Running from my Injury...Slowly and Steadily

Prior to my Achilles flaring up on me a few weeks ago, I have to admit that I was starting to feel a bit like this...

Marathon Shmarathon...I'll Be Ready Next Week!

But when the tightness and pain hit my Achilles, I was definitely brought back to earth and felt a little more like this...

Why Don't I Just Sit Here and Watch the Big and Strong People Race?

Yes, I went from feeling on top of the world after my 13-mile training run and subsequent speedier runs (which was the problem, by the way) to feeling somewhat dejected and wondering whether I would be running in my upcoming scheduled races. Having had an injury that ended my college baseball career, I pretty much immediately fell into a "Will I ever come back from this?" mindset.

Fortunately, the pity party was short-lived, as neither my running friends nor my wife Michelle were going to let me stay down in the dumps; and at the end of the day, they all reminded me that I would, indeed, be running again very soon...and they were right!

While it has been a little frustrating pulling the proverbial reins over the last few weeks, with the help Trigger Point therapy four times per day, Eccentric Heel calf strengthening three times per day, and carefully-placed KT Tape, the ten-minute walk I took on Labor Day evolved into a couple of longer walks, then a couple of walk-runs, and ultimately five short runs (ranging from 2 to 4 miles) over the last nine days. I have definitely dialed down my speed substantially (by about two minutes per mile), but running a little bit slower is a lot more fun than not running at all. As such, I have to remember to just be happy to be running again and to be this guy for a little while...

Slow and Steady Wins the Race!

Since both of my "slow and steady" runs this week have been free of pain and discomfort, tomorrow morning I will be stretching the distance a little bit and will be running six miles. As with each time out since the injury, though, I am undertaking the run with the "if it hurts, I'm going to stop running" attitude / game plan. While I haven't had to employ that game plan to this point - and I hope I won't need to tomorrow - it is important that I hold to it should the need arise. Slow and steady wins the race...slow and steady wins the race.

I'll let you know how everything goes...and hopefully I'll be back next week to report on my now-revised marathon training plan.


Until then, be sure to enjoy your journey...