The hardest part of coming back after injury is not the running. It’s the numbers. It’s seeing 10–11 min pace on your watch when you’re used to seeing 8s and 9s. It’s doing walk-run intervals when you know what your body used to handle. It’s trying not to compare this version of you to the version that felt stronger, faster, more fit. And honestly, that part is messing with me way more than the actual training. But I also know this: if I want to be ready for the new season, I cannot train based on ego. So right now I’m following a back-after-injury plan, keeping easy runs actually easy, staying in Zone 2, adding strength training, and trying to rebuild the right way. Not the fast way. The smart way. Because I don’t want another quick comeback. I want a real one. runningafterinjury injurycomeback returntorunning zone2running womenwhorun