They say "Patience is a Virtue", but it's not one I easily possess.
If you asked anyone that knows me well they’ll tell you that I can be a rather impatient person at times quite a bit. I get impatient with coworkers, family, friends, computers, the hospitality industry, traffic, etc… It’s a constant work in progress. (Bad personality traits run deep the older you are/get.) Spike has been a tremendous help with this though and does a great job leading by example… I mean think about how patient you’d have to be, to be a runner living with another runner who’s injured. That man has been a saint over the past two months; dealing with my emotional break downs, going above and beyond when I was still on crutches, being supportive of my xtraining endeavors, etc…
Seriously, best. boyfriend. ever.In case you were wondering (you were weren't you?) it’s been six weeks since I was diagnosed with this stress fracture, eight weeks since my last meaningful run and coincidentally when I actually fractured it. You’re probably thinking, “Wow it’s already been that long?” but I'm thinking, “It’s. Been. So. Effing. Long!!!” (These being common thoughts of the injured and non-injured.)
But I've been patient, more patient than I have ever been before in my entire life because well, I don’t really have a choice. If I want to heal I have to be patient. I've been xtraining my brains out aqua slogging, cycling, elliptical-ing, logging massive amounts of NTC workouts, strength training, you name it. I haven’t even really been missing running too much (GASP!) because just regaining my independence by walking has been more than enough.
But that patience is wearing thin, especially this week as I have been experiencing bouts of pain that feels way too reminiscent of when I was first injured. Needless to say I am freaking out a little bit. I'm already two weeks behind schedule according to the plan and this pain is definitely putting a wrench in my plans to attempt running anytime soon. Thankfully I have an appointment with the sports doc who first saw me about this but that isn't until next week.
So guess whose back to rocking a crutch just to be safe? Ugh.
So back to that whole, patience is a virtue that I don’t easily possess thing, well right now its being put to the test. As you can see I am playing it safe, will continue to xtrain as I’m able, and I'll do my best to stay focused and positive but I have to tell you… if I were a weaker person I might have given up on ever running again about six weeks ago.
"Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardships with fortitude, even when the desires of our heart are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring, it's enduring it well." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Have you ever been injured and had your patience put to the test? How did you cope? Are you a patient person by nature? How do you keep your patience in check?
37 comments:
Way to go Spike! Though I've never had the same injury situation as you, I'm definitely up there on the impatient scale. My husband can usually call me down off of a ledge (or tells me that my rage is scaring him), but it's definitely something I need to work on.
I hope the new pain is just a small bump in the road! Can't wait to hear what the doc has to say!
i have no patience. none. zip. zero. it has been its been 16 weeks since my initial injury and 8 weeks since my last run. i still have not learned how to be patient. i hope you are back up and running sooooon my love!! xoxo.
Find a new routine. My last couple of injuries helped me firm up some routines that I had been neglecting. By doing them more often, they became a habit - for example my ab routine!
I have no patience either, fortunately I have yet to have an injury that requires me to stop running, but at times I've had to cut back my mileage and that sucked big time!
I deal with it by telling myself that resting now will allow me to perform better in the future. I try and ask myself "will this activity enrich my life, or will it hinder it?"
I'm not very patient. I can be, sometimes, but a lot of the times I get irritated. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has experienced "Bad personality traits run deep the older you are/get." I feel like the older I get the more impatient I am with things. I thought it was supposed to be the other way around...
Anyways. Hang in there. The one thing I can say that I know for certain, is the good things aren't always easy/fun. Wait it out; you'll be back at it!
Boo you are doing great! Hang in there. I know it's hard but I am so proud of you for doing all of the xtraining and still be a wonderful running blogger! I can't wait to see your face!
Patience is definitely not my strength. I remember how frustrating it was when I couldn't run last spring/summer and how at times it felt like I would never be normal again, but the good news is that I got better and you will too!! Hope it's not more bad news and wishing that your recovery period will soon be over and you can be out there running again! :)
you just hang in there girl. and take all of the help from that hunk-a-burnin'-love you can get. you'll back before you can say "Spike...can you make me some Jello"
OH NO! I am send very stern thoughts to your fracture to hurry the EFF UP already with this crap. I wish I could help. Can I mail you some milk? lots of hugs, BOO YOUR LEG. :(
I have a decent amount of patience in most situations... but eventually I hit a breaking point and I'd probably be there if I were in your shoes. I hope everything turns around and you get off those crutches and back to running soon!!
