Author: Jenna

Hey everyone! I am working to get some consistency going with the podcast. My plan for now is week 1 and 3 will cover some running topic, week 2 will be an update on my training and anything that comes in from you all, and week 4 will summarize a book and give my opinion on it.

So this is week two of November so how is training going?

Well, I’ve started planning 2021, at least the first quarter. I recently bought a monthly planner binder to use as my weight loss, fitness, running planner and tracker for next year. I wrote a short blog about it and have a youtube video showing how I plan to use it. You can check those out at https://runsonespresso.com/who-is-ready-for-2021/ and youtube at https://youtu.be/ANzFdD3MN6Q. I’ll link in the show notes. 

So for 2021, I decided, finally, for real, to try for an ultra. A 50k.

Yikes. I may be a bit crazy. You can call me full on crazy when I actually complete a 50k. So the 50k is on March 6th at my 3rd home. It happens that March 6th is exactly 18 weeks from last week. I would have done it at my 2nd home but that is a 52k in January. Not quite enough time. Maybe a goal for 2022. Maybe.

I digress a bit but I promise it was for a reason!

My training. I kind of started 50k training this past week. I say kind of because it was a weird week for me and I didn’t feel like training. I was super tired. The doggo decided for three days in a row that 3 am is the time EVERYONE needs to get up. She’s kind of a jerk. So, my usual laziness kicked in. I became a shit quitter (if you don’t know what I’m talking about check out Episode 2 Shit Quitter and Episode 4 The Brave Athlete.

Monday. I honestly thought I’d run after work. I always have high hope that I’ll workout after work. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. I decided to try taking the bus to work which was my downfall. Yes, everyone was wearing masks but the bus didn’t have any seats blocked off and I tried to distance but it was difficult. My anxiety was through the roof. No more bus for me. Oh, and my favorite mask ended up smelling like smoke so I had to use disposable masks at work all day. Why do you ask? Because a lady was smoking at the bus stop. I was about 20 feet from her but I could still smell it and apparently it got into the fabric and filter in my mask. My asthma and allergies make me super sensitive to cigarette smoke. So that was fun. Especially since I haven’t been near smokers for like 9 months now. 

And so I was tired and stressed when I got home. Yes, I should have went out but my dog was so happy to see me. She isn’t used to being home all day and I felt guilty about going out without her. And she can be frustrating to run with so I knew taking her wasn’t ideal. Excuses, excuses. At least I admit it.

On Tuesday I did one day of weights, which was day 3 from the week before. I ran once this week and that was on Tuesday as well. Since I lifted during my lunch hour, I forced myself out the door after work. I was scheduled for 45 minutes and I told myself to do a slow 30. Well, I ended at like 44 and a half minutes because I was at 3.5 miles and I like certain numbers for my distance. Yes. I am a tad OCD about numbers. This is why I am not a huge fan of training plans with times. I usually end up going over the time to make it a mileage number that works for me.

In fact, I might look for a different 18 week plan that has mileages because time is so hard for me to deal with.

Wednesday I finally slept through the night. Mostly. But was still dead tired when I got up. So I said I’d go at lunch. Then I didn’t. Then I said I’d go after work. Then I decided I wanted to get takeout and ate pizza and a pizookie instead. Sometimes it be like that.

Which brings us to Thursday. I was optimistic and put out my running clothes Wednesday. But I didn’t feel like going in the morning. So I said, I’ll lift at lunch then run after work. But my shoulder has been acting up and I decided not to lift so I’d run at lunch. Then it was like 97 degrees at lunch time. Yuck. OK, maybe after work. Nope. Didn’t want to. 

And finally, Friday. I just said fuck it. I thought maybe I’d go in the morning but I didn’t. And again it was 90 degrees at lunch. I knew I wouldn’t go after work because I had a trail half marathon Saturday morning. 

So the half marathon. I woke up Saturday morning feeling slightly off but chalked it up to needing coffee. I had my coffee and then some oatmeal. I was sweating in the house and it wasn’t hot in the house. I started getting ready for my run. I still felt off but I knew I needed to get out for the half. By the time I walked out the door, I was sweating profusely. I started out at a pretty slow run, even for me. At about the half-mile mark I was sweating but cold and I couldn’t run anymore. I kept trying. I’d stop for a few seconds, run a few steps, and repeat. Eventually, I gave up on running and just started walking home. 

