I haven’t done this in a while… posted something other than an Instagram image! I suppose I felt compelled to vent about my current training setback. And vent, I shall:
My Los Angeles Marathon training was going well considering I had just seriously started at the beginning of the new year. I went from 10.3mi in December, to doing 2 back-to-back run workouts during the first week with a mileage of 16.4mi, to 5 run workouts on the third week (30.9mi). Motivation was high! Unfortunately, on the fourth week, when I was slated to have the most mileage, I pulled/strained something on my lower right leg as I was doing a flat 6mi run workout (I ended up doing only 3mi that fateful Thursday, 22nd Jan).
The injury? Well, the jury’s still out (am too much of a wimp to go and have it scanned because I know that the doc would just say to rest it!) — anyway, it could be Achilles tendonitis or possibly peroneal tendonitis. It felt like the same pain I had days before the 2013 LA Marathon, but on the other leg. I was foolhardy back then, chalked it up to phantom pain, went ahead and ran the LA marathon and finished it with a bruised/discoloured left fibularis brevis. Hah. This time, after feeling the pull, I was cautious and I RICE’d my leg as soon as I got home. When I checked it the next day, I was glad to see that it did not bruise! I continued RICE-ing it for the remainder of the month (read: 9 days) but knew I’d pause my recovery since I had to run a half marathon on my sis’ birfday.
I was feeling great leading up to her race (OK, I lie: I wallowed and it involved eating dark chocolate-covered almonds for mood enhancement). On race day, I survived running with sis on her 2/1 interval for about 9 3/4 to 10 miles when the familiar pain returned. I was delusional in thinking then that the injury wasn’t too serious and it would heal itself in a week. +_+ Still, I finished the race by walking gingerly for about a mile, then did a speed walk/limpy run gait for the last 2 miles.
Long story short (too late), I only have myself to blame for this injury. I started experimenting with my nutrition — consumed only one packet of gel during my longer runs, added more hill workouts than usual with 4,721 ft total elevation gain, and ultimately just did too much too soon, running 85 mi all in January. I keep telling myself that it’s not like I went from zero miles to 85, but essentially, that’s what I did (the 10 total in December didn’t count since I wasn’t consistently running).
Blah blah blah. Whingeing whinge winge.
At least I finally found the motivation to get on my trainer.* I figure I’d be spinning for at least another week or two and will get back to running on week three. Next week, I’ll also be back in the pool, so that should be a great way to get more cardio workouts. Minel, my ultra-running sis, strongly recommended that I skip my February race altogether — a back-to-back trail race of 21km and 5km on the same day — and I know I should, BUT… Ugh, I have a feeling I’ll be doing it anyway.
One thing is certain: I won’t be racing LA. *sad face* There’s no (healthy) way I’m going to get my speed and mileage by then. +_+
*On a twistedly silly note, I did an equivalent of 6.66mi on my trainer. Muahahaha
