The Strength Running Podcast 228. Broken to Healthy: How Ultrarunner Connor Meakin Overcame Years of Injury
Recovering from injuries is challenging when they keep you away from running for days or weeks. But injuries that linger for years require a special type of perspective and perseverance.
This week’s podcast guest received the kind of news you hope never to receive from a doctor - that you might never run again.
Connor Meakin had been an elite athlete long before he took up ultrarunning. He was a member of the Canadian Men’s National Field Hockey Team for four years before completing a road marathon. He quickly discovered his love for the mountains and trails and seemed to have found his calling, winning multiple races in 2014.
What began as a bad ankle sprain in 2014 quickly devolved into a much more serious injury. Connor tried to continue running and racing but the injury worsened and created new issues with his foot.
Soon, a radiologist told Connor he had one of the worst injuries he had ever seen. The doctor recommended he take up cycling and told him that he might never run again, especially in any sort of competitive fashion.
In the face of this grim news, most athletes would give up hope. But 5 years later, he's back to winning races!
Connor discusses a number of the strategies that did contribute to his recovery, including
- Facing the reality of the severity of his injury
- Finally resting
- Cross-training
- Gait retraining
- Digging into scientific research on rehabilitating injuries
- Physical therapy
Whether you’re struggling physically or mentally with an injury, or just trying to avoid them altogether, you’ll find something in Connor’s journey that you can relate to.
Links & Resources from the Show:
- Connect with Connor on Linked In
- Visit Connor’s business online
- Follow Connor on Instagram and on Facebook
- Prevent injuries that keep you sidelined from running
- Discover strategies for recovery and injury prevention from 9 elite athletes
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