Running Scared

Getting sick of being sick, yesterday I decided to go for my 30 min run despite STILL not feeling well. The weather ended up being beautiful as it was chilly but nice and warm in the sun. I went to one of my favorite spots, Boling Park. It's this awesome little one mile loop way back behind Cherokee High School. It's smooth trails surrounded by a river and lots of wildlife. You have to be careful while your running that you don't collide with a squirrel, the giant bunny, or one of the many deer you see out there. I guess they have gotten used to the traffic :) Not to mention I've come to recognize the regulars that come out. I normally head out there in the morning times when the kids are in school and that tends to be prime time for some of the local retirees. They go out and do several loops of walking and we pass each other two times each loop and smile. VERY nice people :)

My run still feeling a bit sluggish, and my illness not quite gone from my body, I decided to keep it to just 30 min. I finished up and noticed that my left foot was sore. Immediately I'm thinking CRAP! I decide it's probably nothing and go about my day, and as the day progresses, it gets a little more sore. I keep thinking to myself that this can't be right! I've done everything that I'm supposed to. I hadn't even run in 4 days for being sick, and I kept it all nice and easy.

By night time when my foot was aching, I do my usual and sink into a slight panic mode :). What if something else is wrong?? What if I'm not ready to start running again?? All horrible thoughts to a person who depends on running for fitness, training, and pure mental sanity!

So being the "I want to handle this now" kind of person I am, I called Dr. Peebles office first thing this morning, 8am on the dot, to fill him in :) He returned my call before he even got started at 9 to assure me that everything was still fine. That this is common. Even though my muscle was "just bruised", he explained that it was pretty extensive. It of course takes time to recover from these types of things. All of this information that I already know, but you need someone you trust to explain it to you. He recommended keeping my runs to 30 min until my foot settles in and staying off of hills. He said it may continue to be sore for a little while longer, but I wouldn't re-injure my foot. That is EXACTLY what I wanted to hear. I can deal with a little soreness if I know that I am not going to do anything to make it worse.

Injury is the worst word any athlete can ever hear. But Dr. Peebles is THE BEST!! He always makes me feel so much better. So I'll be back out at my Boling Park tomorrow with no pain in my face but happiness that I have the go-ahead to run!!

Happy Trails!!

K