Follow Greely senior Matt Woolverton this fall as he talks about his struggles with injuries, and his battle to overcome them for one healthy season
So I have a confession.
I didn’t think I would run this fall. I haven’t told this to anyone. I didn’t want to admit that I lost hope. I had sprained my hamstring for the third consecutive time doing four hundreds on the track and I lost all hope. I honestly didn’t think I had another comeback left in me. I thought I had seen my last race.
I thought this summer was going to be when I became good. For the first two weeks of the summer I was doing double sessions. I would go to the track by myself do one of the workouts I saved from when I was captain last spring and would do the same later that night. It was some of the best work I had done in years. I was motivated I was excited and I actually enjoyed running. For once in my life I didn’t have to hurt the entire time I ran. For once I was able to run like everyone else. The greater majority of people who go through their careers with minimal injures attending every practice. I was loving every second of it.
Up until the sprain. I was running ladders and I had gotten to the four hundred portion of the ladder and coming around the last turn something switched. I automatically knew something was wrong. I gathered my things and hustled to my car. I remember sitting in my car and not knowing what to do. I felt helpless, my leg throbbing, my head pulsing. All that work lost. I chocked it up to tightness and an adrenaline rush then called it a day. I acted as if it never happened. I would walk around my house and do all I could not to let the pain to get to me. I kept telling myself that it was nothing and it would just go away. I figured making a big deal about it would just cause me more problems.
I can be real stupid sometimes. The pain didn’t go away and I eventually went back to PT. They took my practice schedule and eliminated it entirely. The most I was allowed was a light jog and I couldn’t do hills. My PT was taking longer than it ever had before and I was stuck in a bad situation. Practice was in one week and I still hadn’t gone over a mile in one attempt. I wasn’t myself during that whole summer recovery period. I started thinking about whether or not cross country was really what I wanted.
I feel the need to say that no one should ever let an injury go untreated, I wasn’t thinking clearly and I paid the price by having to push my return date back even longer.
Eventually some people who are very important to me talked some sense into me and I got back to the sport and staying motivated in due time. I was so close to losing such an important part of me. I love running. Yesterday at regionals I saw the back of Yarmouth’s shirts with the “My sport is your punishment” quote on the back and I got so happy to call myself a runner.
Running is not your typical sport. I’m noticing it more and more lately. I don’t think I’ve ever seen two teams trash talk before a race. I’ve never seen a fight break out or really anything other than high class, supportive people in the sport. That’s something I think we all can be proud of. It was fun talking and meeting with some of you this weekend at Regionals. Meeting people who read the blog is actually so cool for me. I really appreciate everyone who introduces themselves. It’s nice to know people actually read this.
I’m looking forward to watching Greely attempt to dominate at states, it should be a good time all around.
As always good luck to you all and keep putting in work,
No Regrets, -Matt Woolverton