I’ve been working my way up in time when it comes to jogging. With the guidance of my physical therapist, I started at one minute, then worked on a 10-minute progression that included short walking breaks while my body got accustomed to repetitive impact again.
It felt pretty rough at first, with tension pain in my kneecap and around my quad where I had a graft. But as long as I felt no sharp pain, I was free to keep moving. So that’s what I’ve been doing every few days since I was given the green light to jog.
Today, I was doing my 18-minute jog, no walking breaks. And I was surprised to look down at my running watch and see that I also hit the 2-mile mark. My first 2-mile jog since I tore my ACL. And my longest jog post-op. It made me happy. And the only way this has happened? Consistency.
Consistent physical therapy.
Consistent nutrition. (With an emphasis on protein for muscle repair and buildup.)
Consistent movement, strengthening & stretching. I’ve been lifting to build strength in my left leg again, practicing yoga and adding a minute to my jogs each time I put my running shoes on.
Consistent listening – to my body. You can’t push every day, especially when you’re in recovery mode.
Consistent letting go – of frustration. I’ve had plenty of moments where I was convinced I’d never feel or move the way I did before my injury. And where I was pissed off at the slow pace of progress.
But you’ve got to trust the process, and lean into the progress when you do notice it. No matter how small. My knee doesn’t feel “normal” yet, and I still have months of recovery ahead, but I’m noticing the progress.
Consistency works. Do the work.
