I decided to try a 50 miler this past weekend, figuring I was tapered and ready to go. Turns out my body wasn't ready, so at 15 km I abandoned my attempted race pace. I wasn't feeling good at all for that early on, and my hips had started to ache. My left leg in particular felt like it was dragging, and I didn't want to do more damage. So I slowed down and looked forward to packing it in at the end of the 20 km loop.
No big deal; I feel I made the right call. In fact, I feel relieved and refreshed to just let all of my racing expectations for the rest of the year go; to just empty my head of it all and have fun starting over. My initital plan after Rock and Ice was to try to get more out of my winter training, but obviously my body has different ideas. My revised plan is to not really have a plan, though I do want to do a bit of cross training, get on some serious stretching and hip exercises, and let my achey joints heal up by cutting back on running mileage. In a month or two I'll hopefully feel a lot better.
I'll know I'm better when I start hurdling over fallen trees on trail runs again. I used to love doing that, but for a long time now I've been stepping over them very gingerly.
7 comments:
Definitely the right call.
Looking forward to some log hurdling again real soon!
Yes, I know what you mean. I have had to pack in a few runs lately also. A bit of rehab and we'll both be back and hurdling.(I always hurdle the Eel Bay bridge. It is not much of a jump but just doing it makes me feel silly)
Eel Bay hurdle is the perfect height, I like that one. Hopefully both of us will be feeling better soon.
Sara,
Not happy news. But for the best I'm sure.
I have to ask, have you seen a chiropractor about your hips? Mine often need adjusting.
Hopefully PEC Marathon will still happen.
Hey David - I was SO excited to read Kim's report on RM. You guys nailed it! What a great race!
Yeah, went to my chiro. He says it's my piriformis on my left side. Both hips felt achey right in the joint too...they get that way when I do too much for too long. Time to rest up.
Thanks - it was a Good Day. She is still smiling.
Ahh piriformis, been there stretch that - twice a day. My favourite is the Yoga Pigeon stretch.
Check this out for your recovery:
http://petemagill.blogspot.com/2009/03/kelle-taylors-yoga-routine-for-runners.html
and this:
http://petemagill.blogspot.com/2009/04/morning-read-hip-hip-hooray-for-hip.html
Two I'll be starting.
You guys will have a blast in NY. I've never done Boston to compare, but the crowds in NY are ridiculously loud.
Thanks for the links. Hip-hip-hooray-for-hip...that's so funny.
The plan (not that I'm planning) is to start a bit of yoga next week. I was going to go today, but I can't risk any start-up pains this week or I might lose my mind and go fetal for a solid month.
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