Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Optimism During Injury


As a recently injured runner, the word Optimism certainly speaks volumes.  If you've ever been in the injury boat, I'm sure you understand.

When dealing with an injury, it is vital to have Optimism.  Otherwise pessimism may cause you to ball up on the coach, cover yourself with a  blanket and eat Cheetos and Peanut M&Ms for three months {sorry M&Ms, I still love you}.  As tempting as this may seem, we don't reach goals this way.  Nothing good comes out of it.

First and foremost, you've got to know what you are dealing with.  Don't diagnose yourself using the internet.  Don't go for weeks or months thinking you can fix yourself.  Go to a real doctor (or two, maybe three) and get evaluated and tested.  Discuss your options.  After a much needed and recommended therapeutic pity party, optimistically make a get well plan.  And then follow it!   If you've been prescribed rehab, physical therapy exercises, stretching, immobilization, injections (uh huh!), orthotics, pads, whatever -- DO IT.  Even if it doesn't end up helping, you need to try.




Secondly, surround yourself with Optimistic people.  Yes, this includes the aforementioned doctor (or perhaps doctor #3).  The last thing you need to hear is that you will never run again.  {Ahem, I'm afraid you don't know me very well!}  Lean on your family.  Reach out to your active friends, your blogger buddies.  They will provide a tremendous amount of support!  If you need to whine or vent, they will gladly listen!  They may have already been in the exact same boat and can give you valuable advice.

Thirdly, do what you can.  If you can't run, cycle.  If you can't cycle, try the elliptical.  If that isn't possible, focus on strength training.  Or, try swimming!  And I'll say it one more time...POOL RUN.  The point is do what you can do.  Measure it and challenge yourself to do more each week.  Doing something (heck anything) will definitely help you maintain an Optimistic attitude.  And remember, time passes and bodies heal.  Do you want to still be curled up on the couch? 


May I pass you the tartar sauce?



I'm linking up with Deb @ Deb Runs for the Wednesday Word.

Please visit Deb and the other participating bloggers.  It's fun!




47 comments:

  1. I so needed this today. I'm gearing up for my speedwork with a cranky plantar fascia. If I didn't have these 2 races, I'd be resting my foot. I'm just going to push on...

    Love love love that quote!

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    1. I wish your foot would heal already. I know it's so frustrating. Why can't we just do what we want? I think I've found a new mantra: Pass The Tartar Sauce! LOL.

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  2. Surrounding yourself with optimistic people is grossly underrated! Feeding on the energy around you can make or break any difficult situation, so be sure to surround yourself with positive, healing energy! And I love this "pass the tartar sauce" line, I'll be using this ;)

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    1. Absolutely! Positive energy is so important. I'm definitely going to use that phrase too! In my case though, I might prefer Pass The Cocktail Sauce.

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  3. Tartar sauce please! You're so right: where there's a WILL there's a WAY. And never trust the doc who tells you to give up running.

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    1. I was so lucky to have a podiatrist whose attitude was to do everything she could to get me back out there and to complete that marathon. It could have been very different.

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  4. Yes, yes give me all the sauce! Great post and so positive! I so love the new look of your blog! So clean and fresh looking! Great job! Go play outside phrase reminds me of what my parents would always say, my dad's twist was "Go play in the street"! We did, it was your typical dead-end neighborhood street! He was kidding but he really wasn't! Still makes me smile!

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    1. I'm amending my mantra to Pass The Cocktail Sauce! We lived in the country and played in the road all the time. My Mother left something frying on the stove because she saw me when I was just a tot in the middle of the road...and it caused a kitchen fire! We still played in the road. Ha.

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    2. After I broke my ankle on the ice while running in the winter, people commented that I bet you won't run there again in the winter. I have and I do.

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    3. Accidents happen. I think I would run there just for spite...to prove the injury didn't win!

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  5. Oh I think having optimism is a requirement to be a runner, right?

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    1. Yes. It certainly helps get through the not-so-good times.

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  6. Ha ha ha...I LOVE that quote!!! I'm SO with you in remaining optimistic when injured. I've just gone through the same thing and I'm finally feeling optimistic about the healing process. It's not always easy and sometimes I get down in the dumps but you have to be proactive. I tried so many different things until finally one thing worked. Sometimes that's just the way it is.

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    1. I'm very glad you found something that worked! Injuries are incredibly tough and an active and optimistic approach is vital to recovery.

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  7. I is very difficult to be optimistic during injury esp if it is serious. My doc was pessimistic. I am glad that I refused to believe him. And I was right.

    You were too!

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    1. It is very hard! Some days, you just think it will never end. It helps to have something (training) to focus on! It helps you stay positive.

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  8. Such a timely post for me this week. I've had a rough week with bad news and it's true remaining optimistic is a great way to approach things that come up. Even when the bad days come, a deeper rooted great attitude and as you perfectly put it optimism is the way to get through those days and back onto better ones and the goals for ahead.

