Plan C

It all started earlier this year when I ran the Stillwater Half Marathon and missed my goal time of 1:55:00 by 4 minutes - in some ways, so closebut in all ways that mattered, so far from what I had hoped to achieve.  I was determined to redeem myself from this disappointing finish and to prove that I had a 1:55:00 finish in me. I quickly created a plan:

Plan A: Run the Minneapolis 13.1 Half Marathon in 1:55:00.

I signed up for the race, developed a training plan and began diligently following the plan. 3 weeks in I developed an IT Band injury. No worries - I rested for a full week and massaged and stretched my IT Band frequently. Confident that my quick diagnosis and wise actions had healed my injury I hopped on a treadmill the next week and - well, hobbled off 2.5 miles later. Realizing that I was going to loose at least one more week of training and that the race was already only 6 weeks away it was time to develop a new plan:

Plan B: Run the Minneapolis 13.1 Half Marathon. 

No time goal - the pressure is off! It might not be fast or pretty but it will be 13.1 miles more than most people will run that day. Who knows, maybe the lack of focus and strategy will help and I'll run faster than I expect. And so after two additional weeks of resting, massaging and stretching I walked out the door into a beautiful morning and started running. It felt GREAT to be outside and running again - until about 1.5 miles in when my knee started to hurt. Seriously!? Is this really happening?!

Yesterday I went to see a sports medicine doctor. He was able to confirm my self-diagnosis and develop a recovery plan that should have me back up and running at my pre-injury level in 3 - 4 weeks. We both agreed that running a half marathon in 3 weeks is not a reasonable goal {sad} but that participating in the Minneapolis Duathlon in 4 weeks should be quite achievable {happy!}. Which means it's time to develop a new plan:

Plan C:  Focus on the enormity of what I am able to do rather than dwell on what I am not.

Honestly, I'm looking forward to life on the road to recovery. I'll be icing, stretching and strengthening my way back to running. I get to reacquaint myself with the Elliptical for my first few workouts and in turn enjoy the amenities available to me at the gym that I've missed out on due to outdoor workouts (can you say "eucalyptus infused steam room"?). I get to focus on shorter running distances and in turn enjoy more balance and variety in my workout routine. I get to be reminded of the limitations of my own strength and the limitless power of my God and in turn become a more humble, faithful servant.  Who knew a running injury could be such a blessing? 

Keep Breathing... and running!

It's not the end of the world

I'll be honest - when I titled my last post 'A serious setback...' I thought I was being a bit dramatic.  I was wrong.  What started out as a somewhat welcome excuse to scale things back a bit has turned into a full blown running injury that is seriously impacting my ability to train.  After a full week of resting and rolling I hopped on a treadmill Saturday morning thinking all was well.  Less than a mile into my run my knee began to hurt.  I managed to complete 2.5 miles of running/walking - not exactly the 11 miles on my training plan.

I realize this is not the end of the world - but some days it sort of feels like it.  I'm seriously worried that I might not even be able to start my half marathon on August 21st - let alone complete it in 1:55.  I haven't given up but I have adjusted my goals.  I just want to run.  I don't care how long it takes me - I just want to experience the journey.  I don't even want to consider how awful it would be to be sitting on the sidelines.  And to add insult to injury (literally) - this is my fundraising race!  How do you solicit funds for a race you might not even be able to complete?  Ugh!!

So it's time to put on my big girl pants and get seriously focused on recovering from this injury.  I will roll out my IT Band like never before - that sucker is going to be so long and limber it wont even remember how to tighten up.  I will cross train like a rock star - people will actually start paying money to watch me workout.  I will start running again - slowly and gradually a quarter mile at a time if I have to - all pride left the building after it saw me on that treadmill last week.  I will pray - I will thank God for all that I have - I will ask Him for protection, strength and patience and I will praise Him for He alone is worthy of praise.

A serious setback and a much needed reminder

I'm injured.  It's nothing terrible like a broken leg or foot.  I can walk pretty normally and seem to be fine riding my bike but running is a different story.  I started to notice a bit of pain in my left knee toward the end of my 8 mile run on Saturday.  When I got home and out of the car I started to limp - going down the stairs was the worst.  It felt a lot like the IT Band issues I had a couple of years ago so I got out the foam roller - serious pain but I was hopeful it would help.  I made myself walk normally throughout the day thinking I just needed to work through the discomfort and it would be fine.  I was cautiously optimistic this morning when I went out to run.  I said a little prayer - asking God for protection, strength and perseverance.  I walked for a few minutes to warm things up - then I started hobbling along at a faster pace but much to my dismay after about a half mile the discomfort turned to pain and didn't subside.  I walked the remaining 1.5 miles home a bit dejected.

So it's time to come up with a new plan for the next couple of weeks.  I still think this is an IT Band issue so I'm going to keep up with the foam roller.  I'll also focus more on strength training, yoga and cross training and with a little luck I'll be up and running in plenty of time to get back on track with my Half Marathon training - you know, the one I'm going to run in 1:55. 

Oh, as I was walking home from my run - feeling dejected and sorry for myself because I couldn't run  - I came across a women that I often see walking in our neighborhood.  She's an older woman probably in her 70's or 80's but it's not her age that catches my attention - it's her speed.  She takes one painfully slow step at a time with a painfully slow pause between each step.  It takes her 10 minutes to walk the width of my driveway.  I saw her from a distance this morning - about a block away.  She only took about 3 steps before I caught up to her.  She looked at me and commented on what a beautiful day it was.  I agreed with her and then quickly thanked the Lord for blessing me with the ability to walk, and ride my bike, and swim and lift weights and do yoga and...

It was a much needed reminder of how truly blessed I am.  How I am guaranteed nothing, am worthy of nothing and yet have been given so much - all of it, every breath I take, is truly a blessing.

Keep breathing... and running!