In my opinion, this is one of the most frustrating things about running. You can be in the form of your life, full of enthusiasm and feeling fit, strong and motivated and then 24 hours later you find yourself at the opposite end of the scale - either ill in bed or wrapped up in physio tape - with running suddenly feeling totally out of reach. It always feels unfair and undeserved, and when you're in the depths of it it really can be hard to see a way back.
It goes without saying that there are many, many variations of this scenario. It could be a small niggle, or a short-lived bug and you could be back out there within a few days. But sometimes it goes on for much, much longer and this is difficult to deal with.
It's surprisingly hard to be rational when you haven't been able to run for weeks.
Firstly, it's important to remember that 'this too shall pass'. Yes, it's frustrating and yes, it might have derailed your training plans or set your fitness back, but unless you are dealing with an extremely serious injury or illness, it will pass and you will get back to where you were. This sounds obvious but it's surprisingly hard to be rational when you haven't been able to run for weeks.
Secondly, it's important to try and use the enforced down-time to your advantage. It is impossible to stay at peak fitness all year, and while periods of rest and recovery should always feature in your training schedule, they don't always get the respect they deserve. The temptation to just keep going in order to maintain fitness levels and be 'race-ready' can be strong, so actually being forced to ease off and give your body a rest is not always a bad thing. Yes, in an ideal world you'd do this at a time which suited your wider training plans, but generally speaking rest can be beneficial and will enable you to come back stronger. It is also a good opportunity to catch up on other things in your life that may get side-lined when you're out running all the time. Anything that feels like time well-spent, whether that's seeing friends, reading or enjoying other hobbies, is going to make you feel better about not spending that time running.
Thirdly, you may not be able to run but there will still be things you CAN do. This could be as simple as eating well and getting plenty of sleep, or it could be more physical such as cross-training or strength work. Making these things a priority will help keep you in a good routine and keep the blues at bay. You'll also know that you're investing in your future running-self, and trust me when I say that further down the line you'll thank yourself for it!
Patience is key. Rushing back to full training before you are ready is only going to end in disaster and an even longer lay-off.
Fourthly, when you feel ready to run again you really need to avoid falling down the comparison black-hole. Ok, so 3 months ago you ran a 10k PB and now you can't sustain that pace for 30 seconds - of course that is disheartening but you can't do anything about it. What you can do, however, is remind yourself that 3 months ago you ran a 10k PB. Not 10 years ago, but 3 months ago. You can, and will, get there again.
Finally? Patience is key. Rushing back to full training before you are ready is only going to end in disaster and an even longer lay-off. Listen to your body. Your muscles/joints, your heart-rate, your energy levels - they will all tell you how they are feeling and it would be unwise to ignore them. Come back at your own pace and in your own time but focus on coming back strong. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. Every setback can become a positive if you're sensible and realistic. It may not feel like that when you're struggling around a usually 'easy' 5km, but those early building blocks are essential. Stick with it and trust that you will get there.
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