i just want my mileage back, that's all.

people say coming back from an injury is like starting over, but it's not. at least, it's not like starting from square 1. it's more like starting from square -3. if you're starting from square 1 you are out of shape, so you just do as much as you can until you are too tired to continue. you will be all tight and need to stretch. your muscles will hurt. you'll be tired. but it's all part of growing and you just push on through it.

but, if you're coming back from an injury, it's all that plus the pain of the injury and the fear that you're re-injuring -- the confusion of not knowing how much you can do. is this a regular, normal ache or is it an injury? you can't tell what you should push through and when you need to dial it back. you have the energy and the muscles are all ready to go, but you aren't supposed to go out every day, so you sit around half the time because you can't stand the stat bike. boredom. frustration.

if you're starting from scratch, the increased activity will make you physically tired. if you're coming back from an injury, the tiredness comes not from increased activity, but from the decrease, and not from your physical self, but instead from your soul.