T-Minus 23 days until my race in October, and running is going…OK. I have developed a hip injury on my right side, which is slowing down my training. I am trying to balance additional days of rest/recuperation with maintaining my conditioning for the big race. Running ain’t easy.
I have had running injuries before, but those were mostly in the form of minor shin splints or knee pain. This is my first injury to my hip, and I have to wonder whether this new pain is due to the issues in my left leg. There are times when I push myself through a run when my left leg is either tingling or even showing signs of some numbness. Not to the extent that I can’t run anymore, but to the extent that I’m not sure whether the left leg is fully cooperating. And it is completely possible that these issues cause me to change my stride and the weight that I put on each of my legs as I run. Even small changes to balance or running posture can change the way the body reacts to the impact of hitting the pavement. (One of the reasons why trail running seem to cause me injuries, since your body has to react to the changes in the landscape, elevation, and terrain around you.)
This hip injury came about after a multiple day flare up, too, when my body was not cooperating one bit. And then I came out of the fog, body feeling sort of normal again, and pushed myself into a run. In retrospect, perhaps one more day of rest would have been a good idea. But I’m not sure I emerged from that flare up completely normal either. It is possible that each of my “flare ups” chip slowly away at my balance, meaning that I have to re-train my body how to adapt to its new condition. That’s kind of a scary thought.
And this race is going to be an endurance contest. It is a 200 mile relay race, of which I will be running three separate legs of approximately 4, 4, and 5 miles (total of 13) over a 24-hour period. No big deal. I have 11 teammates that will be running even more than me. And none of my individual leg distances give me any concern…unless I get sidelined by injury. But that goes for any runner, not just me.
So, here I am, with just over 3 weeks to go, making sure my body will be fully functional and ready to go at race time. I’m training smart, I’m keeping tabs of my limits, and I am working toward the ultimate goal. But in the back of my head, I just keep thinking, “Just Run…Just Run…Just Run”. Injuries be damned. Just get outside and run. Because in reality, I fear that I will not always be able to run. I don’t know that to be fact, but I am fearful that it will be true one day. And I don’t want to look back regretting that I didn’t run more while I still could.
But I will be patient, avoid further injury, and make sure I am able to get through my race in October. And no matter what happens during the race, you can be assured I’ll be thinking “Just Run…Just Run…Just Run”.
AnonMS Blogger 