Hi. I'm 35 years old and I have been running for about 4 years now. I usually run at least 3 days a week. I have done several 5k races and I have been training for longer distances. I love to run. I wish I could bottle the feeling you get after a good run and keep it for emergencies. I obsess over it. When I see a runner while I'm driving I get insanely jealous and I want to park my car and run with them. Now, that being said, you must know where this is going since I'm posting in the sports injury support group. I suffered an injury to my left calf muscle during my run on Monday. I was getting greedy and wanted a time that was out of my comfort zone. I should have stopped when I felt my calf getting tight and aching but like so many other times I just believed that I could adjust the speed or stride to get through it. It didn't work this time and I felt the heartbreaking SNAP that every athlete fears. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow but I'm pretty sure I already know what I am going to hear. It's most likely a torn calf muscle. I'm suffering from a huge depression even before I get diagnosed. I can barely walk and running is out of the question. I am just praying that I will not need surgery and I will be able to run again someday. Running is my therapy. It's my stress relief. It's what keeps me sane and how I avoid turning into a monster when I am frustrated. It took me 30 some years to find my thing. It has done wonders for my confidence and self esteem and it makes me feel ALIVE! I'm sobbing because I'm scared of all of that going away. My friends who are not runners do not understand. They think it's a weight loss tool only and they told me to just watch what I eat and I will be fine without it. It's so much more than that for me. I'm so mad at myself for not stopping when I felt the pain. I keep reading information about this type of injury and the recovery does not sound promising. Has anyone else dealt with this one and can now run again? I need some good news.