I was once running and training with the best of them; patiently calculating my weekly miles, logging solid workouts, and making friends with my foam roller. I relished in hours of running each week, excited about a fast-approaching upcoming race. But now that excitement is gone. Now I am on my bike trainer instead of pounding the pavement. Now I am the dreaded ‘I’ word. Now I am Injured.

I used to spend a large chunk of my days training and doing training-related activities, but not anymore. Now, I’ve become an expert at SVU trivia and have several new 70-year-old friends at the pool. Since I’m no longer running, here are the things I’m doing instead:

Angrily refreshing and scrolling through Strava

Self-explanatory.

Learning to bake a 39-step chocolate sponge cake recipe

I’m not a very good baker, but maybe I could be if I put the time and energy that I usually put into training into baking. Maybe I’ll finally get around to attempting that 4-page, 39-step chocolate sponge cake recipe from The Baking Bible.

Memorizing the name of every receptionist at the orthopedic surgeon’s office

I’ve been to the orthopedic surgeon three times now and each time I am greeted by a different receptionist. How many times will I need to go back to the doctor? How many more receptionists will there be?

Googling my diagnosis repeatedly
Maybe this LetsRun.com thread from 2005 can offer me some advice?

Reading a lengthy list of sports psychology books

The Champion’s Mind, The Art of Mental Training, Peak Performance, The Sports Gene, How Bad Do You Want It, Mind Gym, The Champion’s Comeback….

Having staring contests with the lifeguard while aqua jogging

At least I think we’re having staring contests?

Finally getting around to organizing the spare closet

The bike trainer is in there. Must exercise.

Downloading the complete list of Oscar nominated films and shorts

The Oscars are soon. Or maybe they already happened? I don’t know, I was probably too busy running. Now that I’m not, I’ll spend the next however many weeks downloading the full list of nominations and watching them until my eyes bleed.

Riding the bike trainer in my brand new running shoes

I haven’t taken them out on the roads yet, but my new running shoes are definitely going to lead me to a PR!

Reviewing my plummeting Fitness and Freshness graph on Strava

It looks like a depression era stock market crash.

Binge watching Law & Order SVU

Have you ever watched Law & Order SVU? Of course you have. But have you ever watched the entirety of all 19 seasons consecutively? I’ll let you know how it goes.

Plotting out my 2019 race calendar

If I start training 6 months from now, think of what kind of shape I can be in by 2019?!

Using as many distractions as possible while on the bike trainer

So far, I’ve simultaneously listened to music, watched Netflix, read a book, and scrolled through my phone. It was still boring.

Testing a wide variety of frozen vegetables to use as ice packs

Broccoli can be a bit too pointy while vegetable medley left a little bit to be desired. Frozen peas are by far my favorite.

Incessantly opening and closing Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Social media is fun when you are running but it is a miserable, demoralizing place when you are not. If I see one more run-selfie at the track, I am going to lose my mind.

Calculating how long it takes my foot to go numb in frozen peas

Depends on what type of sock I’m wearing, but generally 12 minutes.

Calculating how many minutes it takes my ass to go numb on the bike trainer

Usually around the 1 hour mark.

Sleeping all the f*$king time
My early bedtime game is still strong but now so is my sleeping in game. Maybe I can sleep away my injury, too.

Not running.