The Toughest 5 Ever

Have you ever had one of those days where you just know you shouldn’t be running but you do it anyways? That is how the last 3 weeks have been for me. I kept hoping my little sore back and buttocks and shoulder and neck would work its way out. But that has not been the case. In fact it seems to get worse and for no apparent reason the next day I am better I can walk normally, I have no pain, but then no matter what the next day I can hardly walk and the pain is unbearable and I am limping around.


Yesterday when I woke up I was feeling great which was surprising considering the day before on my weekly Tuesday run with trailmomma I could hardly breathe because my chest wall was shooting with pain. I even took trailmomma advice and took Wednesday off from running which for me is rare and makes me stir crazy. I rested and when I woke up today I was limping around. I had hoped it would loosen up as the day progressed but it didn’t. In fact it seemed to get worse. By the time I had to get ready to meet trailmomma for our run tonight I was in some serious pain.

I don’t like to miss a run and I had some wishful thinking that I could do it. I changed my clothes and drove over to Rio. Trailmomma was already waiting on me and I inched myself out of the car. I had thought she hadn’t seen me inching my way and taking each step with ease but she did. She didn’t say anything though because she knows me well enough that it will go in one ear and out the other. But this time it was different. I was already having those doubts in my head that I could even complete this easy 6 mile run.

As we started I was as stiff as a board. I don’t think my hips were moving, my legs felt numb and weak. This was not good. Luckily trailmomma had to make a pit stop at 1.5 miles. “Thank God.” Is all I said as she sprinted away and I stopped to stretch. It was here that I seriously considered going back. I wasn’t loosening up and it was actually getting harder to run. I am a complete idiot, why do I constantly push myself? Why?

We kept going and soon enough I threw the water bottle in. I was done. I needed to turn around and start back. I did contemplate to keep going once I turned around but trailmomma insisted it was ok. I had to walk/run the rest of the way back in. I stopped for a breather under the shade trees. I feel really bad that I couldn’t complete this run and I fell even worse that trailmomma didn’t get her run in. I kept telling her to go without me, I would be alright. But she insisted on walking back with me. Thanks.

I don’t know if it is the added stress at work this week or just my bodies’ way of telling me to take a break. I haven’t really taken a break since I started training for AR50 and that was back in December. I took a week a recovery after the event but for TRT 50k I only took 2 days off. I have another event coming up in September which is quickly approaching.

This weekend I am suppose to do Cal 1 with Coach Nikon, Miss P. and Trailmomma. I wonder how that is going to go. Thanks trailmomma for hanging with me today. I enjoyed all your stories. I owe you.