You have been SUCH a trooper through all of this. I really hope the pain is nothing to worry about and that we get you back on the road soon. You have demonstrated a lot more patience and determination than I can ever imagine - Seriously, I think I would just wallow and get fat.
I wish I had a fast forward button for you so we coudl just whiz through all of this, to a time when you're 100% healthy and this injury business is nothing but a distant memory.
well, i didn't like reading that one bit. i really hope it's just a phantom pain (i swear i had those and they felt as real as the injury pain!) and the doc gives you good news. hang in there!
I am not a patient person at all. My Husband is very patient (most of the time). He has to be to deal with me. My Mom asked him if he was ready for this when we first started dating (thanks Mom).
I'm currently injured and I haven't gone on a real run in 4wks. I've tried to run, which resulted in cussing, pain, and frustration twice.
I went to PT for an eval yesterday and i start rehabbing tomorrow. I'm getting impatient. I'm supposed to run in a tri-relay on the 20th and I'm not sure what to do about that.
Sounds like you are doing everything you can the right way. Try to keep it up. I've actually been injured too since about late March (IT band and inside knee pain), and I really haven't been able to do any running since then, it has been the hardest thing I've ever had to endure in my athletic life. I not only miss running, but I miss doing sports with my friends - right now I can't go bowling or play soccer either, and these are 2 activities that my friends and I do a lot.
Also the fact that I'm going to start missing races - Bay to Breakers is this Sunday 5/15, and I definitely can't run it. I might walk a bit of it. And I have a half marathon on June 6th, that I likely will have to miss since I won't be in good enough shape to do the race. I've never missed a race due to injury, so this whole process has been new to me. It is tough to keep my head up sometimes.
So it has been somewhat therepautic to read your blog, because you are going through almost the exact same thing that I am going through. We will both get there eventually, gotta keep the faith.
I am by far a very impatient person...if I want something, I want it NOW! hang in there and you'll be back in no time (even though it feels like forever!)
(I dig how grateful you are, and kudos to Spike!) Hats off to you for staying so active, even though you can't run. Seriously, that alone impresses me so much! Swimming and ellipticalling and lifting... when you get back to running, you won't feel like you've lost any fitness at all! Hang in there girl, it sounds like you're doing an excellent job of playing it safe and listening to your body!
I am so proud of you for hanging in there and taking the safe road. The more you play it safe now, the stronger you'll come back after. You got this girl. I can't wait to see you rockin the roads again. Keep bloggin :)
It's common to feel some mild pain when you start running again. It takes something like 90 days (on average) for the bone to heal. You can run on it before it is fully healed and you SHOULD be the shock imposed during running stimulates bone growth.
Be cautious. Be optimistic.
It certainly seems like you are going about this the right way, even though I'm sure it is as frustrating as can be to still be feeling pain and behind schedule. I hope that the doc gives you some good news!
This post is giving me a bad case of PTSD! I had to return to the crutch as well. I had pain that came and went and I never knew what it meant. All I knew to do was to do things that didn't hurt. It got better and it will for you too. Being patient sucks.
Hang in there girl. Anyone who is healing or has healed a stress fracture has exercised PLENTY of patience. Props to you for using the crutch. Sending healing thoughts your foot's way.
Patience is not a virtue I possess. I hate waiting!! You are smart though- you know you need time to heal. I hope that doc has some good news for you next week!
I'm pretty much the opposite of patient. I was about to say un-patient, but luckily my brain recalled the impatient is a word.
But good for you to help nurture a great virtue!
