The “Never Broken A Bone” Theory
Last Friday, while I was deep in the trenches of a 24-hour norovirus/stomach bug and was just feeling at my absolute wits' end with all of the hurdles I’ve had to jump in 2025 so far, I came across this reel talking about the “never broken a bone theory”. For the most part, I think I have had a pretty positive outlook on every obstacle throughout my life. There were numerous times I could’ve stopped trying so hard, given up on my passions, and let the ED win, but I didn’t. After all the setbacks these last few months, I have kept going because I know they are making me stronger and that better things are ahead. However, this past weekend, I was feeling defeated. I had finally almost made it through a week of regular training in over a month, my Achilles was feeling almost 100%, I was so close to Friday’s workout when the unthinkable happened. I got the norovirus/stomach bug that has been going around campus, and with a history of an ED, this is probably one of the worst illnesses to have because it is so easy to get caught up in bad habits. A part of me was frustrated by another inconvenience messing with my training, and another part was just confused. Why, when I finally started to feel better from my Achilles issues, did a new problem arise? What lesson was I forced to be learning now, when I had made so much positive progress over the last couple of weeks? And that is when I came across this reel on the “broken bone theory”.
Essentially, the theory states that those who have never broken a bone are said to have experienced so many physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges that they are at least spared from broken bones. I know it sounds silly and cliché. Honestly, it may be a myth for all I know, but in that very moment, it offered me so much relief and clarity. Everybody has challenges in life, and I believe stronger people are handed more difficult challenges because God, the universe, or whatever higher power you believe in knows that the individual can handle it. It is confusing in the moment, while you are going through setback after setback to figure out why all of this is happening, so I recommend just accepting it and then trying to decipher what it means afterwards. It is hard enough as it is to make it through the hard times, so there is no point in adding extra stress to try to figure it out in the moment.
Luckily, my 24-hour stomach virus was short-lived, and after getting in more fuel and fluids, I ran an easy run Saturday, a long run Sunday, and was back to regular training this week. Despite it being an aggravating situation, I am thankful it was short-lived, and I know from past experiences that missing one workout will not affect me in the grand scheme. I am also grateful I didn’t get sick today because it’s our home meet, and my family is visiting. They came up on Wednesday and are here until Sunday, so I have loved spending the last few days with them. I have been enjoying some home-cooked meals (since I am on a heavy dining hall ban, as that is where my stomach bug was caught from), have been able to sleep in a normal bed, and my mom is here to do some extra special fast braid Friday braids for my 5K tonight! Overall, I am feeling good and super excited for tonight. This is the first time since my 5K in Boston, where I am headed into a race, and the only thing I am nervous about is the race itself. I am not mentally struggling with feeling underprepared and lacking confidence, like I was indoors, or physically struggling with pain anywhere, like I was heading into the 10K. So tonight I can just go out there, focus on racing, and leave it all on the track!