ACL recovery consists of 5 stages:

phase	goals	my timeline
pre-op	pre-hab preparing for surgery	November 2023 – March 2024, 3.5 months
early	↓ swelling ↑ quad activation/control normalize walking achieve “quiet knee”	March – Oct, 8 months
mid	introduce running	Nov – January 2025, 3 months
late	return to play progression	January – May, 5 months
performance	ramp up playing volume, strength, and endurance	May 2025

On my 30th birthday, 11 months and 7 days post injury, my coach cleared me to run.

I broke down and cried.

I had been striving for this milestone for so long. I was on crutches for 12 intermittent weeks and thrice daily rehab, trying to be patient, trying to trust the healing, trying to still believe I will heal and return to sport.

I cannot imagine life any other way.

For my first run, I had so many feelings: uncomfortable sensations in my knee, anxiety, excitement for my first run, fear of reinjury, and sadness for not being with my team at Worlds.

As I ran, agility workouts, and strength workouts, each twice a week, I hit the highest compliance to training in my life.

It takes a lot of energy and willpower for me to go for a run.

I don’t love running (I am trying to not to say I hate running).

Here is my reframe:

I am a runner

One run closer to sports

I like running sometimes

💖💖💖 to my accountability loves who matched my running mileage, it made rehab less lonely and daunting. You inspire me to keep going.