Thank you for this! I’m dealing with a running injury right now and lately I’ve been realizing how badly I need to just allow myself to feel *all* the emotions that come with it. My go-to is to push the feelings down, but I agree that the first step is just acknowledging it sucks, letting yourself feel it, then going from there. Thanks for the reminder 🙏
This present situation took me back to when Francesco Puppi fractured his wrist 2 times in a span of 6 months and was running races with a cast on. Embracing the suck is way easier said than done, it takes a laid back approach towards our selves because if not taken it this way, we pull our selves into the ground for making mistake that led to injury or situation. Hope you can recover from this as fast as possible brother. I know it sucks but embrace the suck and keep writing.
Didn’t even know about Francesco having experienced something similar! That’s motivating.
Yeah there is a spiral that can happen if you can’t exit the negative emotions and then start to judge yourself for said emotions. Hard to exit the loop sometimes!
Thanks for the kind words. I’m sure I’m back on track soon :)
Very relatable Max. Great post. Sucks about your brace, I hope it works out OK for you. (As an Aside, try writing with your left hand, you might be surprised what happens. I had to 'learn' to eat with my right hand, even though I am left handed; after I recovered, it made me faster with a knife and fork!). . Your thoughts on reflection are spot on. Its absolutely true: If you didn't get the race or workout you wanted, what you got was the lesson. Don't waste that on remorse.
If we are out there for enough time, trying to stay on a schedule, eventually trauma (falls) or chronic (hips, knees) stuff will make themselves known. For the latter, weak links in the chain.
On chronic injury: I had a friend who was a physical therapist, and his advice was to see "injury" on a continuum with adaptation. Injury being at the top of the curve: you're supposed to stress-recover-adapt-get fitter. Start a new cycle, and sometimes it just tips over to stress-cannot recover, weak points make themselves known. Take these weak points, work on them, get back into the cycle again. If viewed that way, injury doesn't suck as bad.
On Trauma: 'opportunity' happens when we put ourselves in, for lack of a better term "Semi-risky" conditions. I haven't known any cyclist who hasn't crashed (especially the mountain bikers, collar bones seem to break, a lot). Same with trail runners, we crash sometimes. Winter trail running, a single misplaced step, I rolled my ankle, fought the connective tissue fallout for 18 months. Sometimes, I STILL feel it, 7 years later. I can lament it, or deal with the set back. "What if" is a hard pill to swallow.
I went out for a nice run with a friend today, so it's not too bad! Luckily you don't need your hands for running. Just have to be super cautious to not take a fall again.
You are right, with enough experience in a field, inevitable setbacks are part of the game. Learning to cope with those is a skill we all should invest time into.
Love the story about your friend. It's so true. Without all the small injuries I had I wouldn't be as resilient as I am today, mentally and physically.
Thank you for the thoughtful reply! Appreciate it a lot.
Thank you for this! I’m dealing with a running injury right now and lately I’ve been realizing how badly I need to just allow myself to feel *all* the emotions that come with it. My go-to is to push the feelings down, but I agree that the first step is just acknowledging it sucks, letting yourself feel it, then going from there. Thanks for the reminder 🙏
So happy this perspective was a helpful reminder, Bethany!
I know the feeling of just pushing feelings down. Was a default for me for a long time, too.
I hope you are back on track soon. All the best!
This present situation took me back to when Francesco Puppi fractured his wrist 2 times in a span of 6 months and was running races with a cast on. Embracing the suck is way easier said than done, it takes a laid back approach towards our selves because if not taken it this way, we pull our selves into the ground for making mistake that led to injury or situation. Hope you can recover from this as fast as possible brother. I know it sucks but embrace the suck and keep writing.
Didn’t even know about Francesco having experienced something similar! That’s motivating.
Yeah there is a spiral that can happen if you can’t exit the negative emotions and then start to judge yourself for said emotions. Hard to exit the loop sometimes!
Thanks for the kind words. I’m sure I’m back on track soon :)
Very relatable Max. Great post. Sucks about your brace, I hope it works out OK for you. (As an Aside, try writing with your left hand, you might be surprised what happens. I had to 'learn' to eat with my right hand, even though I am left handed; after I recovered, it made me faster with a knife and fork!). . Your thoughts on reflection are spot on. Its absolutely true: If you didn't get the race or workout you wanted, what you got was the lesson. Don't waste that on remorse.
If we are out there for enough time, trying to stay on a schedule, eventually trauma (falls) or chronic (hips, knees) stuff will make themselves known. For the latter, weak links in the chain.
On chronic injury: I had a friend who was a physical therapist, and his advice was to see "injury" on a continuum with adaptation. Injury being at the top of the curve: you're supposed to stress-recover-adapt-get fitter. Start a new cycle, and sometimes it just tips over to stress-cannot recover, weak points make themselves known. Take these weak points, work on them, get back into the cycle again. If viewed that way, injury doesn't suck as bad.
On Trauma: 'opportunity' happens when we put ourselves in, for lack of a better term "Semi-risky" conditions. I haven't known any cyclist who hasn't crashed (especially the mountain bikers, collar bones seem to break, a lot). Same with trail runners, we crash sometimes. Winter trail running, a single misplaced step, I rolled my ankle, fought the connective tissue fallout for 18 months. Sometimes, I STILL feel it, 7 years later. I can lament it, or deal with the set back. "What if" is a hard pill to swallow.
Gravity's Angels.
I went out for a nice run with a friend today, so it's not too bad! Luckily you don't need your hands for running. Just have to be super cautious to not take a fall again.
You are right, with enough experience in a field, inevitable setbacks are part of the game. Learning to cope with those is a skill we all should invest time into.
Love the story about your friend. It's so true. Without all the small injuries I had I wouldn't be as resilient as I am today, mentally and physically.
Thank you for the thoughtful reply! Appreciate it a lot.