CurraNZ ambassador Jess Campbell shares invaluable insights into how to approach a longer-term injury. It can be difficult but patience and perseverance are key to finding your way back to the start line.
'As an athlete, I’ve always strived to do better and be better but this has sometimes come at the expense of the very thing I need to achieve these goals, my body. I couldn’t tell you the last time I was able to run fully without some form of injury. I have just always found ways to recover enough to be able to manage the issue and carry on. I thought I was doing alright at this, but last year while trying to race internationally with multiple tendinopathies, I realised that it was all holding me back and not being able to run at my full potential was not much fun.
'So upon returning to NZ from Europe I made the decision that if I wanted to be able to a) try to be the best I can be and b) still be able to run for many more years, I needed to pull on the reigns, stop racing and just focus on getting my body right. I thought, sure what’s a couple of weeks off with a bit of rehab and maybe a few more weeks of an easy build back in the big scheme of things. Well 6 months later, and I’m only just up to running 20km/week slowly and starting to incorporate some longer bike rides to try to get some cardio fitness back. It has not been the quick journey I had hoped for nor has it been linear. There have been many ups and downs, improvements and set-backs, and trying different things. The key findings have been that for some reason I had lost most of the stability in my pelvis and strength in my core which are key for running. I was still able to run up and down and across mountains but my body was just compensating in ways it shouldn’t have been. I went back to basics in the gym with simple body-weight and balancing movements, and I incorporated pilates and aqua jogging (it’s not just for old people!) into my routine.
'Throughout it all I have tried to maintain a healthy diet and still continue to eat like an athlete. Even though I wasn’t doing the same volume as I’m used to I knew my body needed nutrients to heal. This has included the use of CurraNZ daily. Probably the biggest challenge has been mentally. Trying not to compare myself to everyone around me out doing adventures over the summer or training for and participating in races has not been easy. Also learning to not set expectations for a date/time when I’ll be able to compete again so that I don’t get disappointed if I’m not ready in time. Pushing through pain is too often glorified and can lead to detrimental outcomes. We need to listen to our bodies and find that balance between exploring our limits and hurting ourselves. We only have 1 body, treat it kindly. These last few months have made me question myself as a runner but thanks to the support of the community around me, I know that I still have some drive in me and if I keep doing this recovery thing right then I remain hopeful it will all pay off in the end. '