Throughout the summer I kept meaning to blog about how great my summer running was going. I was feeling fast(er). I saw lots of sunrises and serene foggy mornings. I got to run in beautiful places in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I made a new running friend. I was looking forward to an October marathon. I may have been despairing about my oppressive readings for school and my lack of sleep, but I always looked forward to my next run.
And then? Ugh.
A toenail turned purple, and I'll probably lose it.
I felt some knee pain a couple weeks ago and haven't been able to run since. (I've made it through test runs but before hitting two miles the knee pain comes back so I stop. It's not bad pain, I just know it means I shouldn't keep running.)
My coach said it's probably my IT band, and the main culprit is probably my not foam rolling enough. So now I'm foam rolling twice a day. What a pain. (Sometimes literally.)
Foam rolling on my carpet has given me rug burns on my elbows. I can't even remember the last time I had rug burns on my elbows.
Foam rolling with scabby elbows means they keep cracking and bleeding a little. It makes me feel ridiculous.
I'm also having to rub Bengay on my knee every morning, and ice every night. Trying to run, and not even getting to run, is sure taking a lot of work.
So that's that. I thought I was getting better, but now I'm not so sure. I'm going to try and see a running specialist doctor. For a while I didn't really think I should bother, since I'm sure time will heal me, but if seeing a doctor can get me running safely again sooner, I'm willing to go. I'm hopeful I can still run a marathon this fall, but the October race I've already registered for isn't looking realistic. That's a bummer, but overall I'm okay with it. Some runners go crazy when they are injured and can't run, but I'm doing fine so far. Probably because school, work, running, and trying to have a social life has all been wearing me a little thin recently. My body wanted a break, and now it's getting it.
But I still look forward to getting back out there, purple toenails and early mornings and foam rolling and all.
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Sorry about your knees! When I went to the PT about my IT band, he gave me some exercises to do (hip hikes with one foot on a stair, and side-lying leg lifts). I also found that stretches for my hips seemed to help (figure 4, pigeon pose).
Hope you're able to get back out there soon!
Glad you're handling it well, though. I'm one of the ones who goes crazy when I can't run.
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