I DNF’d the half marathon. 

I don’t know what is wrong with me. I think my body is trying to fight something. I feel like shit and feel even shittier that I didn’t do the half I committed to. But that’s life, huh? There’s been plenty of in-person races I’ve had to miss because my body just doesn’t cooperate. It still sucks when it happens.

Since I’m recording this Saturday, you won’t know what I did on Sunday. The plan is to clean the house. But there may be an easy hike. I’m not sure yet. Or I might take another day off because my body needs it. 

So I mentioned early in the podcast that I started an 18k training plan and wasn’t happy with it. Well, I spent some time looking around the internet this week and it seems almost ALL ultra plans do it by time instead of miles. I found a couple that do the long run in miles and weekday as minutes. Which is a bit more acceptable to me. I need the long runs in miles because I am slow. Especially when on trails.

Like a 10 mile trail run is similar to my road half time which is like 2.5 hours. So if your plan tops out at 4 hours that’s less than 20 miles for me where for other people it’s like 22 or 24. It makes a difference. I want to make sure I’m reaching the right long run to finish a 50k and not cutting myself short. 

But after this morning’s performance or lack there of, do I really think I can do an ultra? I can’t even do a half. Last weekend I couldn’t even do my planned 12 miles. Do I keep trying? Do I switch to the 16 week plan I have? Or do I just jump back into it next week when I hopefully feel better? Like why do I think I can do 50k when I’ve never run more than 20 miles? And it’s been a few years. I haven’t run more than 13 since I broke my leg last summer. Maybe I need to stop thinking about an ultra and stick to shorter distances.

So, I guess I will be reviewing my plan for this week and adjusting the ultra plan. It’s still early in the plan so maybe there is still hope.

Let me know, how is your training going? What are you training for? Or are you just running to stay in shape waiting for races to return? You can leave me a voice message at anchor.fm/runsonespresso, a comment on the show notes at runsonespresso.com/runs-on-podcasts, or instagram.com/runs_on_espresso.

And now for coffee corner. Last week was a bit rough with the US election. As of this recording I just saw a notice on my phone that Biden has just won. I distracted myself with podcasts and tv shows. And then I decided I wanted to check out a book from the library. I flipped through my ebook wishlists items that were currently available and settled on The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James. Oh my god. I don’t want to put it down! Hopefully I will be able to finish it after this recording. 

I don’t know what made me settle one The Sun Down Motel, it just popped out at my in my wish list and I’m so glad I did. When I went to Goodreads to mark it as reading, I noticed it had an average rating of 4 stars. So it seems like a good choice.

I would describe it as a ghost story with a side of mystery. 

In 2017, Carly decides she wants to find out what happened to her aunt Viv who disappeared in 1982 from the Sun Down Motel. So she heads to Fell, New York to find more information. The story actually goes back and forth between Viv’s 1982 point of view and Carly’s 2017 voice and storyline. I’ve read other books that do this switching between characters and time periods. Most work ok but in my opinion, this book does it better than any others. And you start to see connections between 1982 and 2017. I’m a little over a third of the way in and all I can do is think about the plot and how does it all connect and how do we solve it? I just want to sit down and finish it today! But I’ve got some other stuff I need to get done before I can get to it. It’s taking a lot for me not to toss all my responsibility and just read for the rest of the day.

It’s not unusual for me to do that. I’ve done it before. Many, many times. So you never know, I might just go do that when I’m done here. Especially since I don’t feel 100%. 

Ugh, ok. Now I need to wrap this up. But I think you should all go check out The Sun Down Motel. I think it’s going to be a great book. I hope the ending lives up to the rest of the story. I will have to see what other books Simone St James has written, especially if this book has a great ending. I love finding new writers!

Until next week, may your runs be as strong as your coffee.

Welcome back, everyone! I’m sorry I missed last week’s podcast. I totally meant to get it done but we were camping at the Grand Canyon and I just didn’t get to writing it. 

We hiked South Kaibab to Skeleton Point and then came back up. The hike up is no joke but was easier than North Kaibab. Highly recommend both if you happen to be at the Grand Canyon. I will say more people were wearing masks at the South Rim than the North. Of course, there was one group that didn’t even have masks and one guy was wearing his don’t tread on me shirt. Insert eye roll here. 

