• What, exactly, does that mean? •
[2½ MIN READ]
I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of my declaration to people that I sprained the middle toe of my right toe — without moving (iCandybyWangC.com and elsewhere in this post unless otherwise indicated). Since so many people know that I’m a long-distance runner, they assume, incorrectly, that I injured myself while out on a run. Clearly, not so.
If sympathy was my goal in sharing, I’ve gotten a lot of it. (It wasn’t.) So many people have urged me to be careful that it’s become its own source of attention. (I was just been sharing a point of amazement.)
What, exactly, does “be careful” mean? If it means for me to run less, I’d challenge the concerned individual to consider how much less I should run. I’ve otherwise averaged more than 2 marathons a year for the last 13 years since I started running (Mid-life Crisis).
If being careful means keeping my exertion level more modest, I’d observe that this happened outside of training season. My last marathon was Philadelphia in November. This injury took place a month later after I’d dialed my training back down again. And exactly how much less exertion can I apply than shifting my weight?
Two months after my static mishap and with recovery still slower than anticipated for a sprain, I finally got an MRI. I did not sprain my toe. I broke it. Two of them. One asymptomatically. The middle toe was a break of the cartilage from a bone tip. The other broken toe was my big toe. I had no idea.
With that disclosure to running friends, “Be careful” sounded more like, “Don’t try to return to running too soon.” For most people, though, that means not doing anything until the pain is gone. I know this because everyone keeps asking if it hurts.
Despite everyone’s concerned expressions, I’m going to do what I do and follow my usual instincts. It might seem like I’m ignoring everyone as I ramp my running back up, but I subscribe to the “whisper, talk, yell” pain-assessment school of recovery that my physical therapist taught me. It might hurt as I’m starting to restore my mileage, but as long as it’s not talking too loud, no problem.
Read more: (Another take on “whisper, talk, yell”) Lessons from a Sprained Toe
Btw, the research librarian in me did find some empirical evidence for PT professional’s advice, the kind of evidence that makes me very happy: Pain-Free Versus Pain-Threshold Rehabilitation Following Acute Hamstring Strain Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial (JOSPT.org. Yes, I understand the hamstring is a muscle, not a bone, and which is not even in the foot. Let’s focus on the principle, here.).
With that in mind, I did 8 miles at this Saturday’s SRC, the longest distance I’ve done since my injury. The whisper-talk inflection point kept me at a 10½-minute pace.
I am being careful.
–CtCloser (Calvinthe) “Negative Split or Positive Splat” #dothedue
FINE PRINT ¶Text by Calvin Wang (Wäng), CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. ¶Cross-published: Facebook Shawmont Running Club (ZY Weekly Newsletter 3/7/26), Shawmont Running Club website, Ruminations by CtCloser. ¶This website posting: Rumination with added caption
iCandybyWangC 
Nice thoughts Brother……in spite of the well meaning nature of the wisher…..I’ve never been a big fan of that advice and you captured some of the reasons why.
Here’s my least favorite of the expressions: “Be careful what you pray for!” Ugggggggg. As if we serve a God waiting to zap us with some hated assignment in life if we pray the wrong words….. What kind of Heart do we think God has?! I say pray instead with reckless abandon and large prayers. Careful has a place….but not at the expense of doing…….
PS: have you ever heard of “The man in the arena” speech by Teddy Roosevelt? It’s the ‘doer’ that matters!
The Man in the Arena. I didn’t know it before, but I like how it speaks to this post. “Be careful” may be too cautious. It might limit, it might constrain. I’ve run on many sprained ankles that has unintentionally drawn upon it. It’s possible to tie oneself down unncessarily. Thanks for the share! As far as “Be careful what you pray for”; I see it speaking more to the individually not being in the right place to accept the humbling answer that God is going to give. How many times have we seen people get an answer to prayer that doesn’t correct and reprove, but embitters?
A thoughtful reply…..expanding on the “be careful what you pray for” idea…..We have to acknowledge that God knows us better than we know ourselves….so if He gives us an answer that embitters it reveals our heart a need to repent (Job comes to mind here). God is after the GOOD of His children. Sometimes that is a tough road, but it’s the best road for us…….and……since when does God need US to pray something before He acts……He is not limited to our simple whims and will do all according to His Holy will….sometimes inspite of our cooperation, but always for His Glory and our ultimate good.
Mmh, on the ‘heart that needs to repent’! Preach it.