I hardly ever log on anymore…after I herniated a disk in early June (S1-L5) and have been unable to run or ride since. Bummer but I had to cancel all of my races. I still swim, use the elliptical machine and light weights. But to say that I miss running is a gross understatement. My personality has changed and not for the better since I stopped. I am undergoing a series of surgical epidurals and started PT this morning. I’m seriously thinking about getting counseling for the whole attachment to running personality dysfunction thing. Running truly was my mental tidy. I know that I’m not the only one who has gone through this. PLEASE do share some stories. I need encouragement. I want to run again. I hope that everyone’s season is going well and that all injured are healing quickly! Thanks for reading.
Best,
Jenny
I have some degeneration and have torn discs a few times. Definitely sucks. It takes me a couple months to recover from that. I had to drop my planned A-race this year (and B-race) from a tear in April. Hopefully swimming is OK for you? It wasn’t for me again until recently.
Seems like lots of people have bounced back from ruptured discs really well. Good luck and consider PT (and upkeep later) your job!
Jenny,
I know what you mean. I have been there and I know there are a bunch of others who chime in. For me, running is a HUGE mental stabilizer. I am a complete disaster when I can’t run. There are some morning that I come home from work and after 5 minutes my wife just stops talking to me and literally hands me my running shoes and tells me not to come back until I have destressed. I was fortunate in that my problem was IT Band Syndrome so I could still cycle. But that doesn’t do it for me the way running does.
Know this: running attachment and depression are real. It is not just you, not even close. For some people, it is literally like a death of a close personal friend or family member when they can no longer run. So I wouldn’t treat it lightly. I don’t know you, but I can say that it is possible that you could benefit from some counselling. Not everyone is the same, but if it is in the back of your mind, maybe your mind is telling you that it needs that. You never know what sort of lessons you could learn.
I took up yoga, and I think that practice helped me immensly. I started like a lot of people where I was mostly interested in the physical practice. But now, I really get into the mental practice more and more. I know that I have learned a lot more about myself since I have done that.
One thing that I noticed was that the injury took on a circular life of its own. So much so that it seemed that the stress of having the injury increased the stress that I was having from not being able to run in the first place. This is the cycle that needs to be broken.
Good luck and keep us updated.
Bernie
thanks guys…
Bern,
I should have posted sooner. Your response brought me to tears. You are the first soul that has understood. Thank you for your kind and understanding words. I certainly need to talk to a pro. cuz without running I have been lost.
Be well,
Jenny