Starting running late 2019 and it’s been just non stop injuries. First 10 months was okay but had constant niggles off only 35-45 mpw. I was still able to run 15:37 5km, but the next year has been filled with constant tendon issues and a stress fractures. Just wondering if anyone else has had issues with durability and if there’s anything in particular that helped?
Do you enjoy it? You aren’t talented enough to go anywhere in the sport so the real question is do you like the process of training? If so… yes… if not… no.
Some runners never get injured. For others, like you and me, it's a constant battle.
First, forget the "just run through it" and "don't quit" mantras. When you feel an asymmetric pain, i.e., one knee, etc, and not the other, STOP. Walk a bit and assess the injury. Try to run again slowly at first. If the pain comes back even a little, stop and walk back. Your new mantra is "Finishing a workout today is never more important than being able to run injury-free tomorrow." Once I realized that it takes MORE discipline to stop, my injuries declined. I abort about 1 in 10 workouts.
Next, when you get injured, ask yourself, "What, specifically, caused this injury?" If it's not obvious, look up the injury online and find the most likely causes. Take steps to avoid that cause in the future. Once you get an injury, you're more likely to get the same injury again.
Have someone video you while running. Find someone who is knowledgeable about running form to evaluate it. Chances are that some of your injuries are form-related.
Are you a heel striker? It's not a problem for many runners, but for me, it caused stress fractures and knee problems. If you're a heel striker, consider changing to forefoot. A lower heel drop shoe will help the transition.
Shoes are also a potential problem. Try different shoes. You might try different heel-to-toe drops. When I had a chronic injury that did not respond to any of the above steps, I decided to start trying a significantly different shoe and KEEP TRYING new shows until I found a fix. For me, it was Hokas, but then I had to figure out which model of Hoka.
"Once you get an injury, you're more likely to get the same injury again. "
That hasn't been my experience at all. Shin splints, Plantar fasciitis, a stress fracture, tightness in my quad muscle and an Achilles strain were all one-off for me. Occasional knee pain and and tightness in my upper hamstring were the only multiple injuries I suffered.
My belief is if something hurts, don't run. Trying to run through an injury can often lengthen the recovery time and an imbalance can causes other problems.
like highhopping worm said, you're never gonna make a living from this but if you enjoy it i would find a good PT who specializes in runners and figure out what you need to strengthen. that's what finally got me out of a years-long injury hole (various flavors of tendon injuries). stress fractures could be a dietary thing if you're on that low mileage. might be worth looking into or getting some tests.
I ran 14:12 in one of my debut races in college. I shortly after developed an injury that took me out of racing for the rest of college. Every time I tried coming back I put so much pressure on myself that every hurdle sent me back down to square one. Finally towards the end of college I decided that it wasn’t going to happen, and I moved on. I miss everything about competitive running, but when the relief from ending grinding through an injury was greater than the joy I got from training I knew I made the right decision
I’ve done video analysis and worked on my form, really cleaned up my arm carriage and my foot landing mid foot not over striding that seem to help initially. I’ve changed shoes multiple times from pegs to structure to invincible and now finally just sticking with the infinity reacts which we’re working well until my stressie, I’ll have a look into getting a pair of hoka
I definitely enjoy but just hate the constant injuries and inability to actually push myself so feel at a crossroad
Like others have said, your form could be the issue explaining why you keep getting injured. However, sleep and nutrition may be other factors explaining why you are so injured prone. How much sleep are you getting? Do you wake up feeling refreshed or sluggish? Also, are you eating in energy balance, eating enough calories to satisfy your activity levels? Low energy availability significantly impairs the body's ability to recover, thereby making it more prone to injury. In addition, deficiencies of certain nutrients can also contribute to frequent injury.
starrvinmarvin wrote:
Starting running late 2019 and it’s been just non stop injuries. First 10 months was okay but had constant niggles off only 35-45 mpw. I was still able to run 15:37 5km, but the next year has been filled with constant tendon issues and a stress fractures. Just wondering if anyone else has had issues with durability and if there’s anything in particular that helped?
Assuming you aren't a troll, here are my thoughts.
1) Ignore the 2nd poster who said you aren't talented. You seem very talented. How old are you?
2) I was in the same boat when I was younger. Looking back on it I said it's harder to go from zero to 40 mpw than it is very 40 mpw to 100 mpw. "Rojo's 1st law of injuries" is similar to Newton's first law of motion and is as follows, "An injured body wants to stay injured, a healthy body wants to stay healthy."
It just seems to me that once something goes wrong, you over compensate and something else goes wrong etc. When I got healthy, I remember thinking it was the shoes but in reality I was just healthy, I don't know why.
3) Running on soft surfaces is the only thing I can really think of as being clearly a benefit. Go drop a golf ball on the sidewalk. Then drop it in the grass. You'll see why.
The only reason why I asked if you are a troll is because to run 45 mpw your first year of running is a lot. I think the jump was too much. Raise your mileage more gradually.
If you have any questions, feel free to post or email
robert@letsrun.comTry and run as much as possible on soft surfaces - ideally well manicured grass, and change you shoes/ find one that works better for you. Maybe it you need more cushioning, maybe you need less. Also, spend a lot of time o warmup and cool down activities - stretching, foam roller, massage gun drills and strides etc.
