To continue with this week’s theme of coping with long-term injuries, we have an interview with Daniel Stansfield. Thank you for sharing 
Tell us about your injuries, when did you have them and how long did they last for?
I have had a few minor ones but the one that put me out for a long time was at the start of 2017 in my second year at Edinburgh. I had been training reasonably well for a couple of months when my foot went bust. Still not sure exactly what it was, maybe a stressy, maybe something else. Long story short, I couldn’t run properly with any sort of consistency for the next year. This meant I missed JWOC in my final year. Since then, there have been ups and downs, but now I have been running healthy for the longest time since 2017, it really is exciting… I am both injury prone and stupid, a combo that leads to a lot of injuries- shock.
In hindsight, would you do anything differently to avoid them?
I think the main thing about avoiding injury is doing everything in moderation. Especially as a young runner/orienteer, it always seems like you can be doing more. If I look back at my training, even pre-injury, there were no long stretches of consistent training. It was weeks at a time before an illness took me out for a few days on repeat. I always felt like I needed to get fit quick and because of that I really wasted any potential I had in the early years of university.It has only been recently that I have realised how important consistency is, and how easy it is to achieve with a bit of self-control. I have always said it is easy to be a great runner if you get lucky, you smash the miles and the shape just comes. What is harder is being a great runner without the luck. You need to train smart and keep the limited running you are doing in control.In terms of prehab, rehab etc I am sure there is plenty I could have done, but nothing can stop your body being damaged by too many miles too soon, you have be patient and the shape will come.
There is often pressure to significantly increase training time when injured and carrying out cross-training. How have you avoided this pressure and how have you made sure not to over-train while cross-training?
I did for a little while, but only managed big hours for a month or so before it started feeling a bit futile… In terms of overtraining I have never had a problem with high load and fatigue, I have always got a mechanical injury before any sort of fatigue issue which is perhaps fortunate.
Do you have any other hobbies other than orienteering and running? How have these helped while you’ve been injured?
Yeah I did a lot of singing and acting while I was injured. I joined the Edinburgh Footlights and the EU Singers which were both great. It is always a good idea to get stuck into different things and not have all your energy focussed on running, keeps you sane you know. I met loads of people and had a blast. If I could go back and uninjure myself I wouldn’t, the experiences I had because of my injury were pretty special. Also, medicine is intensely socially demanding, so that took up plenty of my time as well.
How did your injuries affect your mental health?
It was a tough thing to deal with for sure. I was lucky enough that I had a great group of friends along with my girlfriend. I also joined a variety of different societies to fill the gap that was left when the running stopped. It didn’t help the way I felt that I was doing a degree I absolutely hated (intercalating from medicine) for a large proportion of the time I was crocked. It sounds dramatic, but that year or so really put my priorities into perspective and I started enjoying and appreciating everything outside running more and more.
How did you deal with missing out on certain running or orienteering events? Any specific examples where you struggled with this?
Missing JWOC was crap and probably the most upsetting thing about it all. I got over it in the first couple of months though and was able to enjoy the selection chat and watch my fellow Brits smash it out there, orienteering is class. Generally though, I just had to put everything in perspective. It was rubbish but it could have been worse, appreciate what you have you know. I was still able to do all the things I was doing and was only on crutches for a month or so… hah
3 pieces of advice for someone struggling with an injury at the moment?
This is tricky, I feel like people know themselves better than I do (shock) but can give a few things I think would have helped me at first.
1- Be patient, there is no point trying to rush it, especially if it is a more chronic problem.
2- It (your sport) isn’t the be all and end all, there are other things to enjoy in life, like Hive. But yeah, try something new and embrace the opportunity.
3- Learn from the mistakes you made and be better when you come back, it has taken me a few shots at that one.
How can people support their friends who are struggling to keep positive with an injury?
It’s no different from anything else that would upset your friend, just be there for them.
Best memory from being in EUOC so far? This is impossible, it has all been class, I’ve got too many to choose one. Have been reminiscing a lot over the past year of the ‘rona and come to the conclusion that I have been incredibly lucky with my time at Edinburgh. I am extremely grateful and couldn’t really have asked for anything more.
Tell us about your plans for the next few years!
I can’t let the doctor life take me over… So lots of hills and beers and mates and time off, waheeeey. I will be in Edinburgh for a while yet as well, fingers crossed.