The returning runner…

Act 33 – More from Tsedale Tomlinson on bouncing back and rolling with life’s punches

My note: I seem to be recovering well from prostate aquablation surgery but no running for another week or so. In the meantime, enjoy this guest blog from Tsedale Tomlinsom who you may recall has made an amazing comeback after a crushing encounter with a car (see blogs 7 and 7b for more on this).  Tsedale K. Tomlinson is a world-class female masters distance runner. Her accolades include nomination as NYRR Runner of the Year, a 1:29 in the Brooklyn Half Marathon, and 7th place in the World Masters Championships for the 45-49 age,and 5th American Woman overall at the same event, across all age groups 35 years and up. In her most recent efforts, (Project 13.1) Tsedale ran a 1:28:15 half marathon and also a 3:10 in the New Jersey Marathon. 

 Question: You’ve managed to come back from a devastating car-crash injury to become a champion runner. What was the most discouraging time during your recovery and how did you deal with it? 

Tsedale: The most discouraging time was pretty much those 10 years after my accident.  And any time I’ve had a lapse in running (like pregnancy and after babies). I would find that after not running regularly, and after not keeping up with strength training, my knee would give me a lot of issues.  I dealt with it by returning to PT, learning I needed to strength train and which muscles, and then really taking that seriously.  Once I started strengthening my muscles, all the pain went away.  And now, I only have problems when NOT exercising and not strength training.  Which rarely happens. 

Question: What other, more typical, running injuries have you had and what has bothered you the most? Have you had struggles remaining positive?

Tsedale: Before I joined my running team, in those 5 years or so of getting more serious but on my own, I had several stress fractures of different metatarsals, both feet. Although more straightforward than soft tissue injuries (if I had to choose, bone is easier injury), it was emotionally painful to have to stop running for long stretches of time.  And then the gradual return to running after being in a boot.  It takes a long, long time to get back to where you were before. 

I would stay positive by focusing all my energy (quite literally!) on my rehab exercises and yes, I even did strength training in my boot, for non-weight bearing exercises, because I’m crazy like that. But the cardio, the VO2 max, that just takes time to get back and that is REALLY frustrating! But again, I just really focus on the here and now and try to think less about what I’m missing.  Try to strengthen the other muscles that I can, that are not affected.  Oh, and I avoid listening to my favorite running songs or that might just make me fall to pieces.  A warm rainstorm, my favorite to run in, is also sketchy territory and can make me upset! 

Side note: I was getting stress fractures when I was running half the mileage that I am now. It is because I have learned better training methods since then.

 Question: Have you had times when you have done all the right preparation and still just have a race result that is way below expectations? How do you deal with that? 

Tsedale: Since I’ve been racing just about 2.5 years now I’m still fairly new and less to draw from with that.  Still in a growth stage.  But yes, I have experienced this, like anyone will.  But I learned from more experienced teammates: it’s not always an upward trajectory.  In fact, it rarely is.  You go up a bit. Then maybe down a tiny bit, or stay flat. Then back up for more growth. Also, I’ve learned that we will peak at certain times, and it’s not that you keep on peaking, you have to come down after that peak. Recover. Let your body have some easier times and easier races before going after another goal again.  If you aim to peak after peak, you likely won’t get as high as you want for your top goal races.  I had to learn this. 

Question: You train hard in preparation for a goal. But, are you able to just have fun running? What are your most enjoyable non-race running experiences? 

Tsedale: Me have fun running?!….i will ALWAYS love running :=).  If racing ever interferes with my reverence for running (and I don’t say that lightly), I would stop racing.  I don’t race to win,, and I don’t run to race.  I started racing to become more involved in the running community, and this it has given me in bigger ways I could ever imagine. And once started, I learned that it’s an incredible feeling to push oneself to see what you are capable of.  I love that racing gets me to do the best I can.  Because my approach in life (now. At the wonderful and mature age of 48, wasn’t always this way) is to always  do the best I can do. In whatever I am doing.  I call it feeling alive and making each moment and experience count more.  I also like to see—what can this body do, while I can still do these things? What am I capable of if I screen out all the things society tells us? I think we are capable of so much more, and my plan is to keep pushing that, and in doing so, show other girls and women that they can, too (in whatever area).

When racing, I also love that feeling of support from the crowds, and when you cross the finish line, and the bonding you do with strangers running with you, it’s hard to put into words how powerful it is.  It really changed my perspective on the point of racing.

Ok I went a bit off topic there I see. But to get back to the original question about most enjoyable non-race experiences, I have many of those! To name a few:

·       Exploring a new country by way of running.  This is spectacular! As long as it is a country where it is safe to do so of course. 

·       Running in the warm rain. Give me a full on torrential summer downpour and I will be out there having the time of my life!! This is one of my top favorite ways of running. 

·       Running trails in nature.  

·       Sightseeing in my own city, running with a group on a different course that weaves through the city and different boroughs. This is fun to do with a group!

Question: We all have personal struggles which influence our training beyond physical injuries. Are there times when other aspects of “life” have gotten you down and affected your training? Did running help during those times? What tools helped you to get back on track with running?

Tsedale: The personal struggles that influence my training almost always have to do with how busy my schedule and life is, and trying to fit everything in. Between graduate school, working a regular job, taking care of my kids, and my training, it can be really intense at times. Not always, just during crunch times (like now!). But, I don’t make excuses, and I always find time for my training. I don’t do well on lack of sleep. So, it can be tricky but I seem to manage overall, with some pockets of harder times here and there. If I have any emotional stress, well, running has always been the best medicine and that takes care of a lot things! Just as good for the mind as it is the body.

Honestly I never need tools to get back on track with running   As I’ve said, for me, running is pure joy and never seen as an obligation. It is as essential to me as the air we breathe, always has been and will be. And if lack of sleep makes it physically hard, like during school or work deadlines, I have learned to steal 10 to 15 minute deep sleep cat naps. Anything to help. And to just try to get back to getting enough sleep as soon as possible.

I will admit that some of my long, very intense training runs leading up to the marathon—I didn’t always jump out of bed ready to face that. Rather, I knew I needed to do my ‘hw’ and put the hard work in to accomplish my goal of becoming faster and stronger. So those kind of runs, those are work runs. And after, it feels oh so good.

Photo: The Queens of Queens runners after a recent evening run: (Lt-Rt): Coach Hector Matos (Central Park Track Club),  Rebekah Kennedy, Ani Go, and Tsedale Tomlinson