Seven weeks. 49 Days.

That’s how long it had been since I ran.

As I don’t play basketball anymore (not even pickup games), running became my new favorite sport. I ran the Miami Marathon in 2017 and am signed up for 2019 already. Running gives me the same mental rush I used to get from playing ball; the feeling of unstoppability right at the end of the exercise that I crave.

While I was lucky enough to never have a serious injury in hoops, all the impact of running, combined with the years of strain from basketball, caused me to develop tendinitis in my left Achilles last year.

What it’s like: You feel pain at the back of your foot every time you take a step, walking or running.

I tried to outwork the pain, and just continue running. That was dumb, and only made it worse.

I tried sitting out from running; from last August thru Thanksgiving I iced my Achilles daily and just didn’t run. Didn’t work.

I tried running more slowly, or only on a treadmill to lessen the impact. Negative.

Finally, I googled and found a simple heel-drop exercise that I could do daily, reconnected with MSM, a miracle supplement that lessens inflammation, and took another 7 weeks off. Then today I did the run you see above.

I had to go slow, deliberately holding back while people passed me, knowing I need to be smart with my body. But I finished with no pain, it’s almost four hours later now and I still have no pain, and I’m doing it again tomorrow.

While Work On Your Game is all about getting things done, and you may see much of what I y’all about as “motivational,” remember that Discipline is also about being smart. Learn this in 30 Days To Discipline.

For Your Game
Don’t let your ego control you; the powerful are secure enough in themselves to know when to relent and don’t have to “win” every battle.
Be stupid with your money, relationships and your material possessions — all of those can be replaced. Don’t be stupid with your body: worst case, you lose a function that you’ll never get back; best case you lose time fixing your mistakes.
Be quick, but don’t hurry. Having a sense of urgency isn’t just about doing things fast — it’s about not wasting time doing useless things.

When have you needed to slow down? Reply with your experiences — I read them all.