Since I have not posted in a while, you wouldn't know that I have been getting my mileage back up, tackling decent length runs and pushing things a bit trying to get back from my earlier layoff in October and early November. So much have I been working at it that in the last couple of weeks of November, I got in 60 miles (I know what you're saying, "That's your problem, Ed"...I know). But everything was hunky dory until my three day running streak that saw 12.25 on 11/28, 12.01 on 11/29 and then a nice recovery 5 miler (turned 4 miler with .85 mile walk) on 11/30. After running my 12's on Sat. and Sun. Timm and I decided to get in a recovery style run on Monday night. I felt great as we started out...Then fairly suddenly, about 3.5 miles in, my right shin and knee started to throb on every footfall. After trying to run through it for the next half mile, it got to the point where I was worried that on my next step, my leg might buckle and send me tumbling...So I stopped. First time in my running life that I didn't finish a run running. Got home, iced everything that hurt, took ibuprofen, slept, almost fell on my first step out of bed the next morning (and the next 2 mornings after that), finally felt a bit recovered by Friday (still some tenderness in my shin, but the knee was good), talked with Timm and decided to get a run in on Friday night before the cold weather hit. Well, we met out at the marina at Lake Oliver to get a river walk run in, bundled, leggings, 45F and falling, but ready to go. I run a 1/4 mile and my shin is killing me (knee is fine)...stop stretch some more...run another 1/4 and I can't bear the pain and have to stop again. Timm goes on (he got a new Forerunner so he was pumped to use it), I again walk back to the truck (more dejected than i have ever been about running and about anything else for that matter).
So now, here I sit, later on that same Friday evening...fire in the fireplace, leg elevated, iced (or at least frozen pead), wondering when I'll get to run again. My January marathon hopes are gone. I plan to take at least the next week off...debating going to see if I have a stress fracture, but not really wanting to find out either...and then I guess we'll see.
What I know is this, starts and stops are part of life...but they are a lot easier to recover from when they are of your own doing...Shin splints in the past may have been a welcome reason to stop running and start being normal again, but this time, it just sucks! Injury is one of those things that comes without warning and disrupts until it is resolved...I guess I'll take my bike down and get it tuned up...looks like I'll need some non-impact exercise here for a while.
Summary: God is good, Injury sucks, I love my family. (It all makes sense in the end).
Oh, Ed! I know your running woes all too well! I ran a half marathon and then couldn't run without tears because the pain was so bad. New shoes and a visit to Lee McCluskey were my remedies. It will all get better! Don't give up on being a runner. It's a process. Believe me, I am still in the middle of my own process.
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