As I just wrote, my calf has been really tight lately. I think I have been lying to myself (and others) about just how bad it really is and how much its hurting. The first couple steps of just walking after I have been sitting for a while hurt my shin....my calf feels like it's in a permanent knot. I guess I didn't want to admit all this to anyone....I was afraid of admitting how much it really hurt and afraid of how it would affect my running the next 6 weeks before Hartford.
On Monday I went out for what should have been an 8 mile run. I started out and immediately my calf tightened up. My head and heart really weren't into the run, my breathing was all erratic, and I let all this mentally get to me. I stopped to stretch every once in a while and walking actually made it feel worse. While fighting back tears and cursing my fu@*%ng calf , I made the decision to turn around early cutting the run to 4 miles. It was really hard to make that call because I have never quit a run early.
I came home with tears in my eyes thinking the worse......my dream of qualifying for Boston was probably out the window and at that point I didn't know if I will even be able to run the marathon. I have come to accept that I need to take some time off.....I am better trained right now that I was for Boston and if I don't rest this now, then I really might not be able to run Hartford. Sure I probably won't run as fast as I would like, but I would rather finish the race standing up than have to quit mid-way through because I went out too fast and further injured myself.
So as I sit at my desk with an ice pack wrapped around my calf that is propped up on my upside down trash can, I think I have come to accept things as they are. I plan to take this week off from running.....I have a massage scheduled for Thursday to hopefully loosen up the muscle, I'll ice it as often as I can, stretch and massage it myself at home, and take Advil to help with the inflammation.
Hopefully this will be enough to get me across the finish line in 6 weeks with a smile on my face......for now I just have to rest :-(
1 comment:
Oh no!!!! Is the pain in your calf near the bottom of your calf muscle where it might meet your achilles? Can you get in to see a sports doc? Feel free to email me and vent away or ask questions. I dealt with a calf injury late last year after the NYC marathon and ended up taking all of December off and having a very light January. I know this is very difficult time but you're thinking is right on re: resting now and taking a shot at a BQ in the future. Hope you have a restful week!
Maria (mdwstrnNYer) maria.pfeiffer@gmail.com
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