Lessons (Re)Learned From Injury

Today was supposed to be the day that I made my Boston dreams come true.

Today was the Newport Marathon, a relatively small race (under 1,000 runners) on the central Oregon coast.  It is a magnet for would-be Boston Marathon qualifiers with its flat course at sea level.  According to MarathonGuide.com, Newport had 19th highest percentage of Boston qualifiers in 2013, with 21.2 percent of finishers hitting their Boston mark.

And it was to be a magnet for me.  After running a 3:23 at the 2013 Portland Marathon, I was on pace to hit or come awful close to a BQ this year.  By the end of January, I had put my money down for Newport and had put together an aggressive training plan to get me to my goal.

At the same time, though, a couple of old friends came back into my life: Achilles tendonitis and lower back issues.  It was three years removed reunion that I could have done without.  But, as chronic injuries tend to do, they came back just as life on the run was starting to really cruise.

I later figured out that the root cause of my injuries likely was not due to running or training, but thanks to the living room remodel we did right after Christmas.  I thought I was being smart in how I was lifting furniture and preparing the room for contractors and carpet layers.  Now I know that smart would have been having someone else do the heavy lifting for me.

But training, and pride in my training, compounded the problem.  I didn’t read the signals like I should have and didn’t rest when they showed up.  Continuing a streak of 12 straight months with 100-plus miles was on my mind.  I did make it to 13, but at a price. 

When the Portland snowstorm of February 2014 hit, I decided it was a good time to take a break and rest my Achilles.  A week or two off should get it back to normal, right?  Two weeks turned into two months of reduced running.  So instead of running the Newport Marathon on May 31, I rejoiced in the fact that I was coming back and finally seeing my mileage float around 20 miles per week again, mostly pain free.

Every setback, however, has its positives and its lessons…if we are willing to learn from them.  This setback for me is no different.  The last two months has provided reminders that often times are easily forgotten by driven athletes, but are the things that keep many runners on the road more and on the mend less.  Count myself among those, counting myself fortunate that it was not longer.

Here are some of those lessons relearned:

TAKE CARE OF THOSE HURTS NOW, NOT LATER. If I had taken care of my Achilles right away, taken a few days off when I first noticed an issue, I might have been at Newport today.  There is nothing worth pushing through an injury if it can be treated immediately through icing, stretching and rest.  Even things as trivial as streaks or a few missed days of training aren’t worth it.

If something is sore that is not typical (i.e. it worsens when you run or affects your form), take three days off and treat through ice, stretching, massage and rest.  If it last longer than a week, consult medical professionals.

KEEP WISE MEDICAL COUNSEL.  Since working through my first bout with the Achilles and lower back three years ago, I have been blessed with a pair of great professionals who have helped me to come back stronger than ever. 

My podiatrist, Dr. John Mozena, is a marathoner and national-class master’s triathlete.  We actually met during my first Portland Marathon in 2010 (but that is a story for another blog post).  He understands endurance athletes and runners, being one himself.

My physical therapist, Scott Hein, is a wizard in every sense of the word.  Scott was the one three years ago who linked my Achilles issues to my lower back and did so again this time.  He understands that more important than treating the symptoms is treating the cause of the symptoms, which aren’t always the same.

SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION SOONER THAN LATER.  I made another common athlete’s mistake in this process.  I spent about a month trying to self-treat my issues.  If I had seen John and Scott sooner, my two months off might have been one.  And I might have been in Newport today (not going for a BQ, but at least not watching an entry fee go down the tubes).  If you hurt for a week, do not hesitate to see a specialist.  You’ll thank yourself for it later.

CORE TRAIN.  I have known for a long time that core training and strength training reduce injury and make for stronger runners.  But a weight room can be intimidating.  It can also be hard to find a plan that caters to runners who are on tight schedules.

Before my layoff, I found the book Quick Strength For Runners by Jeff Horowitz.  The book lays out an eight-week plan core strength training plan using plyometric exercises, medical ball exercises and light weight (think 10-15 pound dumbells).  The layoff actually allowed me to give the plan a try.  It has been easy and I can feel the results.  I can’t to see how much it benefits me in racing.

INJURY DOES NOT EQUAL COMPLETE REST.  Most injuries do not mean you put your feet up for the duration.  In fact, some physical therapists’ treatment plans (such as the ASTYM performed on me) are most effective when the patient is still active.  You can’t run?  Try an elliptical machine or run in the pool.  Do a hard stationery bike workout.  Start or enhance your strength training plan.  Whatever you do, don’t just sit there.

TAKE YOUR TIME.  Once you are cleared by your doctors, that doesn’t mean immediately hammering a 30-mile week with a tempo run and track work.  You have to come back slowly and allow your body to get used to the stresses that running puts on it.  My physical therapist put me on a “Return To Running” plan that built me back up to regular, sustained running.  It starts with four segments of two minutes jog, two minutes walk.  Sure, that’s a frustrating start to a comeback, but remember the end goal.

When you do get back to a regular running regimen, remember the 10 percent rule: Don’t increase your mileage by more than 10 percent each week.

STAY POSITIVE AND STAY FOCUSED.  Running is a critical part of our lives, and it is easy to get down when we can’t do it.  Remember that injuries, even the chronic ones, are temporary setbacks.  Stay positive.  Reach out to others for positive reinforcement (social media is great for this).

READJUST YOUR GOALS.  An injury is a setback.  There is no reason it should wipe out your goals.  The Newport Marathon is gone, so I must re-adjust my goals.  My outlook is now set for the Eugene Marathon’s half-marathon at the end of July.  After that, perhaps another Portland or the Seattle Marathon in November.  A trip to Boston likely will not come up until at least 2016, and that’s fine.  As a wise runner I attend church with reminded me, Boston will still be there.