of being unable to run tore me apart. Worse yet, I had not gone to the doctor yet, so I had no clear idea when I would be on the road again. My parents gamely took my phone call. I think if they had known how I was going to whine, they might have let it go to voicemail.^
There was also some serious pouting when my mom came to visit for a weekend. Clearly there is still room for improvement in the “Coping” phase, but I would like to think I weathered the storm better than I had in previous transitions.
^They wouldn’t actually do that, I was being dramatic.
