Time is an amazing thing. It brings us closer to 5pm during the work week. It fixes bad hair cuts and it heals broken hearts. The reminder that time is short often gives me the push to do things outside of my comfort zone. Best of all, time heals IT bands.
Last year I managed to seriously injure myself training for Hood to Coast. One would think that this would deter me from running in the future, but nope, I’m on a HTC team again this year. After the last race, I was unable to run for six, count them six, months. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, not running.
About a month ago I started to run again. Second to not being able to run, the hardest thing is to have to control the running. The goal this time around is to not injure myself now that I’ve spent all this time letting my body to heal. So instead of busting out six miles just because it feels good, I’m trying to increase my mileage in small doses. Increasing by about a quarter of a mile at a time is torturous. Especially once you start getting that runners high back. Yes, it’s a real thing, I swear. Today I was weak and broke my own rule and increased the length of the run by a whole half a mile. I’m currently up to 4 miles at a time, which is not a lot, but it sure does feel good after six months off.
Now that I am running again, I have turned into a bit of a freak about icing, stretching, etc. I am afraid to do skip stretching or ice due to a deep fear that the pain will return. I even bike for a bit on the days I run and I hate the bike. Does this part ever go away? I don’t know but I appreciate running to darn much right now to risk it.
Time . . . the healer of all things from broken hearts to IT bands and shin splints. Here’s hoping I don’t need it again for the IT band.
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