I’m two months well into training for the Houston Marathon and it finally happened…I’m injured.
I hate to put it that way, to be pessimistic about training and expect to be injured, but I just felt so good for a long time that I started to worry something would go awry. About a month ago, I started experiencing some tenderness and tightness in my hamstring and knee that just wouldn’t go away. I stretched and bought a foam roller (a wise investment for any runner), and while it would help some, the pain started to increase. In fact, it began to bother me even when I wasn’t running.
I have started to reevaluate a few things that could have led up to this.
1. I need to stretch more. Initially, after long runs, I probably didn’t stretch as much as I needed to. Maybe adding a yoga session once a week will help.
2. I need to get massages regularly. I have always been one to stress, whether it’s about paying bills, getting a project done at work or family issues. As a result, I tense up. I can feel it when I run too because my shoulders are less relaxed and I don’t feel as fluid. Massages always help release some of this tension. I have the extra cash to do so now as well.
3. Generally, I need to chill. Bills will be paid. I work in a relaxed environment, despite the fact that we are deadline-driven industry. Mom is doing great in her chemo sessions. After being diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer a year ago, she looks and feels great. We are grateful for that and we know she will be around for a long time yet. Things really are OK.
4. Sleep deprivation. One thing that has been difficult for me to adjust is my work and training schedule. I work nights at my job and I train with the Gazelles Monday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Mondays and Wednesdays aren’t so bad since I run at 9:15 a.m., but Saturdays are the toughest. We start runs at 6 a.m. and I get out of work at 12:30 a.m. By the time I get home and get into bed, it’s usually 1:30 a.m. I wake up around 5:15 a.m., grab a bagel and do my long run. The lack of sleep keeps me napping most of the day Saturday as a result. There isn’t too much I can do about this since I enjoy running with my group and long runs are hard for me to do on my own. I have to keep in mind that it will only take a couple more months before we start tapering and I can sleep in a little more. In the end, it will be worth it.
5. Eat more. I don’t think I’m fueling enough. I’ve dropped some weight and put on some muscle, but I still need to eat a little bit more.
I made an appointment with a physical therapist for Tuesday and hope we can pinpoint what exactly is wrong. It’s early enough in training that I’m confident I can recover, though it may mean slowing down some and seriously considering some of the things listed above.
