Injured

A few weeks (maybe a few months ago) I signed up for my first half marathon. I have been super excited and running farther than I ever imagined I would and still enjoy it. I have run 4 long runs 11-12 miles each. Then after a short 4 mile run it hit... my legs hurt. Both lower legs deep against the bone on the inside. I could hardly walk with out pain.

Diagnosis: shin splints.

Treatment: anti-inflammatory, ice, massage therapy, sensible shoes, and worst of all REST. So for the last week and a half I have not run, not one measly little mile or jaunt around the block.

It is the worst form of torture! My self image is all in my head, so when I don't run for even a few days I automatically start seeing my self as fatter (even though I know it is impossible to gain that much weight in in two days). Then you throw in not being able to wear my cute heals and outfits to work, and instead try to find clothes that don't look completely dorky with my tennies, and my self esteem plummets even more. Next you add the lack of something physical as an outlet for stress, as well as the frustration of not knowing if I will even get to run in my first half marathon!

You can imagine my current mental, emotional, and physical state of being right now.

But... In this week and a half I can now walk with little to no pain, and I am hopeful that with one more week of rest, ice, sensible shoes, ice, and one more session of massage therapy, I will be up and running (literally) in time for the race.

With this set back, I may need to adjust my 1/2 marathon goal from finishing with a pace less than 10 minute miles, to just finishing. And be ok if I need to walk some of it.

Here is a little Pic to keep me motivated:


Learned? Being injured hurts in more places than the location of the injury.