Anyway, vacation was great, and definitely needed the time away in nature. But we are back to the real world and this week’s topic is running challenges! I have been doing a few of these this year. They are different from virtual races. They have reinvigorated my training and kept me going when I may have otherwise taken a break.

What are challenges? My definition is any running event that isn’t a race but isn’t just your daily training. So the first one I did this summer was the Aravaipa Summer Streak. The idea was to run 10 days. They had different levels and I picked the run at least 3 miles each day for a total of 30 miles at the end. Or run every street/trail in which you try to run every street in your HOA, Zip Code, City, and so on. I’m currently doing every trail in my local park. 

So a challenge really is about pushing yourself and completing some kind of task or goal.

I feel like each challenge has helped me improve and push myself. And without races, I need something to help push myself. Even with race training, I was getting stuck in a rut and not wanting to really train. Doing different changes has restored the fun and love of running that I had lost somewhere along the line.

I’ve done many of the Aravaipa challenges this year. I’m sure there are others out there. I haven’t done a lot of research but I think I’ve seen others mention different challenges. You can also make your own!. I’ve been thinking about this as well. So far I’ve come up with…. Nothing. Hah. But get creative! Challenge yourself to run X amount of miles a day for X days. Like 4 miles a day for 4 days? 40 days? I like repeating or matching numbers.

The idea is to set a parameter and a time limit. The time limit is important because if you leave it open-ended you may never finish. At least I won’t. Like the Every Damn Trail challenge is from September to December. I plan to finish everything in November. I have a few challenges to work around because part of the park is closed through mid-November. I’ve got some wiggle room though. Then I’ve decided I want to tackle another park as my own, personal challenge. I’ll probably give myself three months to complete, so like December to February. Not too easy but also a little challenging.

Start brainstorming or hit up google for some ideas and get planning!

Let’s take a quick break.

And we’re back!

I am also debating a run every street in my HOA or zip code. If you can’t tell, I really like these run every X challenges. It’s just such an easy parameter but then actually planning your routes gets to be interesting. You don’t want to re-run a bunch of streets or trails so how can you most efficiently do it?

I don’t recommend missing a turn when you write down your trails because then you have to rethink on the fly and redo all your subsequent runs. Just an idea. Not like that happened to anyone here.

Ok, enough with the every whatever. How about a last person standing challenge? There is one coming up in November but you could make your own with local or virtual friends. Set a distance and do that every hour on the hour and last one to drop out wins! So you could do run a mile every hour (or every 30 minutes). You’d have a check in at the start of each time period. It sounds like fun. 

I haven’t done one yet but I’m thinking about signing up for Lone Cactus Standing in November. It’s run 4.16667 every 60 minutes. I’d be one of the first to drop out. I could maybe do 2-3 rounds. Maybe. Depending on how fast I could get the mileage done. I’m slow. I wouldn’t have much downtime between rounds. But the idea is intriguing. 

Some other things I’ve seen is run a mile every hour for 24 hours. Or do a 4x4x24 where you run 4 miles, every 4 hours for 24 hours. You can always make up your own, depending on your level of crazy. Like I would do 1x1x5, one mile every hour for 5 hours. 

I’ve seen people incorporate other exercise into their run. Why not do 10 push ups or hold a plank after every mile? What else could you do? Jumping jacks. Pull Ups if you are near a playground with monkey bars. You can throw in some agility movements like toe taps on the curb. Run a mile, do a minute of high knees and repeat. If your playground has steps you could do some mid-run box jumps or step ups (or maybe a stable picnic table? Don’t hurt yourself with these!) You could pretty much do an entire plyo workout at a park. Pick a park a good distance away, maybe 2 miles, run there, do your plyo workout in the grass and using playground equipment, then run home. 

If you want to get faster why not find a new speedwork to do each week? The Nike Running app has a ton of different ones built in. You could do a different one each week and not get bored or repeat for a while. 

If you have the mileage or want to build up to it, challenge yourself to do a 5k, 10k, half, and full marathon in the same month. If you’re up for an even bigger challenge, why not do your own version of the Disney Dopey challenge? All four race distances in four days. 

The thing with challenges is to challenge yourself. Duh, right? You want to find the balance between too easy and too hard. You want something that will test yourself but you can still succeed at. 

