Running and some amount of pain go hand in hand, right? Today's topic for Take it and Run Thursday is Common Mistakes and Cardinal Sins of Running. I've made a lot I'm sure, and am still learning.
Since starting to run in May 2007, I've felt twinges, tweaks, pain, tenderness, soreness, and full out "OMG-something-is-clearly-wrong pain" in places I didn't know existed. Sure, I knew they were part of my body, but didn't know they could get injured. I know that there have been runs where I should have taken an extra rest day, I know I've 'pushed through the pain' at times when I shouldn't have.
I paid the price for not listening to my body who was yelling at me through a loud speaker but ignored -- 7 weeks no running with stress fractures. (In all fairness, even my sports doc/chiro thought it was shin splints, I was icing, cut back on mileage, rested more, but was still running... through pain).
I might be a little more neurotic when it comes to pain, and tend to worry a little more, especially when I feel tenderness around the stress fracture site, but I tell myself that it's a reminder, it keeps me in check, and ensures that I'm training smart, and renews my appreciation for being healthy enough to be running. I remember the pain of my stress fractures, and what my run felt like the day before I got the xrays done. I enjoy running too much to risk another 7 weeks of looking out my window at runners passing by, especially as the weather is finally warming up.
Another lesson learned? Spicy Chicken Pad-Thai is not a good choice as pre-long-run-fuel. Bad idea, enough said.
32 comments:
The pad thai thing is so funny! I think we've all done a similar thing.
Eeek spicy pad thai, I'll keep that one for post run!
i think we've all learned that lesson about not listening to our body. but the info on spicy thai food - something i haven't learned myself, but i'll trust you on that one!! LOL
LOVE the sea otter lalalala'ing! I often make a mistake and then realize (after the fact) that if I'd just listened I wouldn't have had to find out for myself that it wasn't a good idea. (Me=otter, apparently.) Glad your weather is warming up! Have a great weekend.
Great post, Mel! The important thing is learning from our mistakes, right? I find the biggest issue with returning to running after injury is knowing whether something is actually worth worrying about or if I am just being paranoid!
(I don't think ANYTHING spicy is a good idea before a long run, but we've all had to learn that one the hard way... lol)
Great post. I always remind myself that I'd rather skip one day of running to adequately recover or heal than have to be out for weeks or months because I overdid it and got injured.
That pre-run fuel business can be tricky. I had some problems of my own last night, and from nothing nearly as spciy (or tasty) as pad-thai.
Sorry about the pre run dinner. Doesn't sound like it was a good idea.
Nice post!
Gosh, sorry about the spicy pad thai! Been there!
I had a feeling a lot of us would be confessing to not listening to our bodies in the past! I, too, am now hyper vigilant about listening to everything my body says-- even if it means I'm overcautious. Better safe than sorry!
LOL about the learned pre-run food! i have not been to your blog before!!! happy to have found you :) i have a question about your stress fractures-- i have had shin pain since feb 1 but it has finally subsided. i've been stretching and icing like crazy, which not only keeps me sane cuz i feel like i'm being productive, but it also seems to be actually preventing it/ making it go away. what do you do now to "train smart" and protect yourself from re-injury?
chinese food in general is bad pre-run food for me
yes listening to the body is so easy and so hard
Greasy fried chicken - not so good either. Great post on not listening to the body! So true.
Nice post.. I too am looking forward to the nice weather and have been trying to listen to my body.
Funny bit there about the spicy chicken. :)
Thanks for the tips. I get pains and twinges and try to be careful. I'm not good with pain.
great post, a lesson we all need to remember!!
LOL at the pad thai - eek :)
Yeah - some foods aren't great pre-run fueling, & many times, we won't know until we've done it. Ugh!
haha on spick chicken!
I think we all have to go through an injury before we respect our ability to listen. I ignored mine last year like you and phtttt.
Ha ha ha ha ha! Love the graphic, sistre!
I waited for the longest time to go to the doctor when I effed up my knee.
When I finally did, the doc - a physical fitness nut himself - quickly diagnosed the problem and got me the physical therapy I needed. I'm FINALLY (it's been since mid-November!) able to run again, nearly 100% pain-free.
Of course, I could have been fixed at least a month ago if I'd just gone to the doc right away in the first place. Which someone of my advanced age should REALLY do ...
Sounds like runners and cyclsists are not that different when it comes to "pushing through". Just that running can probably cause more serious injuries than cycling. As strange as it might sound but I'm glad that your old stress fracture keeps you honest and is a reminder. Someone said to me recently that my Glandular Fever at the moment will teach me to take it easy, when I have to take it easy, in the future, which is a good thing. We are probably wiser and faster athletes for it! ;-)
Great post. I think it is hard to tell when to keep going and when to keep pushing through. 7 weeks with a stress fracture....OUCH!
I agree with the pad thai pre running fuel too.....not. good.
Shin splints and broken toes are the only two things I can actually push through..thankfully, I know what each of them feels like very well. Toes you just gotta tape together and go...if you can stand it!
Its so damn tough to assess every little pain that we just run through it, not knowin when pain is actually PAINN! We are all stubborn runners right?
I Looovvveee Pad Thai, but yeah, its probably not good at a pre-run meal.
Good advice!
LOL at the Pad Thai. I once had Taco Bell right before a long hike - also not a good idea.
Oh, dear. The thought of Pad Thai before a long run is making me a little queasy!!!
I love the little pic!
Boy, I think a lot of us have to learn the same lesson the hard way about pain. On one hand, if I didn't run everytime I had a little pain, I would never get out of the house. On the other hand, we need to take care of our one and only body. Glad you learned to listen to your body and understand what it is saying.
A couple of years ago, I tried to jump up my volume, while training for the Tely 10. Thinking if I could get the miles in, I could get a fall marathon under my belt.
I ended up losing about 3 weeks training right before the Tely because of shin splints.
Lesson learned.
Listening to your body should be all runners mantra from day one!!!
But, unfortunately we all learn the hard way eh!!!
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!
it can be tough to judge just how bad a pain is and determine if you should give yourself some rest. it's easy to start thinking you are being too easy on yourself, and it's also easy to think you have to keep running no matter what. i think that's just gonna be a never-ending lesson! :)
glad you figured out the pad thai situation... lol
thanks for the tips!!!! you are the best :)
Great tip on the stress fracture. I have a teeny pain in my foot, and I'm freaking out that's what it is.
Good advise about listening to your body. Stay away from chicken vindaloo as well.
I'll post about it sometime.
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