Dear injury,
Wow. It's been a while. We've been together for so long now. We nearly made it to our first year anniversary. I hate to break it to you (actually I don't, because you almost broke me) but I'm going to end things before they get a little too serious.
You see, I don't know if you noticed but I haven't been on the bike as much lately. I kind of have a thing for the winding wood roads and the cracked spring-time sidewalks. Oh, and don't forget about the big red oval with the white stripes. You know, a track? I used to be pretty good at that, and you've been holding me back.
Before I say good riddance, I'll do you a favor and reminisce on our time together. Because as much as you hurt me, you did teach me a lot.
The summer was rough. No summer training, no summer run series, no track meets or beach runs or post-workout pool jumps. The fall continued the same. This time was my first season out. No excitement lacing up in an October chill. No leaves crunching during a tempo. Just biking, biking, an occasional swim, more biking. Two more MRIs and a lot of false hope.
But throughout these mundane moments, I found fun in other things. I finally took legitimate yoga classes. I wrote more and worried less. I stayed out late and made great memories. I came to know myself as more than just "a runner".
Winter came and I still wasn't healed. I had run a bit but you came back with a vengeance. Enough is enough, I said. (Well, after my doctor convinced me it was.) Everything went on hold. For two months - nothing. Not even biking. Stretching, yes. Core, yes. Lift, yes. But my body went on a cardio detox and, as strange as it felt, it was the best decision I could have made.
I continued making memories, re-thought what I wanted from my body, quit some things and joined some new ones. Found myself feeling more like myself during a time when I thought that utterly impossible.
After those two bike-free, elliptical-free, run-free months, I ran five minutes, then eight, then 10 and yesterday I ran 30. As much as you pained me, you taught me how to heal. I know how to better take care of my body, when to rest, when to push and when to step back from it all.
I would never wish on anyone that they get injured, sidelined or in any way prevented from pursuing what they love. But I hope that if a time like this arises in one's life, they are able to learn from it what I have. Learn to see themselves as more than they once thought, learn to love themselves regardless, learn to keep striving forward no matter how daunting it may be. Throughout this whole ordeal I didn't know if continuing forward with my running dreams would be worth it. But I saw so many others persevere, I just had to keeping trying. My advice to others - keep trying. Never stop.
Spring is coming and that only means one thing: I want to race. And I'm sorry injury, but you're going to be the one sitting out this time.
See you never,
Your (soon to make a) comeback runner
