Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Overdoing It

So, between running all those hills and hiking and biking in Tahoe....then running 10 miles the day before a hard race....and I'm left with what I believe to be a hip flexor strain. Awesome. It wasn't bugging me during the race, so it kind of came out of no-where. I got a massage on Sunday and took yesterday off. This morning I felt a little "creaky" at the beginning of track practice like my old bones were just waking up. After my 3rd 800, it was definitely bugging me, so coach kicked me out and I did 2 really slow miles. And, now it hurts when I walk. I'm so brilliant. I was so wrapped up in getting in my mileage because I really think I ought to be putting in 70 mile weeks that I screwed up my race and now I have to take a couple of days off to let this bugger heal. I traded the short-term instant gratification of higher mileage at the expense of good training in the long-term. Ug.

Sometimes I forget that discipline is not just about getting out there and putting in the mileage when you would rather be sleeping in bed and cuddling with your hubby and baby, but more about having the discipline to listen to your body rather than your mind.

Needless to say, coach thoroughly chastised me for my foolish running last week and pushing it this morning.

Oh well. Hopefully with ice and foam roller it will go away.
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11 comments:

  1. AbbieAugust 11, 2009 at 9:13 AM

    Ha ha, you said "ice and foam roller". I read, "ice cream float". Maybe both?

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  2. cherelliAugust 11, 2009 at 10:27 AM

    Doh. A few days of taking it easy could see you come back stronger - hope it heals quickly for you.

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  3. jessicaAugust 11, 2009 at 12:52 PM

    Bummer, but seems like those acute injuries that come out of nowhere end up going back to nowhere pretty quick, so hopefully that'll be the case?

    I'm definitely still learning that discipline thingy.

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  4. Angela and DavidAugust 11, 2009 at 6:14 PM

    Hope you heal quickly. At least you learned this lesson now as opposed to a few weeks before Marine Corp.

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  5. ClareAugust 11, 2009 at 6:42 PM

    if sleeping in is discipline, i have more than i think!

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  6. ErikaAugust 11, 2009 at 7:29 PM

    Hope it feels better quickly! I had a problem with my hip flexor earlier this year and did some sort of stretch that really helped, but darned if I can remember what the stretch was called...

    MCM Mama

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  7. Debs M-CAugust 12, 2009 at 2:59 AM

    I think every runner is guilty of trying to "run it off".

    Hips and thighs are my weak areas. This stretch works a treat though.

    http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/HipFlexors/KneelingHipFlexor.html

    Hope you have a speedy recovery.

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  8. The Salty OneAugust 12, 2009 at 10:20 AM

    More isn't better. Training is always a balance of intensity and volume. When the intensity goes up, volume should go down and vice versa. You have been running your workouts VERY fast even relative to your spectacular fitness. The intensity of your long runs and easy runs that I can tell is up there too. Your coach capped you around 60 miles for a reason. There is nothing magic about 70 miles, 8o miles, 120 miles. It's all relative to the person running the miles and their fitness level and the hell they're putting their legs through for each mile. So, no, you don't need to be logging 70+ miles. 60 mpw with high intensity is the same as 80 run easier. If you are going to be coached then trust in the coach's plan. There's a reason behind what he's having you do and second-guessing that kind of makes having a coach pointless. Don't get hung up in numbers. It'll hurt you every time!

    There's a really great post about this very topic here: http://petemagill.blogspot.com/2009/08/morning-read-physiology-schmisiology.html

    Ok. Sorry to lecture. I really do it because I care, I swear :)

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  9. N.D.August 12, 2009 at 5:26 PM

    It's hard- live and learn :)

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  10. jsmarslenderAugust 13, 2009 at 7:00 AM

    I hope you recover quickly.

    Reading through Salty's comment, I think I'd have a hard time trusting a coach if the miles seemed low for what I was reading other (comprable) runners were doing. But she's probably right too. See how the coach takes you through this injury/recovery.

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  11. Rebecca DeWireAugust 21, 2009 at 6:58 AM

    I feel like I am reading about myself...but back in April/May when my hip pain started to get worse. I tried every possible stretch and nothing helped, but I was in total denial thinking that my injury would eventually go away on my own- but no such luck. In hindsight, I wish I saw a sports med doctor a lot earlier since I had a serious injury.

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