What challenges have you done or what can you come up with? Let me know! I’m sure there’s so many I haven’t even thought of! You can leave a voice message on anchor.fm/runsonespresso, drop a comment on the website, runsonespresso.com then head to the podcast page. Or message me on instagram at runs_on_esspresso. Can’t wait to hear what challenges you’ve done or have come up with!

Now for coffee corner… I’ve been mostly trying to catch up with podcasts and Rachael Ray tv show. With our vacation week I didn’t listen to any podcasts or watch my TV shows for the week. So, last weekend I caught up with those Rachael Ray shows but then this week I didn’t watch because I was trying to catch up on my podcasts. Clearly I listen to too many podcasts. 

I also finally finished Salem’s Lot. It was 650 pages so it’s like 3-4 regular books. I did write a short review on runs on espresso.com/ blog if you want to check it out. 

Oh, and I see the new Unsolved Mystery episodes are available. I will be binging these soon!

Well, that is all I have for you this time. Until next time, may your runs be as strong as your coffee!

Hello everybody! This past Saturday I had my first in person race since uhhh 2019? I don’t recall but I’m pretty sure I had yet to race in 2020. My first races of 2020 were to be a trail series starting in March but obviously those were canceled. I’ve spent the summer doing virtual races and challenges.

I have discovered that I love love love these virtual challenges. One, you get fun swag and two, you really are competing with yourself. I will never be a podium or age group winner. I’m a mid packer. I definitely run and do races to challenge myself, not to compete with others.

Honestly, I wasn’t ready to return to in person racing. When the trail series announced they would be live this month, I was nervous. I have asthma and have had pneumonia in the past. Coronavirus is definitely something I don’t want to catch. I read the precautions they are doing and still wasn’t sure. 

But my other half said I should do it because I’ve already paid and it would be good to get out and race. I’ve been going out on the trails for my long runs but not for a fun race. I thought about it. And I knew I’d be able to do the race virtually if wanted (it has always been an option for this race) but ultimately decided I’d try it in person.

We had to sign up for a wave start. I picked 8 am because it was the earliest and it still gets warm here during the day. The process was we could not arrive more than 15 minutes before our start. Once we got in the corral, we could not leave so if we needed the bathroom we had to do that first. 

While in the corral we had to have a mask on and stay distanced from other runners. We had our temps checked, were given a bib, and off we went!

Once on the course we could remove our masks. Which, thank god, because with my asthma running in a mask is hard. In winter, I’m always pulling my buff up and down because I’ll get cold but then after a few minutes I need to pull it down to get some deeper breaths. 

The setup was pretty close to what they said. Although it seemed many people were getting their bib THEN going to the bathroom and warming up. Those were supposed to be done before getting bib. The idea was get your bib, stay in the corral, then go when the wave started.

My start time was 8:05 so I wasn’t supposed to arrive earlier than 7:50. I got there around 7:55 and there were already a bunch of cars and groups of runners. I got out and put on all my gear (bib belt and vest for water – there wasn’t any on course). Then I headed to check in. They first take your temp (mine was 96) and then you go get your bib. Got my bib and waited in the corral for a few minutes.

They first announced an  am wave, which I’m pretty sure they didn’t have. I did sign up for 8 am but the email with the listed waves started at 8:05. Whatever. After calling 8 am a few times, he called :05 and I was off!

I ran for a bit with my mask on but after about a tenth of a mile pulled it down. I was struggling to breathe. Did I mention the air was smokey again? Not as bad as a month or so ago when all of California was onfire and the smoke reached Arizona. I started pacing myself off a woman in front of me. She was doing about 10:30 pace which was good for me in the first mile or so of this route.

There’s one spot where a saguaro has fallen so had to leap over that. I always forget its there. 

But then we started getting to the elevation part. With my asthma I had to start hiking up the inclines. At first it was just the really sharp inclines but eventually I was hiking up all inclines. I was still making pretty decent time, despite the walking.

Before the race, I assumed I’d get passed a lot. I’m definitely an average runner. I can do a road race in 10ish minute miles and a trail in 11-12 minute miles. Surprisingly I was only passed by six people. The first man passed pretty early (before the saguaro obstacle). The next two men passed me around 2.5 miles. And then a group of three passed me around 2.75. When I was able I stepped aside, paused, and let them pass. I heard all of them coming and looked for easy spots to let them go by.

