TOTW The dreaded injury

I have had my share of little injuries... but the worst was a femur stress fracture training for the ING Marathon in 2008.  Just one week before the race I was diagnosed.  And then in 2010, right after IMFL, I had a nagging shin injury that lasted for nearly a year.  I still ran, but had to really just manage it the best I could.  

The one thing I always try to tell myself is that 95-98% of all running injuries clear up eventually.  In other words, they aren't serious or chronic.

And sometimes extended time off can make you come back even stronger.   

10-4.  thankfully i kinda learned and implemented this philosophy for the 2003 marine corps marathon and carried it over ever since.  well, my kind of training anyways.

brown dog.. BOOM!  this is for fun and the sidelines suck.

I feel for you Slayer because I know how long you have been fighting this injury!

When I have an athlete that is injured and can't swim/bike/run (one or two of the three) then they become a monster at the ones that they can do. In your case (and I think you are already doing this) become a fish and and an even better crusher of dreams on the bike. That will maintain your aerobic engine and when you get clearance to run it will be a matter of gradually adding load to the musculoskeletal system until you are able to run big miles again.

I would also suggest to anyone with a chronic or nagging injury to find out what caused the injury in the first place. If it is an overuse injury maybe it's time to modify the training plan and shift work around so that one body part isn't bearing the brunt of training on a daily basis. Also a run gait analysis, bike fit, and swim stroke analysis can help to correct technique flaws that can cause injuries as well.

Heal up buddy!

My training has always had extended life interruptions.  It has been common for me to have 3-6 month layoffs for work or family.  This wasn't good for conditioning, but it did allow all the nagging injuries to clear up.  I have gotten to age 60 with basically sound knees, tendons, and other essential body parts.  I also have become an expert at restarting a training program.

Now that I am retired and have more control over my own schedule, I will have to be even more alert to little nagging things and make myself ease back on training or rest to recover.  I also have to limit expectations just because of age-related slowing of the recovery process.

TW

I just eat to make things better. It's making my achilles feel better.

Pour some 'Tussin on it

I've had a nagging foot injury and it was hard to take a few weeks off from running.  Went for the first time the other night and didn't notice any pain.  Unfortunately, my legs are sore now and my pace was a little slow but I felt good.  I initially tried to come back too soon and decided to just suck it up with a few weeks off.  

Well I throw myself into something else. Running is always my workout of choice and so far the only one that injury keeps me from. So I maintain fitness with whatever I can do. When my foot was paralyzed this summer from nerve damage and I was out from running for a month I swam and rode the trainer for time and half what I did running. When the nerve came back I was able to start back running at 40 mpw and within a month was back in the 60's without risking additional injury.

However I fully admit to not coping well. I was a nightmare to be around and whined and complained about my injury.

I don't know what I would do if I couldn 't run bike or swim.