Here at runladylike.com, Fridays are all about sharing the inspiring stories of fit people who motivate all of us to be better tomorrow than we were yesterday. My Friday FITspiration series profiles runners, triathletes and casual exercisers who are making choices every day to be as healthy as they can be – in both huge ways and through simple, small victories. Their stories are about the journey of transforming from ordinary to extraordinary each and every day.

Since it’s injury prevention week here on the blog, today’s inspiring story is about a runner who has overcome an injury and is now running stronger than ever. I’d like you to meet Holly Batchelder, an avid runner and self-proclaimed “sometimes triathlete” who lives in in Jacksonville, Florida, and blogs at Fashionable Miles. This marathoner experienced a devastating and painful injury in early 2012, sidelining her from running for more than 4 weeks. Check out her incredible journey, her advice for overcoming injury and how she has improved her marathon time by 90 minutes since her first race.

How long have you been running, and what inspired you to start?
I’ve been running off and on for about 21 years, but consistently for 10 years. After playing high school soccer and running cross-country, I gained 35 pounds my freshman year in college from not having the structure of team sports to keep me active. I began running my sophomore year as a way to lose some of the weight and get healthy. After college, my husband and I signed up for our first marathon with Team in Training. I couldn’t run a complete mile at that time. Much like high school athletics, I was inspired by the social aspect since we’d just moved to a new city; the charity aspect was icing on the cake! That first marathon (Maui in 2001) was tough. I finished in about 5:10. It took me 9 years to convince myself I wanted to tackle 26.2 again, but in January 2010, I finished the Houston Marathon in 3:59 and haven’t looked back. My current PR is 3:40:04 (and yes, those 4 seconds are important).

I understand you experienced a running injury at the beginning of 2012. Tell us about that.
During the Houston Marathon in January 2012, my left hip started hurting in a way I had never experienced before. I thought it was just a cramp and tried to push through. By mile 15, the pain was intense and was altering my stride. By mile 17, I knew I was done. I didn’t know what was going on and I didn’t want to “just finish,” especially since I was afraid I might be doing permanent damage. Since we lived in Houston at the time, I saw some friends spectating at mile 18 and they drove me to the finish. I had never DNF’d (did not finish) a race before, and I was on track for a 3:30 until that point. I took some time off after that race, saw my sports chiropractor and tried running again with my sights set on a redemption race just a few weeks away. (We still thought it was just a random pain at this time.) We went skiing with friends the following week, and I noticed at the end of every day my lower back REALLY hurt. After we got back to Houston, I picked up my running, focusing on being ready for a marathon in a week. My back continued to hurt but wasn’t really stopping me. Then I sneezed … and couldn’t stand up. Game over. An MRI revealed a partial tear to my fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae, with nerve impingement. Yes, it’s as painful as it sounds. I was placed on complete rest for at least 4 weeks.

What was the most challenging part about your injury?
Initially, it was dealing with the pain and mobility limitations. I had been running 50+ miles a week, and then suddenly I couldn’t get in or out of bed without help. Once the pain subsided, it was being patient enough to allow my body to completely heal. It was tough watching my husband (also my training partner) PR in every distance and know those times should be mine too. (I was happy for him but also sad I wasn’t running too.)

Did you do any cross training while you couldn’t run? If so, what did you enjoy most as an alternative form of exercising?
The first cardio activity I was allowed to reintroduce to my routine was indoor cycling (at 4 weeks after my injury diagnosis). It was with restrictions, but I was just thrilled to work up a sweat. I have a strange love affair with spinning, so I was more than happy to use that as my primary form of exercise while rehabilitating my back.

What was it like to return to running when your injury was healed? Was it hard?
My first run was a group run in our college town, and I was ordered to do a run/walk combo for a max of 4 miles. It was AWESOME to be back on the road using my legs. It was hard to follow the run/walk orders, and of course, my fitness wasn’t where it was pre-injury, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well I was running given the time-off. I give total credit to cross-training. Once I started ramping my training back up, I did find myself being “scared” all the time. I was scared I’d re-injure myself. Scared I couldn’t run as fast as I could pre-injury. Scared to race because I wasn’t “ready.” Lots of negative thoughts were in my head that I’ve had to work on throughout my recovery and training since the injury.

