Beat the injury blues
STRONGER
Taking time off running can be difficult – but there are positives to be found
Words: Lucy Waterlow
HOW TO BEAT THE INJURY BLUES... ...AND COME BACK
Runners want to run, so it can be a tough pill to swallow when injury strikes and you’re told you need to rest.
Having to miss runs with friends, pull out of races, and lose the fitness you worked so hard to gain can get you down. And if running was your go-to in order to boost your mood, how can you make yourself feel better?
Dealing with FOMO
Olympian Steph Davis knows how hard FOMO can be after she had to pull out of her GB debut at the World Half Marathon Champs in 2020 due to ITB syndrome.
“It would have been my first GB vest so I was really upset about it,” she says. But Steph didn’t wallow and instead used the experience to make her stronger. “I put all my frustration into my treatment plan and cross training,” she recalls. “I really like cycling so I saw it as an opportunity to do something that I don’t usually get a chance to do when I am marathon training. I used my turbo and it was fun to work hard on the bike and see if I could improve my FTP (Functional Threshold Power).”
Devoting the time you would have normally spent running on something – or someone – else can help pass the time till you are able to run again.
You could also make the most of not having to factor a training run or race into your weekend plans by taking a holiday, or having a late night out with friends without worrying about rising early to exercise.
If you are missing the social side of running, you could volunteer at the parkrun you usually participate in, or take on a coaching role at your club.