The last section of the 5k was downhill and then flat so I felt pretty confident going into the finisher chute. Once I crossed the line, I stopped my watch, collected my swag and a gatorade and stepped far away from people to catch my breath.

Then I headed to my truck to stretch a bit and drive home. Overall, it was a pretty easy process. And it was easy to stay spread out on the trail. I wish the start corral had been a little larger. I felt like as a few people filtered in it was harder to stay six feet apart but we were all wearing our masks. The finish was a little weird, if I hadn’t paid attention I might have gone back through the start mats instead. Oops. But it was easy to get the swag and move on. I didn’t get my mask pulled up right away at finish but they had a plexiglass. I pulled it up as soon as I could but walked away so I could pull it down. It was even harder to breathe in it after the run!

Ad break!

I have done this race five times. Three in fall and two in spring. The course goes the opposite way in spring so my strava doesn’t compare them as matched runs. This fall was my fastest of the past three but one spring was faster. Per strava which pulls from my Garmin, my spring 2019 was 11:35 average and 36:05 total. Spring 218 I averaged 14:17 and it took me 44:31!

Today I did it in 37:46 and 12:03 average. In 2018 I did it in 41:14, 12:57 average and 2019 was 40:19 and 12:53 average. So, getting better! For some reason the fall seems to be 3.13 miles and the spring only 3.11. I dunno how because it’s the same course, just in reverse.

I’ve also been running the trails more so it definitely makes it easier. When I did that first race in 201, I had never done a trail race before. I barely had done any trail runs. Hiking was about all I had done in recent years. I’ve definitely taken more to the trails in the past couple of years, both running and hiking.

It just goes to show that no matter how old you are, you can still improve!

As of when I recorded this, the official results were not posted yet. Maybe I’ll update if it posts before the episode goes live. Otherwise, it will be in next week’s coffee corner. 

Being around people still makes me a bit nervous, but in the corral everyone had on their masks. It was after I saw people without but it was easy enough to keep way more than 6 feet apart. I have two more in this series in 2020, November and December. I am looking forward to it. I also liked only having a few people start at once. It opened up the trail a lot. Usually there’s spots I get caught behind someone and it becomes difficult to pass. This almost felt like a normal trail run with a few other people but with the pre-race anxiety. 

It has me thinking of adding a couple more runs in spring. I really want to do a couple of longer distances and Aravaipa has two options at my favorite parks. And I know theyve been doing the socially distance races for a few months now. 

I’m actually thinking I could attempt the 50k in January. I have a problem. Send help.

This week’s podcast will be a little shorter than last week. I’ll give your ears a break. 

Have you had any in-person races yet? If so, how has your experience been? Let me know by heading to runsonespresso.com and dropping a comment on the show notes page, find me on Instagram at runs_on_espresso, or leave me a voice message on Anchor (anchor.fm/runsonespresso).

Coffee Corner:

You’d think coffee corner would be easier to write than the main body but its not. It’s really hard to think of something not running related. 

I’m halfway through Salem’s Lot. I will probably not get any other spooky books read this month. Stephen King needs to learn to be less wordy. I said it, don’t at me.

My office has decided we need to start coming back to the office once a week at least. I’ve been going in as needed, usually every other week or so. It will be a change to start going in once a week. Most of my work can easily be done from home. And I actually get more accomplished at home. One day a week won’t be too bad. It just worries me that they are starting this as our numbers start rising again. Working from home has been so amazing. I think my introverted nature and self-discipline really lends itself to working from home. 

Alright, signing off now. As usual, may your runs be as strong as your coffee. 

Today’s show we are going to talk about injuries. This is a very popular topic with runners. It comes up over and over again in running groups. As I’ve said before, I’m not a doctor or any kind of medical professional. This podcast isn’t going to be about how to heal your injuries but rather more how it makes runners feel to be injured, stories from injured runners and a chance to commiserate with others. If you think you are truly injured and not just having muscle soreness or DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) I highly encourage you to reach out to your doctor. Many are doing telehealth visits now so much less of an inconvenience for you. You don’t have to drive anywhere and you can do it from your couch.

