Once each week, I do a sprint workout. This is something I've been doing for over 8 years now. I started doing it based on Mark Sisson's sprinting advice. I do it year-round. I do it despite my Spondylitis.

However, aches and pains and injuries happen and I do my best to respect them. I'm too old (and wise) now to expect that I'll to be able to just stubbornly muscle through them and expect them to heal.

I have a re-occuring groin pull that surfaces every once in a while, which did just that the other month. After a few weeks of denial, I decided that it wasn't going to heal while sprinting as usual. However, I'm loathe to just flat-out stop working-out. So, I've been doing backwards sprints for the past 3 weeks. It's not as satisfying as a conventional sprint workout and definitely not what I'd call a natural movement. But, it's a satisfying substitute during this interim.

This adaptation is a perfect manifestation of one of my personal mantras:

You can only do what you can do, but do what you can do.

I love this mantra. It captures a balance between a) recognizing and respecting your limitations and b) using them as an excuse for not giving your full effort.

In life, setbacks will happen. Do what you can to make them temporary.