Picture courtesy of Billy Yang
I have never had to take a break from running like this and I see why a lot of good runners decided to "retire" and start doing something else. Anything else.
Here is a funny text conversation I had with Zach who has also been dealing with severe hip issues all year...
ME- Now that I am jogging I thought that my drive to get back into shape would be huge but it just isn't there. I keep breaking off my runs/hikes early
ZG- That is because running is dumb and once you get a taste of how awesome it is to not waste time running, you really have no reason to be motivated to go run.
I do feel a bit stronger everyday and I do know that the surgery was worth it. Hopefully I will finally get some decent results next year to help me justify all of this time that is spent on preparing for races. I wish I was the type of person that could just run an 7 miler every morning to stay in shape and call it good. I envy those people.
My mind is compulsive and tends to make my life a lot more horrible than it needs to be.
15 Thought provoking comments:
>That is because running is dumb
lol. That's a pretty funny conversation, in spite of the mental anguish that can accompany not running.
Been resting lately due to injury and/or chronic conditions, so I can relate. Honestly can't say if I'll ever go back to running a lot, and that bums me out.
At the same time, I appreciate whatever running I do, and frankly I feel better overall. I have more time. There are pluses.
Regardless, hope you heal completely and quickly so you can do whatever you want.
BTW that's how I judge bikers; if I can pass them uphill, they need to practice. If they pass me, I'm impressed.
Thanks for being so brutally honest with your thoughts. We all think this from time to time, but never put it into words. Nevertheless, even when you let it go, you end up going back because it is what we are – Endurance Athletes. You would have to find something to fill the void, and then it most likely would not compare to what most think is impossible.
When I take a short break from it all due to burnout, I always struggle getting back into endurance shape. When a 5 mile run feels like a long run, at first I just want to give it up. Then that little voice inside says suck it up wimp and fight for it. Are you going to take the easy path, or the path least traveled? Is this something you can live with when you wake-up tomorrow? It’s not about training for a race; it’s about getting back where you know you can be. Just focus on getting it back and how good it feels to be flowing along the trails, and don’t let the pressure of getting ready for a race enter your mind. There will be plenty of time for that later. You can, and will come back from this injury. You just need to dig-in and crawl your way out of this dark valley. You will be stronger when you survive this test. Faith!
Sorry for being so long.
One secret move (I've learned this more from cyclists) is to keep an eye over your shoulder. If someone is catching up, pull off just before they do and then act like you meant to stop there to take a picture (it's worth it to bring a camera or cell phone to legitimize this) or take a leak (emergency backup if no camera). That way it "doesn't count" that you were caught.
mtnrunner2 and Tom- Injuries suck and it is frustrating trying to get back into shape.
Mike- Your hilarious! My problem is that I pride myself on my climbing above all else. No matter what I pretend to do...I know that was just smoked. I hate that.
I also love when people turn around to "look at the scenery" when they are dying up a climb. Why not just wait till you get to the top before checking out all of the beautiful views? ha!
You're going to be fine. Build back your climbing base and enjoy the fact that you are going to be able to run DOWN mountains without hip pain. You've got this. A month from now you'll look back from a very different place.
It's been a bitch getting back to it too. My only advice? Don't sign up for any races in the near future and tell people that you're just "running for fun" (which is complete BS).
Billy- you know me..I am a huge sandbagger. I will ride this "hip surgery recovery" spiel for as long as I can!
Hey--you promised bun huggers! You better get your butt back into shape, bc I expect to see you sportin' the huggers pronto!
I haven't even gotten back to the 'running is dumb' stage yet. I envy your loathing of something we both truly love at our core.
Stupid mountain bikers. Woulda been a way cooler post if you had punched them and then outran them on the descent.
GR
Gary- I do love it. I pretend I don't but I think everyone can see through my bullcrap.
Glad you are going to get back at it soon.
Don't get me started on bikers...
Ok I'm started. Racing bikers is really all the motivation I need in this world- especially CO front range bikers with their silly state flag socks and muffin tops hanging out under their silly state flag jersey- "hey Brah, check out my new kit." It seems even the obese are sponsored bikers in CO. "Hey Broseph, Check out my new carbon fiber fork. It was only $2000 but it saves like 3 ounces. It's core legit." Need to worry about the fork hoisting all those calories into your fat biker face. I might move back to CO just to have more bikers to race. By the way, it's just as embarassing and spirit-crushing to be passed on a downhill by a biker than on an uphill. If a bike can roll downhill faster than one can run, then one needs to pick a route with more biker unfriendly ob-stack-les. That is why I live in Idaho, with its hellish fire scrarred blowdown tangles the size of beaver dams at least every 100 yards. I may be moving at 28 mins/mile, but at least there's no bikers out here. What's wrong bikey, this trail too techno for ya?
Ok I'm done now. I have to upload my latest GPS data into my online training log, update my blog with my latest and greatest accomplishments so as to attract sponsors while monitoring webtraffic flow and click sources, then wash my arm sleeves and calf sleeves and shave my legs smooth in anticipation for my hundred this weekend. Runners are so much cooler than bikers. It's the purity and simplicity of the experience that makes it so.
Amen.
The 2 dudes that passed me were wearing matching uniforms. Kinda weird when I am probably the only other person they saw out on the trail that day.
I run and bike so I feel mildly qualified to comment on this.
Beer-belly-vibram-minimalist preaching runner annoys me just as much Muffin-top-matching spandex-carbon everything biker.
I enjoy using whatever human powered tool will get me from point a to point b. Bike, skis, foot, boat....
I agree. There are annoying aspects to every sport and running is one of the worst.
Glad your surgery went well and you’re back on the run.
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