I will start with my story. Overall, I’ve been pretty luck (knock on wood) with my injuries. I can only think of two that took me out for extended periods of time without running. Otherwise it’s the occasional cold or ankle twist and a few days rest usually means I can get back out. 

But what about the other two times you say?

Well, let me tell you about those. First, we will take a trip back to December 2016. I was training for my first marathon. I traveled to Wisconsin for Christmas and did my longest run on Christmas Eve. It was great. I was feeling good. I completed the run and was looking forward to the Arizona Rock n Roll marathon in mid-January.

I got home, and about a week later my sinuses started to be a pain in the ass. I did all the usual stuff but nothing was helping and I ended up with a full-blown sinus infection. That was fun since we had a trip to LA to see Universal and go to a hockey game. I couldn’t breathe so I couldn’t run. I wasn’t too worried about the marathon yet, as I still had a few weeks to go and had built a good base.

But when my sinuses cleared enough to let me run, I started out slowly but kept getting vertigo like symptoms after about a mile and a half to two miles. It was like clockwork. And I would of course stop running, but then I felt like a drunk trying to walk home. So I thought I was fighting some weird leftover of the sinus infection. I stopped running, and I skipped the marathon.

All my hard work. Gone.

Once I was sure my sinuses were all clear, I tried to run again. Same thing. What. The. Fuck? I was at a loss. I had no idea what could be wrong with me. I could lift weights & do other workouts but not run. 

So I stopped running.

At first, it was ok. I lifted weights, did yoga, and other in-home activities, but I was itching to return to running. It really is the best thing for my mental health. I happened to set appointments with my allergist and primary care doctor, so I figured I’d discuss at both and see what comes of it. At my asthma/allergy appointment, I was diagnosed with vocal chord dysfunction. Basically, my vocal chords weren’t opening correctly when I was breathing. Causes can include a respiratory infection. I assume it was from the sinus infection I had. 

I got some medicine and breathing exercises and was able to start running again.

Of course, I had to start a little slower than usual and since I had to do these exercises while running I was making some strange breathing sounds as I plodded along. But once I finished the medicine and breathing exercise, everything was back to normal! And my running picked up again.

And everything was fine, and I was building my miles back up and in 2019 I got a coach. I was determined to finally, actually, really, for sure run a marathon. I figured I was struggling on my own and a coach would be helpful.

And she was. 

She was great. I was going great. I was running 16 to 18 mile training runs in May and June. I felt I’d be toeing the line in January, no problem. Oh boy, was I wrong. I had no idea what was coming. In my wildest dreams, I never thought it would happen. It wasn’t a blip on my radar.

We went to Yosemite and on our first day hiked to the top of upper Yosemite Falls. It was amazing. I was feeling fantastic! We had lunch up there and then headed back down. We were making good time. 

And then, slip, snap and I was down. 

Fuck. I broke my leg.

It was awful. I won’t go into the entire story about it, but basically I was in a cast for five weeks. I got the cast off and had to re-learn to walk. It was another 2-3 weeks before I could even attempt to run. Those 7-8 weeks were so hard. I could barely walk because crutches are hard, y’all. 

I still needed crutches when the cast first came off, then I went to one, and then it was a slow walk. I still couldn’t walk much because my range of motion was so limited, but I really wanted to get back to running. I was still determined to run a marathon and thought, August to January? That’s plenty of time!

Oh boy, was I delusional. 

I didn’t have a physical therapist. The doctor told me all I needed was to start walking and then after a few weeks I could start running, slowly, again. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to just head out the door and run 30 minutes, so I looked online for a plan. I found one from a prominent clinic physical therapy department. It provided a lot of info about coming back from injury. It seemed like a great plan, so I used it. 

It was frustratingly hard because my ankle just didn’t bend enough at first. The plan was great, though. It started with 20 minutes total and you walked for 4:30 seconds and then ran for 30 seconds. Each week you ran 30 more seconds until you were running the whole time. So very much like a couch 2 5k program. I did repeat some of the weeks, but by September was back to running the whole time. 

I was still working with my coach at this point, and I really wanted to run the marathon in January. We tried to make a plan that would get me there, but by December it was clear I wasn’t going to be able to make it. I was struggling with long runs. Anything over 10 miles was still hard, and I was so slow. I gave up on the marathon in January.

