Running-girl's Blog : 2009 : April

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THE AGONY OF “THE FEET”

Posted by Running-Girl Apr 17, 2009

Bone spurs, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, ankle sprains, IT band syndrome. These are common injuries suffered by runners.

I’ve been fortunate to not experience a single running injury in all my years of running…until now. People go through injuries all the time, but you can never really understand the magnitude of the pain until it affects you. The pain that I am referring to is not just physical, it is emotional.

It’s been 2 weeks since my achilles on my right foot started acting-up. A slight jogging step will trigger the pain. The sharp pain radiates from the base of my achilles to the sides of my foot whenever I take a step harder than a walk. Imagine the effect it had on my emotions.

“Oh-no, I can’t run!”

“What am I going to do?”

“My event is only a month away!”

“Will I have enough time to train for my event?”

“What if I can’t run my event?”

I’ve been feeling a bit down about not being able to run. But you know what? My injury has helped me realize that there are things you can control and things you can’t. I can’t control the fact that I have an injury, but I can control how I feel about it. I am telling myself that I will heal, and I’m going to do everything I need to help my achilles heal quickly as possible.

I’ve been stretching my calf muscles, using my foam roller, icing my ankle, and putting a hold on my running until I’m completely healed so I don’t make it worse.

Instead of running, I have been biking. Biking doesn’t hurt my achilles so I feel it’s a safe alternative to getting a good cardio workout and gaining strength. My quadriceps is getting stronger and that will help me with my runs once I’m healed.

I’m not going to let my injury beat me down. I’m going to stay positive. Optimism is good for the mind and soul.

In life, I have choices. I can choose to be depressed and bitter about my injury, or I can choose to redirect my focus on getting better. I can choose to quit running or I can choose to try a different workout that will compliment my running. It’s all about having a good attitude.

I may be weary, but not defeated.

I may be in pain, but not destroyed.

I may be beat down, but not crushed.

I may be suffering, but not dead…

Keep on running my friends…

~Walking/biking-girl (for now)

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/avegiant09/rguittap

167 Views 0 Comments Permalink Tags: running, achilles, pain, tendonitis, it_band, shin_splints, running_injuries, plantar, fasciitis, choices

Encouraging Words

Posted by Running-Girl Apr 4, 2009

When my friends learned that I ran marathons, I received mixed reactions like, “Wow, that’s amazing. I wish I could run 26.2 miles like you,” to “You’re crazy! Why would you want to run 26.2 miles?”

Unless you participate in an organized run, you’ll never understand the excitement and thrill of being a part of a race. It’s very exciting to be among thousands of runners with a passion for running, and in the midst of the energy that they bring. It’s also heartwarming to be surrounded by an overwhelming number of people who come to see the race. These supporters are out there because they admire what we do. They offer us encouragement and support through claps, whistles, signs, and cheers. This is what keeps us going.

No matter how many marathons I’ve ran, each time feels like my first. I get nervous at the start of every race. It’s common. Afterall, 26.2 miles is a lot of miles to cover on foot. And I never know how my body will perform or how my mind will react at a given point in the race. Only one thing is certain; that there will be supporters, who I can rely on, to offer me encouragement.

I find that cheers help me run faster than I normally would run. When bystanders are sparse, my pace slows a little and my energy drops. But as soon as I hear the cheers of the crowd, my pace picks up, my energy rises, and my face lights up. It’s an instant adrenaline rush- my energy boost that carries me through a couple of miles until I reach the next batch of supporters. I love all the “hoopla” that comes with an organized race. Even if I am at a point of exhaustion, the encouraging words I hear from the crowd, makes me want to push myself a little harder. The cheers drive me to do the best I can in the race. The best I can do is finish.

Nothing compares to the thrill of crossing the finish line. That’s is when I get to experience what it’s like to be a rock star. The crowds grow thick and the cheers get louder. The cheers resognates in me like an echo as I fight to the finish. And when the race is over and I’ve settled into my cozy home after a warm shower, I will relive that final moment. I will recall all the cheers, the congratulatory remarks, and the excitement of the event to experience that feeling of worthiness a little more longer.

“A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day." Emily Dickenson

Good job

Looking good

You can do it

AWESOME

you’re almost there

way to go

keep it up

~Running-girl

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/avegiant09/rguittap