CIAN’ S VOICE and while it paid off, it was not without a price. I crashed rather hard in my last marathon of 2024, my body was screaming for some muchneeded recovery. Starting this year, I thought I had given it enough, but it is very easy to underestimate what I had put myself through last year. So now I am doing my best to listen to my body better and look after it.
I want a great running career, even more, I want a long running career. I want to keep pursuing goals, running faster, representing Hollywood AC well at important races, making South African teams, and above all, I want to make myself proud. I have so much more to give to the sport, so while a forced rest is frustrating, the rest is SO important, not just for me but for any runner in the same position I am now in.
I am all for pushing through the hard days, and hard training, showing up every day, and being consistent, it’ s all key in making you a good runner. Some days training is hard work. It takes discipline to tick over and over. But it takes even more discipline to back off when your body asks for it. Pushing through an injury or sickness is not worth it. I think the idea of risking your health for one big race is not glorious. The idea of‘ one more race’ before you get an injury looked at, or‘ I just gotta get through this race or workout and it will be worth it,’ often seems like a good idea or the answer, but it is more often than not a ticket to worse injuries and prolonged sickness.
I know how hard it is to feel like you’ re giving up on goals or something you have worked so hard for. I know all too well the pressures from the outside, whether it is the finances you are putting into an event, or the finances you might be losing out on. The worries you play out in your head about what others might think. Take it from me, as someone whose career is running, not being able to run is quite daunting.
I am incredibly lucky to have the support and faith that I do from my sponsors. Everyone who knows me knows that I put my best into everything I do. It’ s so important to remember being down, doesn’ t mean you are out. There are always new goals to be set, new races you can shift your focus to, and the work you put in is never wasted. Put yourself and health first, ego aside and you will find there will be so much more to give further down the line.
I had to do plenty of goal-shifting this year, it wasn’ t easy, and many of my goals are still so uncertain. The peace of not forcing my body to do something or meet a deadline has given me room to heal and to grow. I have grown a lot.
Though I am not running, it doesn’ t mean I am doing nothing. The wattbike, elliptical, and pilates mat have seen endless hours of me over the last six weeks. I have worked up some good sweaty sessions. I have fuelled better than ever and done every bit of recovery and healing I could too. And because of allowing my body the time it needed, I have healed. I have also got the mental reset and shift I so badly needed.
I am back, eager and excited to see what I can get out of myself this year. It’ s been a reminder to myself that I have so much more to give, in and out of the running space. I am persistent, I am resilient and I am doing my best to remember that a little bit of extra TLC and time off now, means a lot less time off down the line. The long and fast game takes patience. I am ready.
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