Note to a runner on a comeback: "You'll get back there, but...."

Throughout the time I was off running, I realized how very common injuries are in runners at all levels.  Running is hard on our bodies!  Someone you know is always either injured or returning from injury - and many, many runners you don't know are.

That made me feel better when I couldn't run.  I don't wish injury on anyone, but it's nice to not feel alone.  Social media made me more aware of all of the runners, especially professional and elite runners, who are injured at any moment.   It wasn't just me that was dealing with something!

The last time I was in shape!

But the flip side is that social media has made me hyper aware of people returning from time off better than I am.  It seems that some people can stay really fit from cross-training - if you're one of those people, be thankful!  My body seems to adapt super specifically per activity.  When I started biking I was in top running shape, but biking even 12 miles was difficult and biking 20 miles was harder than running it. I got into pretty good biking shape (20 miles became nothing, 40 miles became "not long", and I rode numerous 50-70 milers), while I got terribly out of running shape!  I expected this to happen, and I didn't bike to maintain running fitness but instead to enjoy biking for itself and to be outdoors, so I wasn't disappointed.  I am sure that biking helped me more than sitting on the couch, but I didn't have an easy transition back to running.

Sometimes it's hard to not let comparison steal your joy.  It seems like many people go straight back into running fast after time off.  It seems like they just effortlessly float back into training, even though I know that's not exactly true.  It seems to come back fast for some people.  Every story of, "I PRed just 6 weeks off of injury" is meant as encouragement but is pretty discouraging when you figure you'll be doing good to run one mile at your former marathon pace 6 weeks after returning to running!  There is also the "I [insert major accomplishment here] after 4 weeks of land running and 1 workout" you hear from pro runners.  Don't even get me started on my error of looking at my own past comebacks (I have learned, age makes a huge difference)!

Many with good intentions say, "You'll get back there" in regards to your running fitness.  If that's a goal you have (it's okay if it's not!), you probably will get back there, but it's okay if it's a long journey and it's okay if you don't get back there too!

So I just want to say that if you're returning from an extended period of time off and are struggling, you are not alone!  I am there too!  I know I can't judge my comeback (from nearly 4 months completely off running) at 2 weeks in, but I am also very in tune with my body and its capabilities, and I can tell you it's going to be a very long time before I'm back to peak fitness!  I look forward to putting in work to get to whatever my current potential is, but I'm not going to tell you one of those stories about how I came back and immediately ran well again.

If you're feeling like you're the only one who isn't coming back quickly, you are not alone.  I know you'll work to get back there (if you want to), but it is okay if it takes 6 weeks, 6 months, or 6 years.  And you are just as valuable if you never get back there too - God's plans are always better than ours!