Hey peeps!
Happy championship season! It's crazy how quickly it got here. And it's even crazier how these next couple of weeks will be my last (!!!) of high school cross country ever. Just unreal!
Unfortunately, my senior season hasn't been everything I hoped it would be. Two words--
Injuries suck.
About three weeks ago, my minor case of shin splints took a misfortunate turn for major, and it was a really hard day for me. I was in terrible pain, and states of extreme confusion and disappointment. It didn't seem fair. Why me? Why now--my senior year?
After having my fair share of sulking time, it was time to work towards getting better. That meant pool time, biking, lots of therapy, and LOTS of ice. So, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the past three weeks I've been getting up at 5:00 am to head to the pool and do some workouts with Coach White and my teammate and fellow shin splint-sufferer, Meg. These sessions include durational aqua jogging, pyramids, sprints, etc. The objective of this pool time is to keep us working with more resistance and less pounding. The workouts are tough for sure, but they're also lots of fun, and they're doing tons of good for my shins. Until recently, my afternoons have been spent on the stationary bike, doing intervals or durations while watching One Tree Hill to keep me entertained. I've also had some therapy done, and I'm continuing with that, which has helped greatly. I've been working with two athletic trainers, and they've been absolutely wonderful, although their calf massages and shin scraping are not at all pleasant to endure. I even got to experience cupping therapy, (you know, the thing Michael Phelps does for his shoulder before races, which essentially gives him giant shoulder-hickies?) and let me tell you--OUCH. As painful as all of the therapy has been, it's helped get my shins back to tip-top racing form, and although there is still some work to be done, I am so grateful. And yes, I do have giant calf-hickies.
The road to recovery has not been an easy one. It's been quite frustrating, actually. Luckily, I'm back on my feet as far as running goes, and right now, the main focus is on getting back into full shape while also keeping my shins healthy and pain-free. Injuries are a tough thing to bounce back from, and they can really mess with you mentally. In order to stay positive and motivated, I've had to remind myself to take it one day at a time and trust the process. I am going to continue to work as hard as I possibly can, while also being smart, of course, to get back to 100%--and I cannot wait to get there! I still firmly believe that the best is yet to come. When things don't go our way, it may seem as if giving up and throwing a pity party is the better option. But I have two other words for you, two that I've been reminded everyday by the incredibly (seriously, my people/community are SO incredible) supportive people around me--
Keep going.
Good luck to you all in the final meets to come! Championships can be scary no doubt, but just remember to smile, work hard, and have fun. See y'all in Belfast!
- Hannah