Now, I’ve thought many times about the marathon. But I’m not really sure it’s a dream I want to chase anymore. I won’t go on about it here because I’ve talked about it in other podcasts. 

So, those are my major injury stories. There’s also been minor things, rolled ankle. Soreness. But those are things that I rest for a few days and am able to get back at it. Those aren’t the injuries that play with your mind. It’s the longer ones. The ones that feel like there’s no end in sight. No solution. No getting back out there.

I’ve got a few other stories from fellow runners. I’m sharing them all anonymously so like Zombies Run they will all be called Runner and a number. I have re-written their stories for clarity and I hope I do them justice.

Runner #1

Runner 1 thought they had tight hip flexors, but after a deep tissue massage had more pain and went to a sports medicine doctor. After having an x-ray and MRI, Runner 1 found out they had stress fracture in their femoral neck, a fairly common thing in athletes. (To me that sounds bad, but I’m not a doctor). Runner 1 continues to run and also rides a bike quite a bit because of the importance of weight bearing exercise for them. They are focusing on shorter runs, form, and strength training. Runner 1 does not want to take the suggested drug treatment. The bike has been a great way to keep active, but Runner 1 much prefers to keep running.

Runner #2

Runner 2 starts off saying they don’t have any extraordinary injuries. I assume that would be like me breaking my leg. They have had shin splints, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, or a combo of them. Runner 2 chooses to keep running through the pain because even when they rest for a few weeks it still hurts when coming back but heal as they continue to run shorter and slower runs.

Runner 2 also struggles with depression and grumpiness aspect when taking time off. They feel their identity is tied to running and have no other real hobbies. I think many of us can identify with this. How many of us wake up grumpy AF, go for a run, and suddenly feel better? I know I do. I get up everyday crabby and not wanting to leave the house, but after the first mile I feel SO much better!

Runner #3

Runner 3 has struggled with knee injury and metatarsal stress fracture. While not running, they tried to do some videos to stay in shape as well as riding a recumbant bike and strength training. Runner 3 tried to watch diet and continue exercising when not running, but still gained weight. 

I know the weight gain issue is another big one for runners. We know when we’re running we can eat a little more, but it’s hard to rein it in when we can’t. Sometimes it feels like our bodies still think we need all the fuel when we can’t exercise and it gets hard to cut food back. We feel hungry AND you may want to feed your feelings (yup; I like to eat my feelings).

Runner #4

Lastly, Runner 4 shared their story. Runner 4 is currently coming back from injury. They have only started running again the past week or so. Most of us expect our injuries to come from running or to be some big moment. Runner 4 was running a lot of miles and their calf started to act up. Then, when having her gait analysis done, the calf tear happened. Seriously, who expects to tear their calf doing a short jog for a gait analysis? Or someone I know went to wipe up water and broke their ankle. I guess with injuries we all want a cool story to tell, but it’s usually never that cool.

Runner 4 was out for 10 weeks. They are happy to be back running, but of course every little twinge makes them worry. But Runner 4 plans to stick with her set recovery plan. Their doctor is a distance runner and understands what is needed to come back. Runner 4 is happy to start slow and build up to avoid injury.

So it seems runners have two types of injuries: those ongoing things from running and getting older or a tear or break from some freak accident. I’m sure there’s more, but all I have is this small sample size of five. 

I understand the need to run, but I tend to err on the side of caution. And I will always tell another runner to rest and talk to their doctor if something feels off. I don’t want to create future injuries worse by not taking care of stuff early. And I don’t want anyone else to have ongoing issues. But ultimately, what you do is up to you. Listen to your body. Listen to your doctor. 

Let’s take a quick commercial break. 

And welcome back! Let’s take a look at how we can deal with injuries.

From those I talk to, not well. It seems to be pretty common among injured runners that they don’t know what to do when they can’t run. Many of us use our runs as a way to treat our mental health or to have that precious me time that can be so scarce. The problem is that even if we can do another exercise, it doesn’t seem to help us the same way running does. Sure we may be able to hop on a bike or go for a swim and lift weights, but it’s not the same.

What is it about running that some of us need to do it? Is running an addiction? Or is it the fact that it can help lift our depression or ease our anxiety? Running is not a cure for mental health, but it can definitely help. I don’t think other exercises do the same, but maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it depends on individuals. For me, I love lifting weights. It makes me feel strong, but it doesn’t seem to directly affect my emotional state.

