Thank you to Amanda @ Running With Spoons for hosting this Thinking Out Loud link up! Last week's TOL post was very fluffy... so things are going to get serious this week!As I am coming out of injury recovery (not quite there yet, it's a process!) I have been doing a lot of reflecting. Here are some thoughts on the hardest thing to accept as I go through this...
This is the hardest thing for me to accept as I recover from my injury.
I am a
very determined person. I always strive to be better than I was the day before. I constantly want my fitness to improve, but I have found this to be impossible
over the past 3 months due to my knee injury and subsequent surgery.
It's
very, very hard for me to know that I am not in the best shape I could be
in. It's a blast to my ego. But I have to accept that to everything, there is a season. I don’t always have to be in the best shape of
my life. In fact, it is good to have training “seasons”. Months that are hard,
months that are easy, and months that are in between.
Even though my mind is hating all
this, I’m sure my body is loving it.
Of course there are other things that suck, but that is the hardest thing for me.
Once I am fully recovered, it will be fun to up my fitness level. I can't wait to jump and sprint and lift lower body again! It will soon be the season to "push myself". But for now, my season is "smart recovery".
Do you have hard training months and easy ones?
What's the hardest thing for you to accept about an injury?
Are you in the best shape of your life and how do you define that?
Of course there are other things that suck, but that is the hardest thing for me.
Once I am fully recovered, it will be fun to up my fitness level. I can't wait to jump and sprint and lift lower body again! It will soon be the season to "push myself". But for now, my season is "smart recovery".
Do you have hard training months and easy ones?
What's the hardest thing for you to accept about an injury?
Are you in the best shape of your life and how do you define that?
I definitely have an ebb and flow to my running with regards to mileage ... and I'm completely down on my lower body lifting. I know I won't be where I was before I started half marathon training last November which is making me not want to squat/deadlift at all... ever again. Which is stupid because I generally like squatting/deadlifting, but the idea that I will have to train back up is annoying!
ReplyDeleteI need some inspiration! :) Can't wait until you're back at it!
It is way too hard to be super strong in the weight room (lower body wise) when training for long distance races. Now, your season is RUNNING!
DeleteIt's definitely not easy to deal with an injury, but just because you can't train your body right now, doesn't mean you can't train your mind. I'm a firm believer that even bad things happen for a good reason, and that we come out of those times better people as long we heed the lesson. It's just a different kind of strength you have to work on right now :)
ReplyDeleteOh Amanda you are so right!!
DeleteI can feel you on this one. Even though I am not injured, I feel as though I have to go harder than I did yesterday every single day. This is an absolutely terrible way to train. I need to let go of my ego and realize that I can't do everything always. Yesterday I almost went home from the gym because I could hardly lift my arms to put my bra on. I was so tired and frustrated with myself that I couldn't allow myself to just go home and rest. Well, I ended up running and lifting and I did feel better, but I should have just gone home and given into my need to rest my body.
ReplyDeleteI will tell you that it wasn't until I stopped over training that I really started to see results! You gotta just MAKE yourself do it. (If you really want to) It sucks at first, but then the new sked just feels natural.
DeleteI can totally relate right now. I just want to get out there and start running and continue my training for the Spring Races I have planned but because of my knee it just doesn't look like it's gonna happen right now. We both just need to be patient I guess. Hopefully our down time will make us come back stronger than ever. Are you maybe contemplating not running a race this spring either?
ReplyDeleteI made a schedule for myself for Boston. If I can complete the runs I have scheduled, I will do Boston. If I can't, I won't. It's still to early to tell. It will definitely be cutting it close!!!
DeleteI can totally relate right now. I just want to get out there and start running and continue my training for the Spring Races I have planned but because of my knee it just doesn't look like it's gonna happen right now. We both just need to be patient I guess. Hopefully our down time will make us come back stronger than ever. Are you maybe contemplating not running a race this spring either?
ReplyDeleteI love this! Your knee will be healed soon enough. I am in a recovery-ish season as well--mine kind of varies from day-to-day but I'm definitely not working out as hard as I "could" be. I AM working out as hard as I should be though and that's what matters.
ReplyDelete"should" be. I like that!!! That's where I am at too!
DeleteI hear you! It is definitely hard to accept it when you're injured and can be a HUGE blow to the ego! I have felt the same way over the past month and know I need to be super careful this time around. I always THINK I am but this time I am going to force myself to start doing some weight training so that I don't get injured AGAIN.
ReplyDeleteGreat goal! Weight training FORCES me to run less.
DeleteWhen I'm injured it's my ego for sure that feels the most pain. What is that need we have to push and be better /faster than yesterday??? I have that too send any injuries I've had are from overtraining.....it's do dangerous to train that way, but sometimes I still do. :S I think your plan is smart:) good luck with your runs :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Heather ! :)
DeleteI completely understand this! I know that it's unhealthy -- and impossible -- to stay at peak fitness 100% of the time, but I too hate knowing that I'm not constantly getting better/fitter/faster. It's one of those times that we have to let our brains take over our emotions. Rest, recovery, and focusing on fun are all important aspects of fitness, too.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I have to remind myself I am not an elite athlete. I CAN'T keep getting better!
DeleteI love your honest posts. There are always training seasons and we do need to take a break from time to time. Our brains need to recover and so do our bodies. Plus our bodies plateau so we definitely have to mix it up!
ReplyDeleteOh thank you! I try to be open about my fears and insecurities. It's all in my head though.. I know it.
DeleteThat is such a good point! When we don't care, it' a problem.
ReplyDelete