ADaisyifyoudo

I quit drinking almost 3 years ago, and once I made it past the first 3 months I found it progressively easier to stay away from alcohol. One of the keys to my success was a near-daily morning run, anywhere from 3 to 8 miles, not really training hard for anything in particular, often with friends. In the winter I would get up at 4:30 or 5 in the pitch dark to run, and even on some of our 15 below days here New England I would still get out there.

Now, I have an achilles injury. I know I need to take a week or maybe more off of running. But it's really what I replaced alcohol with. I am terrified that if I quit running I will 1) gain weight (not that I am skinny, I have struggled with my weight all my life, but I am in good shape and not heavy now); 2) get lazy and have a very hard time getting back into the habit (I am a creature of habits, once I do something regularly it's very hard to break out of it - drinking, running. . .but it's also very hard to start as well); 3) be much more tempted to go back to drinking. After all, why do I care if I am hungover in the morning - I don't have to get up to run. And, what the hell else am I going to do with my time on the weekends? I can't hike, I can't bike, I can't run or go climbing (I do a lot of rock climbing). I am supposed to REST. And I hate resting.

Not sure what to do. Physical activity has been my savior until now, and now I have to stop that! Of course, I have been running injured for months and now it is starting to get progressively worse. . .I can't keep running until I am really unable to run and need surgery. Very anxious and scared. Anyone with similar experience? How did you cope? What did you do to fill your time?

Daisy

jaynie04

I have heard that rowing is a great alternative for runners with Achilles problems. And it actually feeds back into your running when you can get back on the track. If you are in NE there are a lot of rowing clubs so you don't have to be stuck in a gym.

karate

What about a punching bag or speed bag ,

Boxing , martial arts forms , ect

Knee won't let me run anymore .

Feel your pain

TroubledJoe

You could try yoga for a little while.

You may be someone who would not be caught dead doing yoga (I used to be) but I really recommend giving it a try for a little while. You can still get a great workout with zero impact on your joints. It's a physical activity which requires concentration and practice. You might just even enjoy it.

Everything else that's been said already sounds like great advice too.

yeahgr8

I'd sort out the underlying problem for when you get older, you won't be able to run then either not in the way you are doing. It doesn't matter that you have been clean for 3 years you can get on that internal journey anytime:-)

nullnaught

Buy a guitar. Those things can keep you busy forever.

i am sorry if this seems to be completely random.

wanttobehealthy

I am a runner but have had to cut way back because my body has been beaten down by it for too many years and the elliptical is a godsend...

Have you tried that?

Hearts

Even people who aren't alcoholics can suffer depression if they are used to a lot of physical activity and become "grounded" from injuries. What about swimming? People in wheelchairs get cardio, too. Perhaps google around and see what they do?

Admiral

There is research that shows that walking and running are about equal in terms of health benefits, and walking leaves you less prone to injury.

Walking versus running for hyp... [Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI

If you don't want to walk then maybe look into cycling, both walking and cycling are less likely to leave you with an injury.

adee

I think the main thing is to replace is with SOMETHING. Don't do what I did which was to go from running 30 miles a week to absolutely nothing (stress fracture) and then not go back to it for two years. After a few months, I drank again, and in retrospect, I see the failure in not replacing my running recovery program with something, or anything else, as a significant contributor to drinking again (also after 3 years of sobriety).

If you were deeply involved in AA and for some reason couldn't go anymore, it would be a no brainer to make sure you replaced it with something else. But it's not as obvious with exercise (or wasn't to me).

I think you are asking the right questions. Best to you.

EndGameNYC

Jump in the pool; the water's fine.

zjw

are you my twin? My story is spitting image and i have the same fears when i get hurt too. So I'll try and help cause i think if your injury happened to me i'd be cryen the same blues.

Every now and then I get some injury that has me going easier. Notice I say easier. I should probably have stopped. but no I'm obsessive i'll get hte bucket of ice out and ice it all down for 15 minutes etc.. I routinely have run through pain till i'd physically could not. and when all else failed i'd walk and limp if it was all i could do. I HAD to get out there and do something EVERY day. its so rare I take a day off. and I run about 60 miles a week.

So that being said I'm not sure would it be possible to take a leisurly walk? I know if your like me its not the same but sometimes you gotta suck it up and be happy with what you can do. It STINKS but just gotta grin and bear it.

