Patience!
As we age, shouldn’t we become better at exhibiting patience? Afterall, we’ve had years of practice! But, of course, it’s not that simple or easy, and we will likely be challenged in this domain for the rest of our lives.
It has now been seven months since I’ve been able to train and race at a competitive level. It all relates to my proximal (upper) hamstring where it attaches to the bone, which an MRI showed was partially torn. There’s not much blood in that area and thus healing is really slow. So, four weeks ago I had a platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) injection in hopes of spurring the process. I may be able to do some light jogging soon but it will certainly be a number of weeks before I can expect to pick up much pace. Meanwhile, the charge is to exercise patience.
Patience is defined by various words, including tolerance, restraint, resignation, serenity, diligence, and resolve. In various degrees I would say I’ve incorporated a bit of each. But if truth be told, my acceptance has not been stellar. It’s not my nature to hold back on running. Yes, I’ve been able to water-run and StairMaster, almost at full bore. But it’s not the same. There is something about moving along the road or trail under our own power that is exhilarating, empowering, and downright fun. While my trusty Air Pods have allowed me to listen to a bunch of very cool podcasts while in the pool and gym, it’s still a substitute pattern – a diversion from the “real thing.”
There will be a time when I become barely ambulatory – hardly something I look forward to. But for now, I still see myself as a runner, eager to lace up, hit the road, mix it up with fellow senior runners and count myself among the survivors of this great sport. Realistically, even if I can begin to train harder in a month or so, it will have been an eight-month gap. If I try to regain my prior racing form too quickly it will be a prescription for more injury. It will likely be four to six months to get there, assuming I do this in a progressive, measured way. Will I be able to exercise the needed patience or will I find myself back on the IL? Time will tell, but I’d like to think that as much as I’ve missed “real” running that I will find the tolerance, restraint, diligence, and resolve to persevere and be able to have a strong 2024, knowing that the rest of 2023 will be largely a time of build-up.
So, this is how it works at any age. But especially for us senior runners, patience is as essential as being willing to put the hammer down. I am optimistic I can successfully rebound. But with age there are unknowns. And my own penchant to push it may work against me. Patience! It seems so easy to think and say it. It’s another thing to actually employ it!