I think this is a great "real question" list that could apply to far more than just injured runners — just replace "running" with whatever your particular passion project is. I'm wrestling with my own version of it right now (not because I'm injured, but because I've reached the end of my running bucket list and, for the first time in a long time, I have no great and frightening adventure calling me forward). I'm thankful to be pulled to these questions by success rather than injury, but I think they are just as powerful and important regardless of why we ask them.
Thanks for this, Jeff! That's a really interesting aspect and would be worth writing an article about ;-) Reaching the end of the bucket list is almost like retiring from you job haha! Love this.
As mentioned a few weeks ago I can relate fully to your situation.
My knee also somehow is stuck or recovering or I-don't-know. No running, just flat walking with fears around walking downwards ...
I envy you for going to Trento. Longing for this also, but I have no idea where to go specifically and am trapped in a loop of: "I need a trip to regenerate. I am too exhausted to do the trip."
The fact that my van had(has?) some major issues doesn't help much in this case ;-)
In my mind I also somehow write about all this, maybe I should start dumping this to notes and posts also.
tldr; I am in the same boat. Maybe a bit ahead (age etc).
Thanks for this. The magic in speaking openly about an injury is finding other runners who are in the same spot. Makes the whole situation feel less terrible. Oh, and if you ask me: you should definitely (!) share your writings, thoughts and ideas.
Ha! Welcome to the writer‘s side of Substack ;-) I read your first article and wow you’re a natural born storyteller! All the details you remember and describe… I felt immediately thrown back to my one meniscus tear which almost (!) went the same way ;-) Keep up the writing! I really mean it. Glad you started.
Glad you like it. It's not my first article, there are a few more already.
This encourages me to write some more, today's posting was more or less written in one fast go while taking a break. Seems as if had preprocessed things 😉
I'm on my third year of hamstring issues that like you don't stop me running but prevent me from running freely and effortlessly. It is frustrating but I will take shuffling along every day for no running at all.
Lisa, thanks for your reply. It scares me a bit every time I hear that injuries can linger for years, but I am realistic enough that this could happen to me too. On the other hand I / we can always do something. It’s all about injury management and not losing hope. Get well!
Can’t relate to the injury part of it (yet!), but sooner or later this will inevitably hit every single one of us. Elderness is one stinky impairment nobody can escape.
However, I find myself asking the same questions on captivation vs imprisonment by what I love doing the most, and maybe your piece will bring me one step closer to finding my own answers (if they even exist, which I kinda doubt). Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this and fingers crossed you can keep on escaping injury! I am actually working on a piece about getting older. It also has a long list of advantages, but I agree with you on the fact that there is no escape!
Emily Infeld winning at the age of 35 is just bonkers to watch and that too in a stacked field.
Take the example of Shelby Houlihan who got banned, she might have used the substance or might not have but she got banned for 4 years. I think she was clean. Did she kept crying and laid in her bed, that MOFO put in the work for 4 straight years w/o training with anybody as she wasn't allowed to in the first couple of years. Now she is the 5000 Meter USA champion.
Andreas Almgren of Sweden who has multiple national records, he too had 6-7 stress fractures and couldn't run Rio, Tokyo and Paris Olympics because a month before every Olympic cycle as he was dealing with some kind of stress fractures. He kept putting in the work consistently. But injuries suck as they take a toll on mental and emotional part as well because we are not able to move physically that keeps our sanity and keeps us afloat as athletes.
I am not sitting in your position brother so I can't advice much. But I would like to tell you that you will get the feeling of running, that routine and almost everything you are longing for back. It might take a bit of longer time but just give yourself and your body some grace as it allows us do wonderful things. You got this Chris brother. :)
I think this is a great "real question" list that could apply to far more than just injured runners — just replace "running" with whatever your particular passion project is. I'm wrestling with my own version of it right now (not because I'm injured, but because I've reached the end of my running bucket list and, for the first time in a long time, I have no great and frightening adventure calling me forward). I'm thankful to be pulled to these questions by success rather than injury, but I think they are just as powerful and important regardless of why we ask them.
Thanks for this, Jeff! That's a really interesting aspect and would be worth writing an article about ;-) Reaching the end of the bucket list is almost like retiring from you job haha! Love this.
As mentioned a few weeks ago I can relate fully to your situation.
My knee also somehow is stuck or recovering or I-don't-know. No running, just flat walking with fears around walking downwards ...
I envy you for going to Trento. Longing for this also, but I have no idea where to go specifically and am trapped in a loop of: "I need a trip to regenerate. I am too exhausted to do the trip."
The fact that my van had(has?) some major issues doesn't help much in this case ;-)
In my mind I also somehow write about all this, maybe I should start dumping this to notes and posts also.
tldr; I am in the same boat. Maybe a bit ahead (age etc).
Thanks for this. The magic in speaking openly about an injury is finding other runners who are in the same spot. Makes the whole situation feel less terrible. Oh, and if you ask me: you should definitely (!) share your writings, thoughts and ideas.
Thanks for the nudge: I wrote a first posting to start with: https://open.substack.com/pub/stefangw/p/one-step?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Ha! Welcome to the writer‘s side of Substack ;-) I read your first article and wow you’re a natural born storyteller! All the details you remember and describe… I felt immediately thrown back to my one meniscus tear which almost (!) went the same way ;-) Keep up the writing! I really mean it. Glad you started.
You're flattering me 😊 thanks a lot.
Glad you like it. It's not my first article, there are a few more already.
This encourages me to write some more, today's posting was more or less written in one fast go while taking a break. Seems as if had preprocessed things 😉
That’s the spirit! Never overthink, just write. Works for me as well.
I'm on my third year of hamstring issues that like you don't stop me running but prevent me from running freely and effortlessly. It is frustrating but I will take shuffling along every day for no running at all.
enjoy the Writecation.
Lisa, thanks for your reply. It scares me a bit every time I hear that injuries can linger for years, but I am realistic enough that this could happen to me too. On the other hand I / we can always do something. It’s all about injury management and not losing hope. Get well!
Can’t relate to the injury part of it (yet!), but sooner or later this will inevitably hit every single one of us. Elderness is one stinky impairment nobody can escape.
However, I find myself asking the same questions on captivation vs imprisonment by what I love doing the most, and maybe your piece will bring me one step closer to finding my own answers (if they even exist, which I kinda doubt). Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this and fingers crossed you can keep on escaping injury! I am actually working on a piece about getting older. It also has a long list of advantages, but I agree with you on the fact that there is no escape!
Yes, sharing things helps, always.
Thanks for encouraging me to write something. Still hesitating, although "content" is collected in my mind .. ;-)
Emily Infeld winning at the age of 35 is just bonkers to watch and that too in a stacked field.
Take the example of Shelby Houlihan who got banned, she might have used the substance or might not have but she got banned for 4 years. I think she was clean. Did she kept crying and laid in her bed, that MOFO put in the work for 4 straight years w/o training with anybody as she wasn't allowed to in the first couple of years. Now she is the 5000 Meter USA champion.
Andreas Almgren of Sweden who has multiple national records, he too had 6-7 stress fractures and couldn't run Rio, Tokyo and Paris Olympics because a month before every Olympic cycle as he was dealing with some kind of stress fractures. He kept putting in the work consistently. But injuries suck as they take a toll on mental and emotional part as well because we are not able to move physically that keeps our sanity and keeps us afloat as athletes.
I am not sitting in your position brother so I can't advice much. But I would like to tell you that you will get the feeling of running, that routine and almost everything you are longing for back. It might take a bit of longer time but just give yourself and your body some grace as it allows us do wonderful things. You got this Chris brother. :)