5.

May-June ’99: Kwai, Botswana

Injury & Cause: Some kind of unknown strain in foot occurring one day while racing kids on a dirt road in the middle of the Okavango Delta.

Don’t remember how long without running at all, but this thing lingered into the beginning of cross country season and I had to miss some running with team while cross training in Wabash College gym.

Verdict: This was before I realized fully how important stretching is.

4.

Approx. 2010-approx. 2015: Bronx, New York, primarily

Injury & Cause: Adductor strain on one side (left?) due to ?? Overuse? Lack of pre-hab. About 5 weeks off early on to give it time to heal. Waste of time. Did not heal like that.

Verdict: After years of on again, off again annoyances from this damned strain, it finally faded away due to more core work, squats, weights and pre-hab, generally.

3.

Spring ’03: Little Rock, Arkansas

Injury & Cause: Worst possible sprain of ankle. Thought for certain it was broken, but was not. Freak accident over parking lot curb while looking up at sky. Twisted over a broken piece of brick below curb.

Verdict: Helluva time getting back to Massachusetts. 5 weeks without running. But crutched about 9 miles one day from Harvard Yard to Boston City Hall to protest invasion of Iraq.

2.

Fall ’18: Shanghai, China

Injury & Cause: Fractured fifth metatarsal on top of left foot. Freak accident over curb while racing 6k at Century Park. Leading race, falling, winning race. First ever real racing injury suffered in midst of a race (first race run 30 years ago).

Verdict: Rehabbing now. Calling it one of my worst due to its occurrence week before goal race. And need to take at least a month off running.

1.

Spring ’94: Louisville, Kentucky

Injury & Cause: Shin splint turned stress fracture after my insistence on competing in a track meet at Central High.

Shin splint most likely due to higher level of training for a relatively new runner.

Toughest Times: 6 weeks no running; missed entire rest of track season

Verdict: Came back just as strong in senior cross season as I was just prior to injury.