INJURIES

I HATE INJURIES.

I ran Amelia Island ½ in October, and somehow during? After?  I got injured?

My good hamstring and hip became UNUSABLE.  I could not fire the leg, something on the nerve? The hamstring was just totally stuck and the line down the leg was unusable, I literally couldn’t run- pain, but also because it was like “funny running” like Phoebe on friends running.  I couldn’t get my body to go.

It has been 6 weeks.  I’m frustrated (but at the point I can see a glimmer of hope I think?)

But, I always think there are lessons learned.

I go back to try to discern WTF happened? I was really super fit a month before the race – aiming for my goal of qualifying for NYC marathon with a fast ½ time.  Then, 3 weeks before race, I got sick and my taper turned into….. basically sickness.  I wondered, “well maybe we can see what a really LAZY taper will do?” like maybe it would be ok?  I had a week before the race where I tried to do some runs/intervals to kind of get back up on my feet and pretend that maybe this experiment would work?

I arrived at the race and really thought I may be ok?  I started strong and legs died.  I thought I would be sore and recover.  Instead, my sore calves turned into injured hamstrings and hips?  FOR 6 weeks?  MY GOSH. Seriously. I can understand like 2 weeks, but then let’s get back. But NO: I would go out and “try” to run and literally within 60 seconds my run gait was a NO GO- things were not FIRING on the left side of my body- my hamstring was just JACKED and my calf on that side was feeling like it was going to BLOW UP and my foot felt like it didn’t know oddly how to even land.  I knew I was only doing more damage.  I was completely halted; there was NO DOUBT I could not run.

I hated this.  I wanted to have a season of easy, joyful running with just nothing but ease and gratitude and kind of a lazy mindset!  Instead, I had to get back on my trainer a bunch and get in some biking hours, walking (although I even felt it walking), ugh. Just didn’t feel good.

I spent a lot of time trying to do the maintenance, TOO LATE.

So, I learned… AGAIN… my lesson of not just trying to get fast and fit.  But taking CARE of the HEALTH OF THE MUSCLE TISSUE.  Like you cannot be 100% at peak performance without being HEALTHY.  Without doing the basic maintenance of rolling, maybe getting deep into problematic areas, using trigger point balls, maybe getting massages regularly which I haven’t prioritized.  I had noticed a huge right/left difference between hip flexors this past fall and…. You know what?  I noticed it, but didn’t really INVEST IN IT.  I admit.  I noticed it so much- when I would be training people I would ALWAYS show/demo things on my other side and realized how much I was favoring that side.  I got GREEDY.  I was greedy going for speed without doing the basic accounting of my body.

My physical therapist 4 years ago when I had to stop for a bit because of my opposite hip, told me that I had to “race at the level I was at”… which was so humbling and true.  Because I KNEW… oops!!!  I literally remember being on a race course saying to myself, I will win this thing even if it is above my level and I will just MAKE IT HAPPEN by WILL.  Ugh. Dumb.  And I paid the price.  GREEDY.

So, my mantra after that has been, “don’t get greedy for speed.” Just do what is truly yours.

I also had 2 races this past year where afterwards (I even wrote about it in 2 previous blogs)--- the thing that was getting me was this LEFT hip which is my GOOD hip????  Hmmmm.. and so it finally stopped giving me HINTS and gave me a big SHOUT OUT! 

OK, so let’s just get this wrapped up.  I am back to “jogging” (good grief running is FREAKING HARD when you haven’t been doing it- I used to go out for 15 mile run and just love it and n ow- 5 miles?  WHOAAAAA… feeling it, mentally and physically).  I may be back to jogging, but it will come back unless I do some BIG WORK AND COMMITMENTS.

What will I do going forward.

*DAILY CORE :  I need to make sure I keep some tough workouts going daily.  My core class is hard and challenging and I participate (plus do it all in advance to plan) BUT… I need to do more ON MY OWN ABS that are at the level of me so I am paying attention to MY BODY, not to the class.

*Daily yoga with focus on:  TWISTS (I am like a rigid board in my back- always have been.)  I need to not push it, but daily do long easy twists once I’ve warmed.  Also: hip mobility, pigeon, some of my deeper favorites of low chair twist/ pigeon twist/ malasana with thoracic rotation.  And my NON FAVORITES:  such as eagle, (lunge twists), all the twists, reclining yin poses to RELEASE THINGS.

*ROLLING.  I need to roll hips/calves/quads and if I ever have the TV on, I better not have my ass planted on the couch.  I better have my muscles on the roller rolling.

*OUT LOUD:  hydration.  I truly believe this is part of it also.  It is my unhealthiest thing in THE WORLD.  I’m literally embarrassed.  I don’t drink water, I dislike it.  I try.  Every sip of water I take, it is intentional because I do NOT LIKE.  But I think this has negatively affected the health of my muscle tissue.  I’m learning.

I want to be back.

I want to be focused, in training, living my days as they give me HUGE JOY IN going after a GOAL!

I want to commit to the things I don’t love in order to DO THE THINGS I LOVE !!!