NFE Runner Looks to Turn Injury into Opportunity

Injuries can plague even the most seasoned running veterans. Below is a poignant reflection from Bob Skold about how recovering from an injury can be just as challenging as finishing 26.2 miles.

by: Bob Skold

I have been running for almost twenty years, and now I am dealing with (not so well) my first running injury. I have a shin splint due to muscle overuse and likely from increasing my stride at one of my last marathons; interestingly enough due to tweaking my technique after reading a book on running. Lesson learned: never make any changes from your training during a marathon (YIKES!). Recovering from an injury is harder than finishing a marathon. Here is how I am trying to cope and prepare myself for a full recovery.

First off I have used some reference books to learn more about various types of running injuries to properly diagnose the nature of the injury – where I am injured, the cause and the treatment. There is an art and skill to distance running, and the more you know, the greater your chance of meeting your goals and staying healthy so that you may run strong and happy.

Secondly I am reaffirming my goal of enjoying a lifestyle of healthy running and that means keeping the larger goals in perspective; learning to be smart about how long it takes to heal. The body has a natural timetable. Each morning I test my leg, and I am quite anxious to lace the running shoes back up. I’m in it for the long haul, and I’ll wait for the soreness to completely go away. This means listening to my body. The point here is: run through annoyance but not through pain.

I am trying really hard to look at this injury as an opportunity. I am using my recovery time to pursue other interests like learning how to sign (smile here), and I am experimenting with some crosstraining options. I am rethinking how grateful I am to enjoy running — an attitude of gratitude because for me running really is a gift. Sometimes you really don’t appreciate the good things in life until you have to miss them.

I never knew how much I identified myself so fully as a ‘runner’ until I had this injury. I have had to dig deep and realize self-esteem comes from the inside and should not be dependent on circumstances. Still, I look forward to becoming a healthy and much older and wiser runner. Because in part for my next blog I would rather write about the joy of running.

Bob Skold works for the NF Endurance Team from Denver, Colo., and helps with runner support and team communications. An avid runner, Bob has a goal of completing 50 lifetime marathons. He plans on running in the Athens Classic Marathon on his 56th birthday on Oct. 31, 2010.

NF Endurance Around the World

In addition to the Antarctica Marathon on March 7, 2010, NF Endurance participated in the Little Rock Marathon in Little Rock, Ark., and the Coastal Run for NF in Australia. Led by Julia Szulerowski, the Coastal Run Run for NF, which was about 21 kilometers (almost the distance of a half marathon), skirted the coast of Minnamurra to Werri Lagoon in Australia. It’s what Szulerowski called, a “Bad Ass” run — no start gun, no water stations, no finishing medals.

About 20 people showed up for Szulerowski’s race and six ran the whole way. Szulerowski and her daughter both have NF. “We have endured some of the more complicated issues of NF, but at this time are doing well,” said Szulerowski. In 2004, Szulerowski was diagnosed with high grade dysplasia of the esophagus, a complication of NF.  “It was removed and so was part of my stomach, making running long distance harder because it is hard to keep food and liquids down without a sphincter.” For more information on Szulerowski’s story and efforts to NF, click here.

Bob Skold and Julia Szulerowski in Sydney.

Weekend Pacesetter (Feb. 26-28, 2010)

END OF THE EARTH
Twelve members of NF Endurance “Extreme,”  including Director Steve Kendra, will leave for Antarctica on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. Check out this video from CBS News as the team prepares for the adventure of a lifetime; more complete itinerary details here.  Steve will be e-mailing updates for the blog as often as possible, but he only has access to a computer once every other day. Here is another great story in the news from Jill Forsythe from Lehigh Valley Running Scene about their journey. Here is a slideshow of pictures from previous Antarctica marathon events.

PARTY
“It’s the whole enchilada baby,” says Bob Skold about this weekend’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon in New Orleans.  “It will rock, rock, rock.” Skold will leave Colorado to join Team Captain Lesley Oslica and NFE New Orleans runners for the race.

MOTIVATE
Rachel Malone is training and fundraising for the ING Georgia Marathon, which is quickly becoming one of our largest team events in 2010. Recently Rachel’s story of overcoming a brain tumor was in the news. Click here for Running Against the Odds: Rachel Malone’s Story. And, check out Rachel’s blog here.