Pushing Through
We've been running a lot lately. I'm really enjoying it. I don't know what it is about this "sport" I used to hate that recently turns me on so much, but I really look forward to the next time I can go out for a few miles.
As such, I've been spending quite a bit of time on Runner's World's website. And while I do read the sneaker reviews, the editors' blogs, and the various articles on nutrition, I spend a lot of time reading about injury treatment and injury prevention. I'm 30 years old now. My body isn't quite resilient as it used to be.
After our half marathon, our knees ached for days; Onaona's more than mine. I'm not gloating. It was only two weeks before that I had to stop our workout early, because it felt like my kneecap was about to explode. And that brings me to my point.
Runner's World (and every medical website I visited) explained that our pain was common to runners (hence the name, Runner's Knee), and that the best thing to do was to let it rest for a week or two.
"Two weeks?! We're training for a half marathon. I'm giving my knee two days, tops!"
And I think that was the right thing to do.
Now, I'm not suggesting that we should ignore the things our body tells us. When something hurts, it hurts for a reason. I am however saying, a little pain teaches us to do things better. I've learned to run more softly. To take corners a little easier. Instead of using long, extended strides, I'm using shorter, quicker strides.
It was easy to learn to do these things too. In fact, it was really easy. Because it hurt every time I tried to go back to the way I had been running. I had a little reminder in the shape of a sharp, stabbing pain every time I took a corner too fast, or strode too far. (Strode is a funny word.)
So, I just wanted to make the point. A lot of pain is too much. Stop what you're doing, and figure it out. A little pain though, can be just the right motivator. It can teach us to be a little more efficient. If with every little twinge we stop for two weeks, we'll never get anywhere. And in the end, we'll probably only have to stop again, because we never learned what was wrong in the first place.
As such, I've been spending quite a bit of time on Runner's World's website. And while I do read the sneaker reviews, the editors' blogs, and the various articles on nutrition, I spend a lot of time reading about injury treatment and injury prevention. I'm 30 years old now. My body isn't quite resilient as it used to be.
After our half marathon, our knees ached for days; Onaona's more than mine. I'm not gloating. It was only two weeks before that I had to stop our workout early, because it felt like my kneecap was about to explode. And that brings me to my point.
Runner's World (and every medical website I visited) explained that our pain was common to runners (hence the name, Runner's Knee), and that the best thing to do was to let it rest for a week or two.
"Two weeks?! We're training for a half marathon. I'm giving my knee two days, tops!"
And I think that was the right thing to do.
Now, I'm not suggesting that we should ignore the things our body tells us. When something hurts, it hurts for a reason. I am however saying, a little pain teaches us to do things better. I've learned to run more softly. To take corners a little easier. Instead of using long, extended strides, I'm using shorter, quicker strides.
It was easy to learn to do these things too. In fact, it was really easy. Because it hurt every time I tried to go back to the way I had been running. I had a little reminder in the shape of a sharp, stabbing pain every time I took a corner too fast, or strode too far. (Strode is a funny word.)
So, I just wanted to make the point. A lot of pain is too much. Stop what you're doing, and figure it out. A little pain though, can be just the right motivator. It can teach us to be a little more efficient. If with every little twinge we stop for two weeks, we'll never get anywhere. And in the end, we'll probably only have to stop again, because we never learned what was wrong in the first place.
posted by Dave at
8:28 PM
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