I got almost 3 years myself and running daily has been a huge part of my sobriety. it keeps me sane! its really like a perfect cure for me with my anxiety and anger and tension etc..

Dan1888

You need to do "low impact" exercising for now and give your injury time to recover. That means exercises where you're not putting to much strain on your joints and muscles. The most obvious form of low impact exercise is swimming, but cycling and using the ellipse (or cross-trainer as its sometimes called) are also good.

I have taken up running again but I do it on alternative days. One day I will run the next day I will use the bike machine or ellipse then back to running the next day. Some people can run almost everyday but I think I would end up with an injury like you as I have suffered from shin splints in the past.

So if your scared to stop exercising do some low impact stuff for now and you'll be back running soon enough. Good luck.

DarkDays

3 weeks off running so far with shin splints , miss it so badly cannot wait to get back out there thing is I have suffered injurys before it sucks bad but I just let my body heal then build up again slowly .Running and sobriety go so well together .

zjw

I've had a few hiccups in the road but have been fortunate. One thing I'm adament about is replacing my shoes regularly. I torch a pair a month or so. I hear some people get 3 400 miles out of a pair not me 240 and i'm pushing my luck if not already having pain. Once a pair is over 200 miles the slightest discomfort there gone and I get a new pair. This has kept me running daily with minimal issues. ::Knock on wood:: The other thing I do is I eat a High carb vegan diet I tried paleo etc.. but it didnt give me near the energy i have now. Keeping my sugar levels up with carbs keeps me cranken. My recovery time is lightening I could run 10 miles in the morning and 10 miles in the afternoon without issue.

I hope this helps some of you it works for me anyhow ::knock on wood:: Running injuries are like so mission critical to avoid. Hearing some of you others stories I'm thankful I've been fortunate. Like I said I had some issues early on.

Another one to watch out for for me was my heart rate dipping too much while my body was saying MOOOOOOOOAAR my heart was like ok ok ease off a hair. In which case good nights rest is about all I needed.

ADaisyifyoudo

Some great advice here, thanks so much. You know, I was on FB yesterday and a girlfriend posted about her daughter (12) who had a liver transplant last year due to cancer and the tumors have recurred in her lungs. I felt bad for whining about my achilles injury! But several of you have really hit on why running is so critical to me - I never really "clicked" with AA but running became my program. Every day (taking a day off every 8 or 10 days) in the morning, clear my head and give me something to get up early for.

I am going to try to see if I can't put a positive spin on 2 weeks off of running and do some core/hip/glute and upper body work - and calf stretches for the injury - and hope that while I may have to make up some lost ground in the cardio arena that I'll build a better base for climbing (and running) with some strength training. Anyway, that's the spin I'm working on. I did cut way back on miles initially - from about 35-40 miles/week to about 20. . .but the discomfort is not going away. I may go for a walk today because - as if to tease me - the spring weather has finally arrived. Sunny and warm. Sheesh. Just when I could really use a rainy weekend :-)

Thanks everyone for your support and ideas. I don't come here too often, but the folks here are always amazing in terms of help. Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.

Mountainmanbob

I just had my third knee operation
still bike ride and swim
but
the running is out

my wife -- a long time athletic (since high school)
has always loved to run, swim etc etc
running is also out for her now

walking, bicycle and swimming are the best
so as not to wear out the body before it's time

I worked for the Parks Dept where I saw many runners over the years
after watching some I noticed new things appearing
such as leg braces
some in time where running with a limp
running is addicting and very hard to stop
even for the severely injured ones

take care of yourself (while you still can)

MM

newwestdork

Ha! They're also frustrating enough to make you want to drink sometimes. No matter how well you play, you can always play a little better - or "less ******" as it sometimes feels.

Back on topic though - if you're fit enough to run 8 miles, I don't see why you can't take up some lower-impact activity to keep you fit and sober while you heal up. Swimming sounds like a good option, although I'm obviously not a doctor.

totfit

Spring is upon us and summer is coming on quickly. That is to your benefit in finding other endorphin stimulating activies. I run also and had to take some time off a couple of years ago with a stress fracture. Biking and pool activities helped me tremendously. Exercise for me is a critical if not the most critical component of keeping me sane. I thing the "finding the underlying problem" a bit off base. The issue is that most if not all of us are wired to function better and cope with the addition of exercise. Without exercise there are issues.