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    1. I read your blog post about your diagnosis but haven't commented yet. (I usually read posts and then go back and comment -- I don't know why.) I was happy to hear exercise will be a good thing!

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    2. Thanks! The new blog look is a work in progress. I'm not quite there yet.

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  9. Love the quote!

    I will be the first to admit I'm somewhat dr phobic and tend to rely on Dr. Google a lot.

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    1. Oh I go and see Dr. Google a lot. But I also know there is a lot of incorrect information out there.

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  10. Optimism has never been a problem for me, I got it from my mother ! Its also one of the reasons I love your blog. You are always optimistic.
    Love the new look !

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    1. Thanks, Karen! The new look is still a work in progress.

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  11. I became "acquainted" with you in the midst of your training for WDW Marathon, and was immediately impressed with all that pool running! I have been dealing with Piriformis Syndrome stuff for several years, and I think I finally have it (somewhat) under control. How? By following the advice I'd give to someone else....I'm taking things easy in my off-season. I know I can run 10 miles without needing much "extra" training, but I don't feel the need to prove it to everyone else anymore. I have some 10K's on my calendar, but have kind of hesitated on deciding on my first 13.1 of the season...I really know I can ease back into longer runs, but I also know any extra time off will only help things heal further. I think that's optimistic, right? Knowing things will all work out in the ideal way if I allow it to happen? That's my #glasshalffull contribution ;-)

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    1. I struggle with Piriformis issues due to a water skiing mishap over 2 years ago. Thankfully, it doesn't bother me when I run but laying down in the bed at night is the worst! I'm also hesitant to plan a bunch of races right now. Is my body ready? I think taking it easy in your off season is very smart and optimistic!

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  12. I'm finding the need to be optimistic with my training for the next two weeks. I have two consecutive business trips. And tri training is much harder when traveling. Since pools and bikes don't fit in a suitcase. I'm still 7 weeks from my first race which is a "for fun" race so I'm sure it's not that big a deal. Gotta stay optimistic. More important to stay healthy then overdo it and get sick (especially with jetlag on an international trip!)

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    1. I agree that staying healthy is probably more important while traveling. But hopefully you can get some running and spinning in hotel gyms? I know you will come up with a way to make it happen!

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  13. Tartar sauce, please! I love the Moby Dick line! I think doing anything is exactly what you should do and we need to adjust our expectations when injured. Good point.

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    1. I had never seen that quote before. I'm going to use it as a mantra but revised to "Pass The Cocktail Sauce". Or, "Let's Go Get A Whale!"

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  14. That quote made me laugh. These are great points about dealing with injury, although I do think you also can cry over it once in a while as long as you wipe your tears and get on with when you're done.

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    1. I think tears are a necessary part of dealing with it, especially at the beginning. I had a loss of a big dram to cope with.

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  15. P.S. When did you switch up your blog? Looks good!

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    1. Just recently. Thanks! It's a work in progress.

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  16. I thought optimism would be a good word for runners to write about, and you nailed it from an injury perspective.

    Thanks for linking up!

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    1. I'm looking forward to (I'm optimistic about!) not writing in regard to injury. I'm ready for it to be a thing in the past.

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  17. Yes!!

    As a past injured runner I totally agree. As hard as it was to bbe optimistic, it was the only thing that got me through.

    Yup even had the Dr. who told me to stop running....NOT GONNA HAPPEN! Thank goodness for my sports DR.

    I was so impressed with your drive during your injury! Your pool running was awesome!

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    1. You are right! It is hard to be optimistic when injured and you certainly won't feel that way every day. As long as you keep returning to the optimism, it will be OK.

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  18. Ah yes, surrounding yourself with the right ppl makes a WORLD of difference....great post!

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    1. You've got to have a network of people who can lift you up when necessary!

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  19. Oh I need this word pasted to my forehead. With an IT band injury followed by Bursitis in my hip, I am trying to remain calm and optimistic for my spring races. Thanks for keeping me encouraged!

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    1. I hope your PT is coming along nicely. I will be going to PT this week to address my ITB and also for preventative measures for that, hips, and everything else that hurts! HA.

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  20. You took me back to high school English class with that Moby Dick reference :) That's a lot of optimism!

    Being optimistic doesn't mean everything is okay all of the time and you live in the land of sunshine and rainbows. But, like you said, it does mean that when you're dealing with something (like an injury) you do something about it. A pessimist says "well, I'll never run again" and reaches for the cheese doodles. An optimist says "I can't run right now, what am I going to do about that?" The people we surround ourselves with have such an impact on our overall emotional well being, too.

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    1. Some days you honestly don't feel very optimistic. But you have friends who will give you an encouraging word and help lift you up. And then you get back to work.

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  21. You're so right - nothing brings you down faster than downer people!

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    1. There is enough negativity in the world. I try to stay away.

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  22. You and I have both had our fair share of injuries. It's time for us to be able to run and be healthy. Patience is one of the toughest things to achieve! I know you can do it!

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