I want to begin by apologizing to my readers for my recent absence. Truth be told, this is a column that I have been hoping I wouldn't have to write for a while now. However, reality has caught up with me and it's time to face the truth: I am injured.
I've been dealing with a nagging knee injury for the last couple months. Though I have been able to cross train and work hard in the gym, my running base is lacking and I don't feel adequately prepared to race at the moment.
My injury stems from the the indoor track season. I’ve dealt with this injury following the 2009 indoor season, and it’s the primary reason why I do not typically run indoors races. Going into the 2014 indoor season, I was nervous that the busy schedule and tight turns might be too much for my 30-year-old body to handle. But I wanted to represent my country and my sponsors at the only individual global title meet available for Americans this year, the world indoor championships in Sopot, Poland in March. I pushed my body hard and made my 9th U.S. team.
But the strain of the indoor season took its toll and left me with much inflammation in my left knee. For the last two months I’ve struggled to move past this injury. As an athlete who has always prided himself on his durability, this has been a particularly frustrating time in my life.
I take some comfort in knowing that I have dealt with this issue before. As is the case this year, in 2009 I was trying to come off a full indoor season while undergoing major coaching changes. That combo left my knee in a similar condition and took two months to work through. That year, I was able to come back to win the Prefontaine Classic and the U.S. outdoor title, and set a personal best for 800 meters. While it appears my 30-year-old body doesn’t bounce back as quickly as my 25-year-old body did, I remain confident that I’ll soon be back to full health, and within a month or two back to fighting shape.
I’ve been reminded each day of how much running gives my life meaning and structure. Though I work hard to not let running define who I am, training is my job, and I’m unhappy when I can’t do my job. Too many times I’ve found myself aimlessly wandering around my house, wondering what to do. When do I eat? I always do that after running. When do I take a shower? I always do that after running. I’m sure many of you can relate to these frustrations.
But perhaps the cruelest twist of all is that I’ve always used running as way to let off steam and deal with stress. And not being able to run is the most stressful thing in my world right now!
This has been a challenging time, but I’ve found much comfort in a few thoughts. First, I recognize that my knees (as angry as they make me sometimes) have been good to me and have taken me on many incredible journeys. Second, I recognize how fortunate I am to have a primary sponsor (Brooks Running) that supports its athletes in the good times and the bad. This allows me to focus on getting completely healthy before attempting to race, unlike other professional runners who may have to rush back to the track to try to avoid harsh reduction clauses written into their contracts. Third, and most important, I recognize that I have friends and family who love me not for how fast I can run, but for who I am as a person.
Each day, as I go through my seemingly endless rehab drills and feel the waves of depression and anxiety building, I take a moment to remind myself of how fortunate I am. Injuries are a part of this job, and every great runner I know has dealt with them. I draw inspiration from fellow elites such as Chris Solinsky, who underwent extensive hamstring surgery and is now logging 100-mile weeks, or Emma Coburn, who was injured during the majority of her rookie pro season, but recently won the Shanghai Diamond League steeplechase in a time that makes her the second fastest American ever.
It’s now my turn to work through injury, learn the life lessons that can be realized only through struggle, and return to the track stronger than before.
