Looking on the Bright Side of Injury

Being injured really sucks.  There is no way around it.  Yes, things could be worse.  A lot worse.  I could be Paula Radcliffe and realizing that my career is about to end because of an injury.  (Read more here) But that doesn't make it any less frustrating or disappointing.  I am mostly frustrated because I worked hard to train for a marathon and now, all of the endurance and speed I gained is quickly diminishing right before my eyes.  I ran my marathon and wasn't pleased with my time, but rather than get back to work, I am becoming BFFs with the elliptical and hardly running at all. 

Paula Radcliffe pulling out of the Olympic marathon in Athens.

 

 

 

My running life has been a series of training followed by injury.  This pattern has been going on far too long. I usually spend my injured time wallowing and hating life (maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration) but I am trying to avoid negativity at all costs.  Nobody likes to be around me when I'm injured and I'd like to keep my friends.  Therefore, I am making an attempt at looking on the bright side of injury.  I know what you're thinking:  "There is a BRIGHT SIDE to injury?  Lady, you are off your rocker!"  That second part is definitely true.

If you're injured, I encourage you to think about all of the things you CAN do when you CAN'T run. There just has to be a bright side, and I am going to find it.

Here goes...

Being injured allows me to...

• Read more
• Spend more time walking my darling doggie
• Focus on recovery
• Sleep in and then proceed to drink an entire pot of coffee on Saturday mornings
• Go out with friends more often  *Running tends to make me a tad bit of a hermit crab.
• Use my gym membership
• Stay up late without stressing about missing my morning run
• Watch hours of Pretty Little Liars *my latest guilty pleasure -- don't judge!
• Journal and reflect
• Skype with my family
• Hang out at the beach
• Get psyched about Boston training because I WILL be injury-free in time to train!

I'd say that's a pretty good list there.  Ahh.  A sigh of relief.  This too shall pass...

***

I was hanging out on the Oiselle Athlete's page, and I really love the sentence they ask their athletes to complete:  If I was stranded in a hotel room with one movie and one book, they would be… 

I would choose Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy because his writing is so beautiful; I can't get enough of it.  My second runner up would be Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  I just finished it and wouldn't mind reading it again.

As for the movie, it's a tough call.  Initially, I was thinking of a really great French movie because I can watch those over and over again.  But I decided on Unbreakable because I never get tired of watching those guys run. Talk about a Runnerd!

What is your answer? 

I really want to know!  Humor me!