Champion's story

One great thing about my current job is that I often get to combine my passion for physical therapy with my passion for running. I frequently have the opportunity to help local runners recover from injuries. Recently, I have helped a few of the faster runners in the community manage injuries. This has great for a few different reasons. Of course, it is great to help these people just like it is satisfying to help all the other clients I work with. It has also been fun to observe how these elite runners deal with injury. In many ways, to me, these are defining moments.

First off, what I have noticed is that the champions shift gears quickly. This happens in a couple different ways. First, they listen to what their bodies are telling them. If they feel tired or sick, they do not push past this. They listen. Second, when they experience pain, they listen very closely. The quick shift with respect to pain occurs with the mode of training they choose. If the pain prevents them from running, they do not dwell on it. Instead they go directly to the next best mode of training. This might be riding a bike if an injured tendon can't take ground reaction stresses. It might be switching to pool running if dealing with a stress fracture. Point is that there is no feeling sorry for themselves. There is a goal, and most recognize that dealing with injury is just part of the game.

One thing I love too is that these runners value and respect their inner circle of advisors. They listen to themselves, their coaches, and their PT's! If they need to shut it down, they do. In the long run, they are back to training more quickly for it.

The title of this entry comes from Jerry Lynch, who is a sports psychologist. He has published many books which I have thoroughly enjoyed. He is a former competitive runner himself so he frequently comments about advising runners. One concept he touches on is the Champion's story. He notes that the best runners will set goals, and then write the 'story' to achieve them. The 'story' can be how they train, rest, eat, and of course, deal with injury. Good stuff. Check it out.

Side Note: The photo at the top is of "Ocho". This past season Bill Potts and I raced numerous times. At the Capon Valley 50k, we raced a 'pinkie' run, our term for a fun run where we run together thoughout the entire race. It was a great race. We ran steady to an 8th place finish. The awards table for top ten finishers had many quirky handmade crafts. I chose Ocho for my award. He sits in the bedroom as a reminder of my champion story: train hard, run smart, and have fun! Thanks Bill.....