Friday, March 18, 2016

Do What I Say, NOT What I Do

Do you ever remember your parents telling you that as a child? Or maybe you have even uttered the words yourself...

"Do what I say, NOT what I do"

Well, this morning I heard that phrase playing on repeat in my ear...

You see, last Thursday I went for a trail run with a friend. I had a blast and vowed to keep trails a part of my regular training plan. After I got home and showered, my right knee felt a little sore. Nothing terrible, but like I tweaked it running on the uneven surfaces.

Friday I decided I would go for a bike ride and Saturday was a rest day. I figured taking a couple days off pounding the ground while running would probably do my leg good, and since nothing felt horrible I figured it was okay.

Sunday morning I ran the San Diego Half Marathon and my knee felt fine, so I thought I was home free... That is, until I stopped running. Sitting in the car on the ride home from San Diego I could feel it tightening up. Uh oh, this is NOT good. I ended up going with the hubby that afternoon to watch him rock climb and tried to rest it a bit more.

Monday I probably should have taken a rest day... But a friend was in town and we had already made plans to meet up for a 5 mile run. I hate not following through on my commitments so I made it work and got the miles in. When I got home I decided I should probably look up ways to tape my knee since it wasn't feeling any better (but then again, I wasn't really giving it the opportunity to get better, now was I?!). Thanks to my supply of KT Tape that I won a while back, I was able to get that sucker taped up right.

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Tuesday was strength training and another 5 miles. Since my knee was feeling okay during my strength training workout I figured I'd attempt a VERY SLOW 5 mile run. My knee held up and I really only felt pain at one point (which caused me to stop and walk it out for a bit but shortly after the break was able to resume my trotting).

More taping, icing and elevating.

Wednesday was my cross training day and I was thrilled to be able to get on my bike. I knew from last week that my knee felt great while biking so I figured maybe this week would be the same. Thankfully it went awesome and even though I only did 15 miles (instead of my normal 19ish), I was stoked that my knee was feeling pain free.

Thursday morning rolled around and I felt like I had been feeling great for a while so figured I'd attempt my 5 pace mile workout (meaning running 5 miles at my marathon goal pace). The run went awesome and I was able to keep all five miles at or below my goal pace so I was stoked. When I got home and showered I figured I'd take the KT Tape off and just let my leg "be".

BIG MISTAKE!

Walt and I ran some errands and I could feel my knee tightening up while I was driving. Oh poo! This was NOT what I was hoping for... You see, I had a 20-miler on deck for Friday morning and I was really trying to play it "smart" so I could tackle it. Once I got home from the errands it was more taping, icing, elevating and praying.

I went to sleep last night with hopes that my knee would feel great when I woke up this morning. I had all of my gear laid out and ready to go for my 20 mile run. Well, when I got up around 1am to use the restroom I could feel that my knee was not at 100% {but hoped that maybe it had just been the way I was sleeping on it and if I could wrap my heating pad around it for a bit maybe I'd be alright}.

My alarm went off at 5am and I got up to get ready. Once I got out of bed I knew I should probably take a rest day. It's not like my knee was having shooting pains or I was unable to walk, but it didn't feel 100% and I knew that attempting 20 miles on the tightness would probably only end in disaster.

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I moved out on the couch, cuddled with the pup, dozed in and out of sleep, and iced my knee while trying not to get too discouraged. You see, I've told countless friends, runners and even my mom that you MUST listen to your body, so I "know" the drill...

Hubby got up to go to the gym and was surprised to see me on the couch. I told him the knee wasn't feeling 100% and that I would be taking a rest day. He tried to give me a little pep talk because he knows how bummed I can when my body isn't cooperating, but I think at that point I was too far gone.

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After a while of moping and icing the knee, I thought it was feeling better (in hindsight, I think it was just me telling myself I was better but deep down I knew I wasn't) so I got my running gear on. I figured I'd take the run REAL slow and "listen" to my body {although, truth be told, if I was going to listen to my body I never should have put my running clothes on in the first place}.

In my stubbornness I laced up my shoes and headed out the door. I know, I know... I know what you are all thinking... "NO, CARLEE, STOP RIGHT THERE, TURN AROUND AND GO BACK IN THE HOUSE." 


But two miles in and I was still feeling decent. I was taking it slow and it was a bit tight, but nothing I couldn't run through... Well, something changed around mile three. I don't know if my head finally caught up to my body or what, but I stopped in my tracks.

I had a little mental battle right there on the bike path. The one side of me "knew" I should be listening to my body and taking a rest day, but the other side of me saw that 20-miler on the calendar and felt the pressure that I HAD to get it done. It was like the two sides of my brain were having it out.

My second 20-miler on this marathon training cycle technically falls on the weekend of our Ultra Ragnar Race, so since I will be running over 20 miles I just am counting the weekend towards that long run. With that being said, I told myself that if I wasn't actually doing the second 20-miler as a "legit" 20-miler, that this one HAD to get done.

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The funny thing is, I am not running this next marathon for time. It is absolutely for the sights and experience of Big Sur! Even still, I am very serious about my training, because A. a marathon (no matter what your goal time) is a beast and B. it's just my personality to go in at 150%. And, I guess if I am completely honest, maybe I'm a little too serious about it...

In my mind I was thinking I would much rather miss all of my short runs for a week than miss my long run (because for some reason I have in my mind that the long run is of the utmost importance). But I NEED to listen to my body!

So, I turned my butt around on that bike trail and headed home. I ran most of the way, but mostly because I wanted to get home faster. I hung my head in defeat because I couldn't get my scheduled run finished, but I probably should have had my head held high because even if I was dead set on getting my run in, I finally listened and made the "right" decision.

All-in-all I got in 5.5 miles at a very, very slow pace. I wouldn't say my knee is worse for the wear, but I also didn't give it a full rest day either. It's crazy at how I know what I "should" do, yet so often it is hard for us to follow through, #AmIRightOrAmIRight?! And just like the title of this post says, "Do what I say, NOT what I do" and when you are forced to make a decision about whether or not to take an extra rest day... ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!

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Do you have a hard time listening to your body?

6 comments:

Kathryn @ Dancing to Running said...

Its always so hard to listen to ourselves when we know that we should. Rest up, and hopefully you'll be feeling better in no time.

Breathe Deeply and Smile said...

Agreed! Hope you are feeling better lady. I always try to take a rest day or take it easy when I'm not feeling well or my body is feeling hurt!

Nevie said...

Yeah, I'm the girl who ran a half marathon after spraining her ankle at the start line walking to the corral, and ran her first marathon on a bum hip. Sooo yeah, I completely get it. "Do as I say, not as I do" is definitely the right way to put it. I want to meet a person, though, who has never ever tried to run even for a moment too soon on an injury. It's human :)

Kristen said...

I was laughing while reading this because I've done this so many times...and it's why I'm injured again right now. Us runners would rather listen to our training plans than our own bodies! I'm glad you made the choice to turn around and go back home. You may miss a few planned runs, but it would be so much worse to be injured for months (like I am now!). Good luck on recovery quickly!

Wendy at Taking the Long Way Home said...

I'm listening to my body as I prepare for Big Sur, and I"m not doing a lot of running lately. It's so scary. I'm cycling, yoga-ing, crossfitting, and pool running. But it's 5 weeks away! Good thing I 'm not doing this one for time.

Knoxie13 said...

I'm also dealing with a messed up knee and it's been almost a month! I haven't run in almost 2 weeks, which is miserable! I'm running Ragnar next weekend and terrified that I'm going to be out of shape or still injured! I hope yours gets better soon and maybe I'll see you out at Ragnar So. Cal!