Apr 7, 2022
“I don't want to put my life on pause. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to miss out on the miracle cure when it comes along, so I do pay attention. But I really compartmentalize it. I try not to open that door too wide. I mostly just focus on, let's just assume it's not going to get any better than this. How OK can I be with my present limitations, feeling the way I am?”
At the end of February 2020, prolific author and endurance athlete Matt Fitzgerald spectated at the Olympic Marathon Trials, then ran the Publix Atlanta Marathon. Soon afterward, he developed symptoms of the disease that would later become known as Covid-19.
He was sick for a month, then felt better—until suddenly, he didn’t. A bad workout in October of that year marked the beginning of an unraveling of his health and well-being. Since then, he’s coped with—by his count—more than 30 symptoms of long Covid, including crushing fatigue, brain fog, and an inability to exercise.
Matt has shared his experiences on his 80/20 Endurance podcast and blog, among other places. Though he never thought of hiding his condition (“I'm not the suffer-in- silence type,” he says), he’s reaped more benefits from this transparency than he ever imagined.
This week, Matt joins us to kick off season 5 of The Injured Athletes Club podcast. In this episode, he shares how community has helped him, what it’s like working full-time in endurance sports without being able to compete, why his relationship with hope is complicated, and what he’s learned about himself, and his coaching, along the way.
New this season: We’re asking listeners to support the show directly, which you can do at buymeacoffee.com/rebound. Make a one-time donation or download extras like webinar recording and resource sheets. Or, you can join as an ongoing member; for $10 a month, you’ll get goodies like podcast extras, live monthly Q&As with Carrie, and discounts from great companies like Fluid Running, Lever Running, and Reflex Health.
You can subscribe to The Injured Athletes Club on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or a review in Apple podcasts. That helps other injured athletes find the show.
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DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.