1y ago

Share your techniques for maintaining motivation when recovering from injuries

I started running about a year ago. No specific goals just for fun, was making good progress till I got up to being able to run about 7 km 5 days a week no problem.

Unfortunately a series of health problems lead to getting really out of condition and I'm dealing with some knee tendonitis due to irresponsibility when doing strength training.

Now I'm gasping after 3 km and having to carefully pace myself to avoid aggravating the knee while I build it back up.

On one hand I know that a lot of the long term adaption isn't totally gone, that I'm not starting from zero. When I started I would throw up after running a block.

On the other hand it's demotivating as fuck putting in so much effort to hobble through stuff that recently was relaxing.

I'm obviously not the first person or the last to deal with this so I'm asking if you could share times when you've dealt with recovering and what kept you going.

13 comments

Once I was cleared to walk, I walked. And I enjoyed my progress walking. I put on some great audiobooks and just zoned out. But I was religious about getting out to walk every day.
Eventually I started jogging a little bit during the walks, and I enjoyed each session without pain.
No quick trick, I just enjoyed my progress each time.
- Good advice.

Focus on time, not distance or pace. If you used to do 5km in 30 minutes, just focus on running for 30 minutes. Even if you only go 3 or 2 km, that will turn into 5 again before you know it

Having goals, but also realistic expectations. Knowing that you can't got from 0 to full throttle w/out hurting yourself.
For my, in 2014, I had an itb issues which caused me to dns my first marathon, I found I could not run w/out pain for a long time. I was hurt, crying. I took time off, and got the leg functioning right again. Restarted very slowly. Ran 1200 miles that year starting with 1-2 mile runs 3 x a week, lots of short distance miles. The way I got back was avoiding getting injured by over during it. I set a 2016 goal of a marathon, but I built my base over 12 months.
Good luck, but train smart
- This is what worked for me when I had hip flexor problems from overtraining. I had to take some time off and then build back slowly. It's the only thing that worked for me after months of trying to "run easy" while doing leg work in the gym. I'm the end I just needed to let it heal. Oh and I used a heating pad every day.

Hey! Long distance runner here with over a decade of experience in the sport! I’ve dealt with several injuries throughout; most recently I spent about two years dealing with pretty debilitating long Covid, having gotten Covid in 2020 before a vaccine existed.
For me, what has helped me push through to finally running real mileage has been assessing exactly what it was that I liked about the sport, and what the sport did for me mentally, physically, emotionally. I then focused on those things I loved about it and have focused on them every run. Instead of thinking about how much farther and faster I could run in 2020, I think about how I get smaller versions of those things I love about the sport in my current runs. I know that the only way to get them is to keep going and trying to get back in shape.
Slowly but surely I’ve gotten back on my feet and it has given me a new appreciation for running, and a new view on the sport and lifestyle thag accompanies it.
I hope this helps in some way, I know it was long winded.
- That is helpful! thanks, you're right. I was never running because line goes up, I was running because it just feels good to be out in the bush moving quickly rinsing the cares of the day out of my head.
  That's a healthy attitude to have and I'll try to cultivate it in myself.
  All the best with your recovery!
  
  I’m glad to hear it! You’re very welcome.
  It sounds like you’ve already got a pretty good outlook on the sport and your recovery at this point, judging by your responses to mine and other comments!
  Thank you for the encouragement, I hope you have a speedy climb back to where you want to be, and that you enjoy every step of it as much as you can! (Recognizing how unpleasant running can be even when you love it!)

It’s not motivation, it’s discipline. If you’ve taken some time off (for whatever reason), slow down, cut miles, and build back up slowly and sanely.
- I don't really know how to turn what you've said into looking forward not backwards
  
  Cut your weekly miles. Maybe even in half. Make every run an easy run. If the pace ever feels hard, slow down. Add no more than 10% of the previous weeks mile total on to next week. Don’t try a workout until you’re completely healed up.
  You might have been stronger, or faster, before. But you need to embrace where you are right now so you can get to where you want to be.
  
  Determine the max you can do safely and comfortably right now, today. That's you're new limit for now.
  Plan walks and jogs that inch towards that for a few weeks then slowly move past it.
  Focus on the discipline of getting out regularly, and the enjoyment of not being injured, and of completing your daily task.
  Only once things are very, very comfortable, start moving a lot more and enjoy new goals.

Listen to your body and do what it says if you start out from zero.
Well sometimes your body is a little dramatic and that's the point where you need to disassociate. I figured out that Goa and psytrance are good to help disassociating as that's what they're original created for and they also have the right bpm to sync up your heart to.
But the most important thing is probably accepting where you are right got now and trying to find satisfaction in slow progress instead of what you currently can do. Maybe see it as a great opportunity to work on your mentality. What you put yourself through to sent easy and you should feel proud that you won't let that hold you back.

13 comments