Almost made it

Today, I almost completed my goal of actually running all of my training miles for the week. This is something that I have yet to accomplish, and I am just completing my eighth week of marathon training. Early on, it was running on a treadmill that kept me from getting my distances in due to boredom. Also, for the first two weeks of training I was suffering from a pretty rough chest cold. After that it was lung endurance and me just quitting when I got tired and sore. Being away from home for the retreat also stopped me from running normally. So when I got home last weekend, I was going to get the entire long run for that week in. And I did. I was sore and tired and slow the last three miles, but I did it!

What happened today is actually making me mad. I had a dull ache in my right knee around two miles. Around 5.5 miles, it turned into a sharp pain, and every forward movement of my right leg hurt like hell. Landing hurt even worse. I decided that as I passed my apartment, I would stop and ice it and see if it got any better before I finished the last 5.5 miles to complete the prescribed 13. Alas, that was not to happen. Justin did some searching for what my injury might be and it looks like my knee is just inflamed from overuse. Perhaps running the six mile run on Friday instead of Thursday is to blame. Whatever it is, I will be icing and taking it easy for a few days.

It just goes to show that nothing is a certainty. Just because I had a great six mile run on Friday, doesn't mean that I will run well the next time. I am very glad that I put aside my stubborn side and listened to my body. Had I run even a mile further, I can't imagine how much pain I would be in, as already, I feel worse than I did when I first stopped running today.

I still have a love/hate relationship with running. I hate that I'm hurting, but I love the way I feel during and after a run (except today, or course).