The post I was hoping I wouldn't have to write....

It's been a shit day.

For starters, I'm not racing tomorrow. I should probably back up to Thursday. We had a track workout - that actually went really well for me - where we were basically doing a continuous stride session. We were sprinting the straightaways and jogging the curves - so 100m hard, 100m easy for 4 miles. I felt great, I ran great. But on the cool down, my stride felt a bit off. My friend Dorothy asked if I was limping? No I told her, I was just tired.

But the rest of the day, I was having a weird pain just above my knee on the back of my leg. Pain behind my knee (not behind knee cap, literally the back of my leg, the back of the knee). I told myself I was just sore. I woke up Friday and headed our for my standard 5 mile Friday easy run. I could still feel it though. The pain wasn't that bad, almost just bothersome. I describe it almost as feeling like my leg got hyper-extended. But I noticed it started to alter my stride. I told myself in denial I WAS FINE and would be fine for my long run Saturday.

Saturday I made it 2 miles before calling it quits. On both the run and tomorrow's relay race. I went up to Southwestern University, where my husband coaches, to see one of the athletic trainers. He says I've strained a muscle. And recommends no running for 10 days. My marathon is in 3 weeks. Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of taking a couple weeks off from running. I have the Baltimore Marathon on October 13 and I can't miss it. Technically, 2 weeks off still leaves me with a week (race week) of Baltimore, but doesn't leave me confident I can PR with that time off.

I immediately questioned the trainer when leaving. I told Dan 'Hey that's the trainer who always babies his athletes. Right? RIGHT?' So, I'm fine with just a few days rest. But, to be honest, I'm not sure. I know this isn't the end all. I know I can still run Baltimore and even drop to the half if need be. It's more abut seeing my family than the race anyways. But still  - there's the part of me that is extremely pissed off and bitter.  I've been a bitch today to my husband - who's only trying to help - and my dogs - and if you know me, something MUST be wrong with me if I lash out at the dogs, they do no wrong in my house.

While I will probably allow myself to wallow in self despair for 48 hours, I know I am not alone. It’s a shared experience. We have all been there, or are going to be there at some point.

We're big football fans, and I have watched many players get seriously injured during the football season. No doubt others are sitting on ice packs right now too. So think about this… you and, say, dozens of NFL players (and hundreds of other pro athletes) right now are sitting in whirlpools or on ice packs or on some physio’s table, thinking “Ah, shit.”

I'm in good company! If it’s good enough for million-dollar bodies, it’s good enough for me. No matter how much of a badass you think you are, no matter how athletically talented or enthusiastic, your body isn’t made of titanium. You’re soft and pink and mushy on the inside, and all wonders of engineering have limits. That’s reality. And it’s OK.

 Check out the video below: I AM A MARATHON RUNNER. I AM INJURED.
 If you've had a hamstring injury, tell me all of your secrets for fast recovery!!