I think I can count on one hand how many runs I’ve gone on in the past month, and I’m frustrated.
I wanted to take a few days off after my half. I got in some cross training workouts and a shake out run. For some reason, I couldn’t get into a workout groove, so I opted for an exercise break. I enjoyed my time away from the gym, but by the time it was over I was amped to get back to my runs and strength routine.
I was back at it for a week when I had to have a colonoscopy. Everything’s good (phew), but the doc told me no running or strenuous activity for a week. A week!? What? I just took a week off. Bah! And so went another week of running.
Then came Blend, which was amazing, but ain’t no way I’m running in that elevation.
Once I finally got back to NYC, I went for a run. Three quick miles on the treadmill felt good. Great actually. I was back with what I figured was plenty of time to get myself together for the 10K I have May 30th.
I woke up last Friday morning ready for another run, but my ankle felt a little stiff. I remembered that it felt a little sore after the Blend bootcamp workout, but it shouldn’t have still be stiff so many days later. I thought, “Eh, I’ll walk it out, and by the time I get to the gym it’ll be fine.”
I got to the gym, and it was still a little off. Stubborn me ran anyway. I was feeling it a bit, but as I sped up it felt better. “Just needed a little shake out,” I thought. The rest of the day it felt ok. See, ankle just needed to get its run on.
Saturday morning I woke up and could barely stand. I limped around for a bit. It wasn’t shaking out. I also noticed that it was hurting in my heel area more than my ankle. Crap.
I looked in my Jordan Metzl Running Strong book and started freaking out that I injured my Achilles Tendon. A tendon injury is no joke. I rested it. I iced it. I sat out on an intense game of Spike Ball (<— Look into that. It’s epic.) I was determined to heal that heel!
Sunday morning, it wasn’t any better. In fact, I noticed a new symptom. Redness and a little swelling. Oh hell to the no. I started doing a Google search (which is never a good thing to do btw – it will only lead to more freaking out) at which point I had decided it was Bursitis. Totally qualified to diagnose myself, obviously. I iced. I rested. I ref’d another game of Spike Ball.
Yesterday morning. No better. Will and I drove home from the lake house and I had him drop me at a walk in clinic. I was so relieved when the doc said she thought it was just a staff infection that could be cured with some antibiotics. No running injury? I can run if it feels ok? Praise the running gods! Hallelujah! Let’s go running!
Ok ok. Not sooo fast. I miraculously found a pharmacy open on Memorial Day, got my antibiotics and have been taking them per the instructions. I’m not healed yet, but if I wake up tomorrow morning and I don’t have any pain, you bet your buns I’m going for a run!
Moral of the story:
- Don’t self diagnose based on a google search.
- Don’t freak out that you’re going to miss your 10k and therefore miss your 9+1 training goal and not be able to run a marathon ever again in your entire life unless a doctor instructs you to do so.
The running injury that wasn’t – lessons in running injuries and why you shouldn’t self diagnose
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Let’s Chat:
Have you ever had a running injury?
Ever had a running injury that turned out not to be a running injury?
Who wants to go on a celebratory run with me?
