Unfortunately we have all been in this situation. You’re training is going well and preparing for some upcoming races and we get thrown a curve ball and we get injured or sick.
The past 9 months have been a frustrating period for me, I have been struggling with a unknown left foot injury and despite many doctor appointments, scans, cortisone injections it is still unknown the cause of the pain in my foot. I have tried multiple different approaches including rest with no running (stopped running for over 2 months), rehab exercises, massage and physio. It has been a really challenging time especially for someone who likes to be on the go all the time!
I guess what doesn’t kill you can make you stronger and it is a reminder these things are a way of testing you and to not take the ability or the joy of running for granted.
This has given me a great opportunity to re-evaluate things and I hope I can offer you some suggestions and encouragement should you be faced with a similar situation.
Here are some tips to stay motivated when injured or unable to run.
New opportunities arise
With less time specifically dedicated to running, it has provided more time to spend with family and friends and all the important things I cherise. It has also provide me the opportunity to explore new activities, I have started both pilates and yoga this year and have already started to see some improvements including increased strength, presence of mind and improved sleep.
Learn from it
Find out what was the cause of the injury and learn from the experience to help strengthen and balance your body to become a better runner. Being proactive will keep you motivated and positive. You might also like to seek out others who have encountered the same injury and see if there is an new approaches you can take to assist and improve your injury.
Don’t focus on the negative
It’s a good idea to remember you are not running due a specific reason, by being sick or injured. So despite it being frustrating, take the time to allow your body to recover. Subject to your doctor’s recommendations you might be able to try some new or alternative activities like swimming or cycling to keep active.
Set some new goals
It may be challenging to start with especially when you lose your level of fitness but when getting back into training to keep you motivated it’s good to set some goals and maybe pick a race or two to build up for in the coming months once back training.