So if we are off running for a longish period of time, it can feel like hell.

We need to remind ourselves that this is temporary. We aren’t going to be injured forever. You will get back to running. In the grand scheme of life, this is just a blip on the timeline. Focus on getting better, not being injured. Do what you can to get better. Go to the doctor. Follow recommendations. Think positively. I know this last one is hard. But you can do it. I know you can.

Another thing to do is reach out to other runners. I know, why would you do that? You don’t want to hear how great their runs are! But they understand. They know what it’s like to be injured and not able to run. Your partner, friends, family they may not understand how much you need to run. But other runners? They get it. If you have no one to reach out to, I’m here for you. You can always find me on Instagram or send me an email. If you head to the Anchor page, there’s also a way to leave me a voice message. I will listen to you bitch, commiserate, and let you know it will be ok and you can and will get through this.

While injured you are probably thinking you are losing fitness. I know when I broke my leg I thought this. I couldn’t do anything. I could barely walk. It took all my energy to use those damn crutches. 

And if someone was in the handicap bathroom at work? I thought I was going to die of exhaustion trying to go in a regular stall (HEY – Reminder! If you don’t need the handicap bathroom or stall PLEASE do not use it, especially if there are other stalls open. I know, I know. It’s nice to have all that space, but some people REALLY need the larger stall and the handrails. Ok, stepping off my soap box). 

I contemplated doing some upper body workouts, but there wasn’t a ton I could do while seated. A lot of it would still require some weight on my leg and it was just easier NOT to do anything. I figured when I started running again it would be difficult and I’d take forever to get going. Not true, my lungs/hearts etc retained a lot of my fitness. It was mostly working to get a range of motion back in my ankle and big toe. My muscles were like oh yah, we remember this! Running feels good! I had some DOMS at first, but not after the first week or so. 

If you can do other exercises while injured, definitely do them. It will help. But remember, if you’ve been running for a while you have a good base and you don’t lose as much as you think you do while injured. Just come back slowly, follow your doctor’s directions, and enjoy the simple fact that you are moving again!

I think for a lot of us running becomes a part of how we define ourselves. I’m a runner. My social media name reflects that. Most of my posts are about running. It feels like it’s tied to my personality. But it’s not all I am. I’m also a photographer, a reader, a writer, a sports fan, and so much more. While recovering from my broken leg I got to read more. I got to watch more tv shows and movies I hadn’t gotten around to. We watched all of Deadwood before the movie came out. I kept meaning to watch it but there just wasn’t time before. 

So while you’re sidelined pick up something you’ve been meaning to do or haven’t had the time for. Maybe you can start painting again. Or go on a musical journey to find new jams for when you return. Binge listen to that podcast you keep putting off. Hit the TBR pile of books that are collecting dust on your shelf.

Remember, there is more to you than just being a runner. You are a whole person with lots of dreams, goals, and interest. Use this time to explore some of them.

If you can’t run, remember you are not alone. There are others out there who understand.

How do you deal with injuries? What would you tell a fellow injured runner about coping during this time?

Ok, this is getting a lot longer than I had thought. I will wrap this up by asking, what is your best tip to get though an injury? Let me know at runsonespresso.com, runs_on_espresso on Instagram or email me at jenna@runsonespresso.com

And now, coffee corner. My life is boring right now! I haven’t watched Netflix this week. I haven’t gone anywhere. I’m still slowly working my way through Salem’s Lot. hmmmmm…

I have found myself really drawn into Lovecraft Country on HBO. Have you watched it? I was a little confused at first since I know nothing about H.P. Lovecraft or the book the show is based on. I was immediately hooked with the characters, costumes, and storyline. Each episode adds a little more to the story but also introduces something new, so you are always guessing what will happen next. Episode eight was so good and introduced some creepy characters. As I was watching I was thinking, these characters are going to give me nightmares. The young women were so good in the roles. I hope we see them again. Oh, and if you watched Full House as a kid, do you remember Denise? She is all grown up and one of the main character in Lovecraft Country. She is freaking amazing. So if you have HBO and haven’t watched this yet, go. Go now and watch it. 

Ok, I am going to wrap this up now. Until next time, may your runs be as strong as your coffee.