Feeling familiar demons

Some of you may have noticed I've been quiet for the past 6 months or so, OK, pretty much silent. I was dealing with a spate of injuries that started with the AT and ended up with a torn labrum in my hip. Knock wood, I'm past that now and have been able to steadily run low mileage (6 miles or less) runs for a number of weeks now. I've been able to add in some swimming as cross training and aerobic base work as well. Unfortunately I managed to take a really bad fall running about a month ago and injured (cortical buckle, maybe more as the Dr. ordered a followup MRI - the results of which I anxiously await!) my left wrist, so no bike to also allow for non-impact aerobic conditioning.

So the demons. Although I'm not training for any specific race so don't have a day-by-day training plan, my nature is to progress against what I've done thus far. I think that this is present in all of us, but I'm struggling with the filter that enables me to progress at the right rate, avoiding injury. Example: Yesterday was a 1000 yd swim, 5 mile run, 1-hour Pilates session that pretty much wore me out - in a good way. Last night, it was abundantly clear to me that today was to be a rest and recovery day, but this morning I've got that little devil on my shoulder saying, "You're fine. A little 4-mile run will just loosen things up." Now I know a 4-mile run isn't much for many of you, but at this point in my recovery it is significant. I can feel that the legs are tired. I know that they need a break. But I still have that sometimes impossible to resist urge to take them back out.

I've got enough history (as many of you know) of overdoing it and paying the price. I've got to somehow figure out how to internalize the philosophies of Patience and Listen To Your Body (not that little red guy whispering in my ear). I'm sure I'm not alone in this, I know - we've all had to deal with it. How do you get your hands around something like this?

My suggestion is to find an alternate activity to satisfy your need to feel like you've accomplished something. Go biking, hiking, or just take a nice long walk. Don't avoid activity, just rechannel your energy into something that is less likely to cause a problem...

For me it is the fear of getting injured. I work extremely hard to get to the goal that I set forth and do not want to have all of that hard work go to waste by doing something foolish. I guess if a mental shift doesn't work, then do what Matt stated above and try to find a different way to channel that energy without compromising your health.

Start drinking, then you won't be able to exercise!

I find solace in meditating and reading when exercise is not an option. Even when it is an option those still help ground me. Problem is meditating is the first thing I stop doing when life gets busy! Yet it should be the first thing I do before life gets busy!

Mr MattM wrote:My suggestion is to find an alternate activity to satisfy your need to feel like you've accomplished something. Go biking, hiking, or just take a nice long walk. Don't avoid activity, just rechannel your energy into something that is less likely to cause a problem...

+1

Jim and I were on the same page here... Ha!

But I do like everyone else's ideas. When I was coming back, I'd just go on some 12-15mi hikes (3-4hr) in the mountains to keep myself busy and feel accomplished about the day.

Don't know about a 12 mile hike, but when I get frustrated and am at the point you are, I tend to walk my dog around the neighborhood. She will tire long before me as it is quite hilly and warm here, but then I feel like I'm not being a slug and the walk was good for me.

mul21 wrote:Start drinking, then you won't be able to exercise!

I think Dave-O has try this one before but still goes out and runs.

Tom,

Maybe your body is not good for long last impact workouts like running? Then you can try Tim Miller way with lots of biking, swimming and P90X?

You got to consider yourself lucky cause you can do those XC. I am convinced those will significantly improve my fitness and help my running, but I just don't have the will, nor interest to do those.

Drinking and smoking help too, I swear.

Love,
Jerry

When you want to run/swim/cycle but know you should recover, go for a nice walk instead.

We're not talking a power walk, either. Stroll. Bring a camera. Take photos.

Tom, I have the same problem. I crave a certain amount of activity to make me feel tired enough, and am too eager to add on more activities. What helps for me is coached swim workouts. The coach knows what I am capable of, so I can't slack off or work too hard (slacking is more of a problem with me in swimming!). The water and the heat leave me pleasantly tired, but the workout is clearly defined so I can't go on too long.

To go in a wholly different direction, if I am forced to rest due to injury or taper, I try to schedule my free time so I am not trying to run or otherwise exercise. I try to fill my time with volunteer work or kid activities. (Do you have kids? Trips to the zoo or water park are good. You can get that sense of fatigue.) Just don't volunteer to move boxes or go nuts working at Habitat building sites!

Thanks everyone, for the great feedback and suggestions. Seems like the consensus is to further broaden my horizons with additional activities, and I like that! Timing is right now that spring is here so trails are muddy no more and days are longer.

Matt and Mike - I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike, but you've got me thinking about the not so distant wilderness areas where I can do some hiking. Some have some pretty good hill, so would definitely satisfy my need for exerting the muscles.

Nick - that is the mental part I really struggle with. I want so hard to stay healthy so I can build on success, but then overdo it. Thinking about it, it is when I'm feeling the strongest that I overdo it the most. I'll need to pay more attention to that aspect.

Jim - Been there, drank that. It does work, but waaaay to well. And all that "I did what???" is highly overrated .

Kenny - I've never considered focused non-activity as a solution to the feeling of need for more activity. If I have an injury that prevents me from running, I can see my way down this path, but I don't know that I have the discipline to use it when I'm feeling good.

Michele - That IS one of my outlets. My dogs love it for the first mile, but after 3 or 4 are looking at me like "What are you thinking?" I stretched it to 6 on one walk and I think they would have peed on my shoes if they had the energy. One also limped for a few days afterwards, so I have to be careful not to make my problem their problem.

Jerry - I still want to believe the body is good for the long runs, and that I just have to carefully rebuild it. After running Eugene 2011, I really thought I was going to make some significant advances, and think I let that get to my head and simply overdid it in too many ways. I am adopting more XC as a way to build aerobic base and actually have gotten the Insanity workout from my son-in-law to consider. That one scares me a little bit just because of the name, but a running friend of my swears by it.

Mark - What is this "not a power walk. Stroll" thing of which you speak?

Liz - Where did you hook up with the coached swim workouts? Is this part of a Master's swim program or a private coaching thing? I could use some guidance in that area anyway, so is intriguing. I do have kids, but the youngest is 22 so a little out of the "volunteer at school" category. My special time right now is the 2 days a week I spend with my new grandbaby. Oh, you want to see a picture do you? Well, since you insist:

Aw! He is a cutie! He lives too far away to take to the zoo?

The other volunteering still works. Special Olympics or Habitat for Humanity or Food Bank or any other group that has a need for help when you might be running.

Yes, it is a masters group. You can find one in your area at usms.org. You can find a coach that way, too. Working on a technique based sport that doesn't use your hip so much might satisfy your urge to progress.

Schuey wrote:

I think Dave-O has try this one before but still goes out and runs.

No comment, your honor.


Tom, repeat this phrase 6 times: Trust the process.