I hear ya!! I think our stress fractures occurred just around the same time. I have taken a pretty drastic step back with exercise. I started feeling a little sore where my stress fracture was after I started swimming so I cut that out again. I'm going to try again this weekend. It's been 6 weeks tomorrow since my last run. I'm not doing anything. It sounds awful to type that but it's true. The area of my stress fracture (pelvic bone) affects almost every movement so I do NOT want to prolong this recovery by pushing it now. I am thinking of you and hope you start feeling better SOON!!!!!
I'm no marathon runner but I enjoy running. Longest is a 10K. I like to run 3 miles per day, 4-5 times per week. June 1 2010 had surgery on my rt. knee. Torn meniscus. Turned into microfracture surgery. 12 weeks no running. 5 rounds of shots in the knee and now I had a cortisone shot this week because the pain will not allow me to run. This thing will not go away. Next stop is a MRI, more surgery?? I refuse to give up! I will get back to 3 miles a day, in this life or the next! Don't give up, it truly is a bump in the road.
wow, you have been doing such a good job. I'm sure it feels like way longer than 6 weeks to you. You really are doing yourself a HUGE favor by taking things slow and following doctors orders. When it comes to people I have the patience of a saint, i have no clue where it comes from. However, if i were in your shoes i would be going insane. You really are doing an amazing job and we are all so proud of you!!!!!
Spike is the best boyfriend ever. Just to verify.
And you are talking to Mrs. Impatient so I can totally feel your pain. Hopefully you won't be feeling that nagging pain anymore =(
I feel your pain. I dislocated a peroneal tendon in DECEMBER - no running since then. That's almost five months. I've finally built up to 30 minutes on the bike, but with lots of swelling. I'm not very patient by nature, and have surprised myself with only two meltdowns since then. I guess we just get through. Best of luck in your recovery.
Lots of cheers for Spike!
Argh, I am being the most impatient person ever with this achilles injury right now. I just today decided against running a marathon this weekend, because I'm just that damn stubborn. Held out hope as long as possible, but I know it's just stupid.
I'm so sorry that you're not healing faster, but you're being smart with the crutch again and making sure that you're in the best place you can be when you're back at it.
You were absolutely my inspiration to swim laps today. Just one thought of your killer arms, and I was on my way to the gym. So, if it makes you feel any better, you're absolutely an inspiration!
patience is a tough one.
i am hoping it's just "worry" pains... or maybe "you're such a beast and so strong" pains. :-/
i sure don't understand injuries. they can happen to people with a solid base in running who eat well, and can ignore people who are inconsistent with running and eat crap (****i hope i didn't just jinx myself****)
So sorry that your body is testing your patience to a point where it's just bang on annoying the heck out of you! I wish there was a way to predict the exact date of an injury to be 'over with'. But there isn't . That sucky patience thing is all us runners peep have got. And that truly sucks!
I truly hope it's just a bit of 'healing and almost there' pains! Make sure to check in with your MD and/or PT, though!
I am the most impaitient person EVER and I hated hated hated being injured. The one thing that really got me through, was going to PT. It made me feel productive and like things would get better.
Hang in there :)
I fractured my foot June 2009...and was benched until May 2010 when they finally did surgery. And by benched I mean absolutely no strenuous activity for the better part of that year. Post surgery it was another 3 months of crutches, casts, and no activity, and I wasn't cleared until January 2011 to start running again.
And even know it's a slow and steady battle. 5 miles feels epic, and a 9:30 pace can only be held for like, oh, a mile.
I know your frustration all to well. Hang in there. Follow the rules. It will get better!!
*Oops! By know I mean now. :)
I hear you on the patience thing. I'm pretty much terrible at it. But, I tend to do better when I give myself other outlets, like doing all of my workouts in the pool v. not doing them at all. And, don't worry about the plan - your body will adjust as necessary even if that means fewer weeks of training.
GAH. I meant to comment before but writing on my phone sucks.
So. UGH CRUTCHES ARGHHHHHHH. Come to Boston and I'll feed you cupcakes and we'll vent about random crap. UGHHHH CRUTCHESSSSS.
you're such an inspiration to me, especially right now. I just saw my sports doc today for my stress reaction and didn't get the news I was hoping for, so now I'm confused and not really sure what to do. I wish I was as patient as you are.
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