Good luck!
rojo wrote:
starrvinmarvin wrote:
Starting running late 2019 and it’s been just non stop injuries. First 10 months was okay but had constant niggles off only 35-45 mpw. I was still able to run 15:37 5km, but the next year has been filled with constant tendon issues and a stress fractures. Just wondering if anyone else has had issues with durability and if there’s anything in particular that helped?
Assuming you aren't a troll, here are my thoughts.
1) Ignore the 2nd poster who said you aren't talented. You seem very talented. How old are you?
2) I was in the same boat when I was younger. Looking back on it I said it's harder to go from zero to 40 mpw than it is very 40 mpw to 100 mpw. "Rojo's 1st law of injuries" is similar to Newton's first law of motion and is as follows, "An injured body wants to stay injured, a healthy body wants to stay healthy."
It just seems to me that once something goes wrong, you over compensate and something else goes wrong etc. When I got healthy, I remember thinking it was the shoes but in reality I was just healthy, I don't know why.
3) Running on soft surfaces is the only thing I can really think of as being clearly a benefit. Go drop a golf ball on the sidewalk. Then drop it in the grass. You'll see why.
The only reason why I asked if you are a troll is because to run 45 mpw your first year of running is a lot. I think the jump was too much. Raise your mileage more gradually.
If you have any questions, feel free to post or email
robert@letsrun.com
During the 70s, 45mpw or more, was typical for a freshman and I don't recall anyone anyone suffering from chronic injures.
You have to ask yourselves why you got the injuries and what you are doing now to prevent them.
Judging from your name, you should also look into your diet.
Starving is not a healthy diet.
Who made you the arbiter of what is possible and what is impossible? You don’t even know the first thing about the guy and you’re telling him that he’ll “never go anywhere in the sport.”
With all due respect sir, you’re not God.
Peace and love.
Elijah Moore wrote:
Who made you the arbiter of what is possible and what is impossible? You don’t even know the first thing about the guy and you’re telling him that he’ll “never go anywhere in the sport.”
With all due respect sir, you’re not God.
Peace and love.
Jeez, everyone get off your high horse. I took mr. worm’s statement to mean that you’re probably not going to make a living from running, so prioritize accordingly. Unless of course OP is a hs student. Then there might be the potential for a career. Somehow, OP doesn’t seem like a hs student.
We have three data points - started in late 2019, 45 mpw, and a best mark of 15:37. Believe it or not, I knew a kid who more or less fit this profile in college and never got much faster even though he trained somewhat regularly.
starrvinmarvin wrote:
I’ve done video analysis and worked on my form, really cleaned up my arm carriage and my foot landing mid foot not over striding that seem to help initially. I’ve changed shoes multiple times from pegs to structure to invincible and now finally just sticking with the infinity reacts which we’re working well until my stressie, I’ll have a look into getting a pair of hoka
You might want to check out Ginger Runners' shoe reviews on Youtube. Look at the shoes you've already tried and listen to those reviews. If you think, "that's what I thought as well" then you can trust his reviews of other shoes. I like the Rincon 2. It might be a place to start.
This system of fascia training has really helped me feel more connected and reduced my injuries a lot. It also helped strengthen my glutes. I recommend you start with this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHTQB2tVujU&ab_channel=ChongXie%E8%B0%A2%E7%BF%80SDSU Aztec wrote:
rojo wrote:
Assuming you aren't a troll, here are my thoughts.
1) Ignore the 2nd poster who said you aren't talented. You seem very talented. How old are you?
2) I was in the same boat when I was younger. Looking back on it I said it's harder to go from zero to 40 mpw than it is very 40 mpw to 100 mpw. "Rojo's 1st law of injuries" is similar to Newton's first law of motion and is as follows, "An injured body wants to stay injured, a healthy body wants to stay healthy."
It just seems to me that once something goes wrong, you over compensate and something else goes wrong etc. When I got healthy, I remember thinking it was the shoes but in reality I was just healthy, I don't know why.
3) Running on soft surfaces is the only thing I can really think of as being clearly a benefit. Go drop a golf ball on the sidewalk. Then drop it in the grass. You'll see why.
The only reason why I asked if you are a troll is because to run 45 mpw your first year of running is a lot. I think the jump was too much. Raise your mileage more gradually.
If you have any questions, feel free to post or email
robert@letsrun.comDuring the 70s, 45mpw or more, was typical for a freshman and I don't recall anyone anyone suffering from chronic injures.
There was a background of a lot more playing outside, going into the woods, etc. Nowadays most live in suburbs and sit around on the computer or video games. There probably isn't even access to grass for most.
Is it normal for people to refer to themselves as "talented"?
starrvinmarvin wrote:
Starting running late 2019 and it’s been just non stop injuries. First 10 months was okay but had constant niggles off only 35-45 mpw. I was still able to run 15:37 5km, but the next year has been filled with constant tendon issues and a stress fractures. Just wondering if anyone else has had issues with durability and if there’s anything in particular that helped?
Wow are you me?? Struggling with a hamstring injury for 10 months now with almost exact same background as you, not sure whether to hang em up or not either