We all can name a few
people who inspire us - those that push their limits and accomplish great
things not just day after day, but year after year. Whether you’ve been
running one year, 10 years or many decades, we all have our running heroes.
Those we admire in the running community may be big names - the closest we’ll
ever get to them is following them on Strava. Sometimes those we admire
most are people right in our own community, or even our best friends.
With the explosion of running participation worldwide, more and
more people are either taking up running for the first time or setting new
goals for themselves. Regular 5K runners are reaching for that 10K, half
marathoners are doing their first marathon, and marathoners are going for a BQ
or even jumping into the ultra running scene. This is amazingly awesome
and nothing makes me happier than seeing someone set and achieve new goals,
especially in running.
However, there is a dark side. Unfortunately, I am bearing
witness to it more and more in my line of work as a physiotherapist who treats
primarily runners. The number one cause of running injuries is training
error, particularly increasing mileage too much too soon. The incidence of
stress fractures is disturbingly on the rise, and I am finding myself spending
more and more time coaching runners on periodization and proper recovery
techniques as a way to prevent or treat chronic injuries. Social media
and apps like Strava can provide us with a running community and motivate us to
perform, while at the same time can make each run a competition and lead us to
compare ourselves to others who may have vastly different running experience or
daily family and work demands.
I recently was asked to consult with a male runner in his 40’s
whose chief complaint was fatigue. He had been battling injuries for
several months and with the help of one of our therapists was finally running
“injury-free.” At the same time, he admitted to feeling constantly
exhausted and stressed. He was an experienced half marathon runner but
this year, inspired by some leaders in his running community and a few close
friends, he ran his first marathon, his first ultra, and had 2 more ultra
marathons planned for the season. He had a high-stress job and admitted to not
sleeping as much as he should. His training was not producing the gains
he wanted, and as he sat before me I could see his eyes fill up as he admitted
to dreading his runs now rather than looking forward to them.
My heart went out to this man. He had obviously been
motivated to set some big goals for himself early in the year. No one sets
goals to break themselves down. We set goals because we need to build
ourselves up - to give us a sense of purpose, direction and satisfaction when
we accomplish them. He was trying his best to do what he thought he
should with the inspiration of his running community as fuel. I couldn’t
help but think that we had failed him. This man was obviously deep in
overtraining syndrome and possible adrenal fatigue and was still convinced that
he needed to do a 50K training run before his upcoming second 50K race.
Overtraining syndrome is serious, can take months if not years to recover from,
and doesn’t just affect elite runners.
After a long discussion on everything from his training plan to
recovery techniques and diet, I prescribed him at least one week off running,
cycling for cross-training, and asked him to seriously reassess his goals for
the year. I didn’t ask him to stop running long term, just to give his
body the time it needed to adapt to the incredible stress that he was placing
on it. This was not what he wanted to hear, but it was what he needed to
hear.
I can’t help but wonder…can inspiring someone also be
inadvertently harming them? Do we have a responsibility not only to
inspire each other but to take care of each other? In a world where we present
filtered snapshots of ourselves on social media, do we have a responsibility to
ensure that those who are watching us are witnessing our authentic journey?
As an ultra runner, I believe strongly in setting BIG goals and
doing the work to achieve them. Personally, I hope that I inspire people
to believe in themselves and to set gigantic goals as well. However, this
also gives me a big responsibility to ensure they understand the process and
the patience involved in reaching those goals. We are all coaches to a
certain extent. As a running community, it is important not only to
inspire each other but to take care of each other. More experienced
runners have a responsibility to mentor those following in their footsteps with
the wisdom they have gained. Less experienced runners have a
responsibility to reach out to those who may have something to say that they
need to know.
Achieving big goals in running is a process, not an event. After
the completion of my last 100 mile footrace, I was frequency asked the
question, “how long does it take you to train for a 100 miler?”
My answer? “My whole life.”
My challenge to our incredibly awesome Winnipeg running
community is this: Speak up when you need help. Speak up when you
see someone in need of help. Be inspiring, but be authentic.
Let’s help each other to shine brightly for a long time, not just a short time.
Bounce strong my
friends.
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