Number 7

October 23rd, 2011 | Add a Comment

Last weekend I ran my 7th half marathon of 2011.

A year ago I ran the full marathon and loved the half marathon portion so much I wanted to add the half marathon to my race schedule this year and I am so glad I did. It was another perfect fall weather weekend and my ankle and foot was in much better shape than last weekend’s race.

Much like the B.A.A. half marathon, there was no available parking on site for the United Health half marathon in Newport, RI. I was so excited, however, that I did not have to use the shuttle service this time. Thanks to the generosity of a co-worker, he allowed those of us running to use his family’s parking lot behind a local Newport restaurant which was less than a 1/4 mile walk to the start-finish line. It was such a blessing not to have to worry about the shuttle. Sometimes, it’s the little things race day that mean the most. Less stress pre race means a more focused Bekah come start time.

Even though I still feel the effects of the ankle injury, I felt more mentally in the race at Newport than I did in Boston and my finish time was more in line to what I expect of myself. Not at all a PR, but I still have one more race this year to get that done. Realistically, I do not think it is possible, but I will not rule it out. I’ve been trying to run conservatively as the ankle continues to heal and I’ve made the decision to back off the mileage after next weekend’s race in order to take full advantage of physical therapy.

Over the last few month’s I’ve been getting A.R.T. (active release technique) work done on my calves, ankles and feet. My calves continue to be tight however which is now getting a bit more scary as the Achilles tendon is now showing more signs of stress. Because the Dr. was not seeing the results we should have been seeing, she felt there was another reason behind the abnormal tightness. She is now focusing on the quads and psoas muscle. One word describes my last treatment…..OUCH! Maybe I should say, hurts so good? It is painful but the results are a wonder.

I’ve also met with a personal trainer who performed a Movement Screen to locate areas of weakness and then provided a group of stretches and strengthening moves to correct those areas. He also stressed the importance of getting into physical therapy however when I approached my PT after she read his movement screen assessment she made it clear it was best to wait until after my last race of the year. Her recommendation was to slow down, find another activity, focus on core strength and let the calves relax for the next couple of months.

Wow, that was hard to hear. Stop running? No, not completely, but drastically reduce the mileage. I’m taking in all the advice and I believe it is for the best. I cannot keep letting the body break down and do nothing. It is odd because I am not in pain, but I know that my body is not working properly. The longer that it isn’t working the way it should opens the door to major injuries. My goal is to fix it all now, get stronger and be a better athlete in the end.