So P.T. went well yesterday, just very painful. They did ultrsound heat on my leg and knee and then proceeded to take a butter knife like tool and began to "hoe" my leg. OUCH....this really hurt. Then from there is was straight to the foam roller. OUCH...again. Then finally it was to the pool. I ran for 20 minutes and felt great. Hopefully just one or two more pool visits and then I can try LAND!!
OK this is where I may not be very popular...but just want to share and process.
Here goes...
So in talking to the P.T. and stressing my need to get going..I mean come on I am already having to adjust my "dreams" for the Seattle half and now my Marathon training is being compromised...just tell me what to do and let's run. He just looked at me and said, "Do you run to race or do you want to be able to RUN the rest of your life?"
Hmmmm, good question. Let's think about that, training leads to running, which leads to races?? He talked about runners who lose the love of running and instead focus on getting faster, doing more (which is never enough), wanting to join maniac clubs, find extreme races, etc.and that becomes what they LOVE. Not that getting faster or trying new things is bad BUT when it takes away from where you are and how far you have come...that can be problematic and flat unhealthy. Being able to miss a few training days...should be no big deal, slow run...again no big deal. This is tough for people like me, competetive with myself and others. Of course I was like I am not extreme...and look at me I'm hurt. Why can others run marathons back to back and come away healthy? His response was that the way we treat our body will catch up with us. It may take a month or two years but it will eventually show up. Which is what he thinks happened with my IT band. He think my band has been picking up the slack for two years and I have been pushing through and ignoring bits of pain. This I.T. injury has been tough but has made me look at running in a different way.
I do LOVE running, so I want to enjoy it. As I was stressing last week a friend of mine told me "don't let running become your stress....rememeber it is your de-stressor and you LOVE it!" Wise lady eh?? So I know this may not be a popular post but I really appreciated the insight and it reminded me I will get through this and I AM going to ROCK that Marathon in October!!
Please leave a comment...I would love to hear your thoughts.
P.S. My leg feels like a HUGE tender bruise after yesterday so I think I will just be walking on the treadmill today!!
RUN HAPPY
9 comments:
Love the perspective provided by the PT. You started running for the way it made you feel, right? Keep healing. Protland will be an awesome experience!
You are going to rock Portland!!
Love the quote from the PT.
"the way we treat our body will catch up to us"
great words of wisdom and they work both ways. Treat your body well, and in time you'll reap those rewards. Treat your body badly, and you'll reap that too!
My grandpa always said "If I'd known I would live this long, I would've taken better care of myself." You're wise to be taking the time NOW to ensure you can run for life.
Sounds like he used Graston?
I think he is absolutely right--some people can go a long time overdoing it, but eventually, it will catch up. Whether it's injury, burnout, or just plain tired legs, it all comes back. Gotta keep the big picture in mind.
This is EXACTLY what the running coach told me and why I downgraded the full to the half. I want to be one of those women with a silver ponytail someday. Know what I mean? Of course, I was a lot closer to my race than you are, so you have TONS of time.
I think this was a fantastic post and it sounds like you have people working with you who really know what they're talking about (well at least one). Great thing to remember!
Galloway Marathon Training: run/walk/run ... designed to make it possible for you to run your entire life INJURY FREE. I recently started this program through a marathon training group and SWEAR by it.
check it out. run happy. run healthy.
HUGS from Orlando..
r.
I remember in the first months of my running..... i had to stop for a couple of weeks! God help me! I thought it was all over! But I followed the doctor's orders and now I have noooo pain! You listen to the PT. And even though it will be a hard couple of weeks.... if you are careful, you will pull out of it!!!! Thanks for checking out my site! I am new to the scene, I love new friends!!! Good Luck!!!
H,
I agree with the PT. Racing is only a way to keep focus or have a goal. The key is to finish it-there's always going to be someone fast, stronger, younger, etc. You've got let your body define what kind of runner you want to be. And if your goals/vision changes-so be it. Get disappointed and then Get over it. You are NOT your running. You have a great heart and it shows in how you love your family and nurture your relationships. Seriously, I hope to see a blog about what running is to you. Lists are great. I do this time and time again with my weight. For me, running helps me relax and build confidence in my body. Hope this helps.
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