How are you doing today? We’d love to hear about your race accomplishments since you’ve been on the mend.
It’s been more than a year now, and I’m doing well. I’ve PR’d in every race distance from the 5K to the marathon since my injury. It’s been a confidence boosting year, and I’m looking forward to crushing even more barriers in the future. To put some numbers to the accomplishments:

• 5K: From 23:30 to 21:58 (including a 3^rd AG (age group) finish)
• 10K: From 50:01 to 45:33
• Half marathon: From 1:42 to 1:40:42 (including a 2^nd AG finish)
• Marathon: From 3:54 to 3:40:04

What did you learn from your injury that you would do differently in the future?
I’ve learned the importance of not just cross-training, but including core strength and core work into my training schedule. When I let that slide, my body always reacts negatively (fighting it right now). It’s hard to fit it all in, but it’s harder to be sidelined.

Are there any tips you would offer to other runners either to prevent injuries or who may think they have an injury?
When it comes to injury prevention, having a strong core is key. One mistake many people make is thinking core means abs only … NOT TRUE! It means your entire “powerhouse” (to borrow a Pilates term). It is definitely your abs, but it’s also all the other stabilizer muscles in your lower back, glutes and hips. I did a Pilates Reformer class twice a week for months and found it hugely beneficial. I no longer have access to that class, but this “dirty dozen” series can be done at home and targets the major core muscle groups.

If you think you have a possible injury: STOP running! I have a high pain threshold, so I have to really be careful to not run through something that should cause me to rest. Some aches and pains are ok (or maybe that’s just me because I’m getting older), but really listen to your body and if it’s consistently screaming at you, see a doctor. I personally recommend a good sports chiropractor. (Ask around at local running clubs/groups. You’ll find one name comes up all the time. Go see that person.)

Finish this sentence: I run because _______________________.
I run because it’s a chance to unplug, to reconnect with my husband, to explore new routes/trails and to push myself toward goals I didn’t previously think possible.

What goal do you most want to accomplish in 2013?
That’s easy. I want to qualify for the Boston Marathon. That’s why I’ve said a couple of times that the 4 seconds on my current marathon PR are so important. They are currently keeping me from Boston. I look forward to crushing this goal in 3 weeks at the Eugene Marathon.

What is your running mantra(s)?
The biggest one for me is “Believe.” I have big scary goals and dreams for my running, but if I don’t think it’s possible to achieve those, then I’ve already lost the battle.

Another oldie but goodie is “Can’t never could.” I’ve got a great support system telling me all these crazy things are possible, but they won’t happen unless I remove the word “can’t” from my running vocabulary.

How can people connect with you?
Blog: http://fashionablemiles.com/
Twitter: @fashionablemile
Instagram: instagram.com/fashionablemiles
Daily Mile: http://www.dailymile.com/people/fashionablemile#ref=tophd

Thank you, Holly for sharing your journey with us! Holly and I both applied to be on the Nuun Hood to Coast Relay team, so I hope to meet Holly in August! You can see Holly’s video application here and mine here. We find out on April 17, so please keep your fingers crossed for us!

If you or someone you know would be a great candidate for Friday FITspiration, email me at runladylike@gmail.com.

In case you missed the first 3 parts of this week’s injury prevention series, check them out here:
Part 1: Injury Prevention: A Week-Long Series + The Basics
Part 2: Injury Prevention: Sports Massage for Runners
Part 3: Injury Prevention: Wearing the Right Shoes

Ready for Part 5? Read it now: Injury Prevention: Yoga for Runners

Holly talks about removing the word “can’t” from her running vocabulary in order to believe her big goals are possible. What do you do when you start to doubt whether you can achieve a running goal? Have you ever come back from an injury as a stronger, faster runner?