My running had been going so well and then -- justlikethat -- it all went downhill.
The day before Thanksgiving, we drove to Long Island. We got caught in the bad snowstorm that hit upstate NY that week and our usually 3 hour drive became 4.5 hours. During the stressful ride, I felt my right hamstring tighten up. For the last hour or so of the trip, it was hurting in that dull, achey, tight way that I really, really should have listened to.
The next day, I went out for a run with my young niece who was also in town, up from Virginia. A little over 3 miles into our run, I had to stop. I felt searing pain at the top of my hamstring/my glute. I hoped, hoped, hoped it just needed a little stretch. So I stretched gently and then started to run again -- only I couldn't.
I couldn't run at all. I had a flashback to last spring when I'd torn those muscles in my left hip/glute. And how loooooong it took to heal and for me to get back to running.
I wanted to cry. But I didn't. Instead, Maggie and I walked back to my sister-in-law's house (well, I kinda hobbled, she walked with her nice brisk I-could-totally-be-running-now stride).
And I haven't run since.
We did, however, enjoy seeing so much of the family over the holiday.
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| My mother-in-law in the middle with several of her grandchildren. |
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| My mother-in-law in the middle with 6 of her kids and their spouses/partners. |
Now, I'm walking a little, riding the bike, getting back to the weight-lifting I neglected during marathon training. I am not running at all for the rest of the year. My hope is that this intentional rest, along with frequent applications of lemongrass oil and Deep Blue rub, and much-needed sessions with my chiropractor, will help my leg heal completely and I'll be back running with no problems at the beginning of 2015!
Fingers crossed!
In the meantime, happy December, everyone!
