Well, it seems that I'm in the throes of a persistent, nagging, semi-debilitating hamstring injury. And I'm pretty sure my overly zealous track workout on February 13th was the genesis of said injury.
It didn't hit me all at once. In fact, it seemed to be more of a hip flexor/groin tweak at first. But gradually, and after a race and a few fast-paced training runs, my right hamstring (every injury I've had over the years seems to be on the right side) has progressively gotten worse.
Which is a shame. No sane runner would ever desire an injury, but what bugs me most about this one is the fact that I'm starting to feel fit and some of my speed is returning. I thought I might be poised to take a shot at my 5k PR in a couple of weeks, but after a 7.5 mile run with a guy in my club yesterday morning, and the necessity of walking backward up a small hill during a family walk yesterday afternoon, I'm not so sure. Even taking three consecutive days off before yesterday's run didn't seem to help much.
My immediate plan—aside from icing, ibuprofen, and self-massage—will be to run at an easy, steady pace on flat courses the next few days. No surges, no hills. If the pain remains the same or gets worse, I may be shutting it down for a while. I still haven't hopped on my bike to see if that aggravates it. If not, that'll be the alternative to running, I suppose. But already being signed up for two races makes me hesitant to nix my training runs.
Which is exactly what I should do if this hamstring isn't improving.
Which is why I thought "Resurrected Runner" was a good title for this blog. Some guys are "babe magnets." I'm obviously an "injury magnet."
Okay, and a "babe magnet." Well, at least to one "babe."*
*who didn't know what she was getting into, obviously.
Awww, man. Not again! I sure hope the ice/ibuprofin/massage cocktail works its magic. . . and quickly! Take care, Colin and I'll be checking up on you to be sure that when you do hit the road again you're sticking to Plan A (slow, no hills, take it EASY).
ReplyDeleteDo you have a foam roller?
ReplyDeleteThat really seems to help my quads and hamstrings alot, along with the self massage.
Art
Art, thanks for the comment. Yes, I do have a foam roller, but it doesn't seem to focus on the area I need to hit. I've been rolling on a softball, which seems to have helped a little. But I know that rest is what I really need. I may get forced into that.
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