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The Injured Athletes Club


May 9, 2019

Running coach Julie Sapper, half of the duo behind Maryland-based Run Farther and Faster, has finished the Boston Marathon 10 times. Three and a half weeks before this April’s race, she felt a strange pop in her knee during an easy run. Though the pain wasn’t severe, she knew it was something serious.

The next morning, she called the orthopedic specialist. A few days later, she had an MRI. The results confirmed her suspicions: She’d torn her meniscus. Instead of toeing the starting line in Hopkinton, she scheduled surgery for May 1. “I've made the tough decision to look at my body as a lot more important than a marathon,” she said.

Julie joined us today to discuss:

  • How she took time to feel her sadness and disappointment—then jumped into action
  • Why crying on her podcast (also called Run Farther and Faster) was a critical part of processing her emotions
  • Why she feels embarrassed, as a coach, when she gets injured—but how she works through that, and allows the role to ultimately uplift her
  • The thinking behind her decision to go to Boston anyway, and what spectating meant to her
  • What happened when a doctor told her she should stop running marathons
  • The advice she gives other runners about navigating the medical process: “I think we all need to take control of our own destiny”
  • What a previous serious injury—an Achilles tear—taught her about managing this one
  • The introspection and reflection she went through in the wake of the news
  • How she’s aiming for a PR in recovery, and what she’s doing to use the time she’s not spending training wisely
  • What she hopes to teach her children by persevering through injury and other challenges

 

Resources/links we mention:


Thanks for listening, and please reach out anytime at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback.

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.