(*Name of entry stolen from a cool blogger I just found. Check her out. At least I think she's a she. She's mysterious.)
Anywho, with much trepidation, because of slight calf problem, causing slight inability to walk correctly, I went for a 4-mile run this afternoon, a sunny fall day with no humidity, because it was just too tempting not to run. (Did I just write that?)
Unfortunately, two very pushy pals insisted on joining me. Their names? Oh just I Told You So and I Knew It. (Apologies to Naomi.)
Now that I'm part of Operation Slow the F*** Down (apologies to Dianna), these two had no business running with me.
ITYS started up when my calf started to hurt. Then, IKI kicked in when I developed the side stitch.
I swear I wasn't goading them. My right calf has been hurting since Saturday's 10 miler, but it felt a bit better today, so I just thought (you thought! you thought! we need you to stop thinking) I would see what would happen if I did this little run very very slowly, using the run/walk method. So I decided to run 5 minutes and walk 1 minute (apologies to the perenially perky Penguin for stealing his ratio) instead of my usual 3:1 ratio which I use only and solely and wholly on long runs and never ever ever on short little runs like this.
So, here's what happened:
Mile 1: 11:37 (Hm, It hurts to walk to the start of the trail (I Told You So!). My leg feels like it is going to buckle at any moment.)
Mile 2: 12:27 (Keep running/walking. Now lovely side stitch develops. Do belly breathing. There is absolutely no reason for this (I Knew It!) Calf feels better. Sometimes.)
Mile 3: 12:41 (And sometimes it feels worse. WTF? ITYS and IKI are talking up a storm. Can't you two think of anything else to say?)
Mile 4: 12:29 (Hm, now it's feeling better, but don't even think that because you will jinx it.)
Walked 10 minutes afterward, and did these stretches (thank you Susan!) before and after. Everything seemed a-ok.
Off to grocery store, where, ut-oh, right leg seems to be doing whatever it wants, like, for instance, NOT holding up my body. Tonight, there was more icing and more stretching (not too much though), and I am now, for real, in full on panic mode and scared, um, Witless about what to do the rest of the week, and how on God's Green Earth Am I Going to Run 23 Miles on Saturday????
The end.
10 comments:
I am a girl! Thanks for the shout-out ;-P I hope your legs feel better!
Get some rest, you need it!
It sounds like a few days of rest would do you some good - and keep up the stretching and icing. Try not to get discouraged or think the worst, just take a little break.
i know, because i've come to learn a bit about you, that you will hate the advice... but maybe take a day off. let your body get some rest so that it can focus all its energy on repairing itself. keep stretching and icing, but just maybe take a breather from the full on pounding of running and you'll probably get to feeling better sooner than if you continue pushing yourself thru the pain!
oh.. and FEEL BETTER!
Thanks everyone! Saw masseuse today. Bought epsom salts. Did no exercise at all today :( (That would previously have been normal ... now feels WEIRD!)
thinking positive thoughts...
Yes. Stop. Rest. Epsom salt or vinegar bath. Ice.
My very sore calf felt much better in my taper week before New Haven, In fact I ran the 20K yesterday and my calf is absolutely not an issue. Now, the knee and ankle are whispering with I Told You So but, hye, the calf is fine.
also you might want to think about NOT running 23 miles on Saturday (sorry, but it had to be said) - to (mis)quote the mighty Penguin, no one run is worth a serious/chronic injury. missing one long run won't ruin your marathon. Talk to your coach for some advice too. Good luck!
LBTEPA
LBTEPA:
you are right on all counts. Off to the coach I will go. and I'm starting to just begin to entertain thinking about skipping Saturday.
sigh...
David: So glad to hear your calf is better! Those lousy bas*****s, IKI and ITYS really get around, don't they? Off to the bath and epsom salts...
If you have one handy and can afford the fee go see and physical therapist who specializes in sports injuries. S/he can give you a real diagnoses and a recovery plan.
Don't sweat it - aren't you doing a double marathon thing anyhow? so what if you miss a long run? You've got another one coming up. No biggie.
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