When you do the *right* things but get injured anyway

I used to consider myself an “injury-prone” runner. My first stress fracture during my sophomore year of college sent me down a decade-long path of injuries. After years of injury cycles, I accepted that stress fractures and other setbacks were just something that happened. Forced time off a few times a year became my norm.

Then, in 2021, I had ankle and heel surgery. Armed with the knowledge I’d gained over the previous three years or so, I made a decision to do things differently afterward. For the first time, I truly committed to fueling and strength training.

Consistent fueling gave me the energy I needed to run harder workouts and recover more effectively. Strength training made me physically more resilient and reduced the day-to-day aches and pains of marathon training. Together, they allowed me to finish my longest runs feeling strong rather than completely depleted.

After surgery I began to return to running in March of 2022. From then on, I was proudly injury-free for four years…until this March.

What started as a little inner-ankle soreness progressed to something more significant. Eventually I took some time off and when that didn’t seem to help, I went to see my DPT.

Getting injured when I’ve been so focused on doing everything right felt like a slap in the face. At first, it felt shameful. It also felt unfair.

However, after a some time and reflection I was able to acknowledge that sometimes, shit happens.

We can do all the right things and still experience adverse outcomes. Our bodies are resilient, and we can do a lot to support that resilience, but we’re not indestructible. Running is a high-impact sport and injuries are part of the territory.

Two months ago I was pretty frustrated, and I was mad at myself. But now I can see there wasn’t much I could have done differently. Some things are simply out of our control. Now instead of beating myself up, I’m being patient and gentle with myself.

Running has felt pretty hard for the past six weeks, but I’m making progress. I’ve recently started incorporating strides and workouts again. Eventually I’ll return to the fitness I had before this happened. I’ve been here before, and try as I might, I’ll probably find myself here again at some point.

If you find yourself in the same boat, I hope you’re kind to yourself. You’re doing the best you can and sometimes crappy things happen. When they do, assess the situation, take the next step to move forward, and practice patience in the process.

The path is never linear. We’ve got this.

What does it actually take to build a girls’ running program from three athletes to a full roster, and what does it cost the coach who gets it there?

That’s at the heart of this conversation with Miran McCash: high school cross country and track head coach at Highline High School, and owner of ANA Run Coaching, an all-women adult running coaching business based in Seattle. Host Heather Caplan, RDN, and Miran talk about what it’s really like to be a woman in a head coaching role, how she’s creating space for girls to talk about their bodies and their periods, and why representation on the coaching staff is the reason girls stay in sport.

Tune in to the Lane 9 Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen!