Ever since my longest run couple weeks ago, my left leg hasn't been back to normal. This Tuesday I was able to run my 4 miles, but by the end of the 3rd mile the tenderness had returned. So I decided to go see a Sports Medicine specialist to ensure that if I run the marathon I will not be breaking anything or causing any permanent damage. They took X-rays and did an ultrasound, and the good news is that my knees look great and I don't have any liquid on my knee that needed to be drained. The not so good news is that I am feeling pain because my hamstrings are very tight, which is frustrating because - unlike 90% of the runners - I am really good at stretching after my runs.
Now that I know what the issue is, I have been stretching even more and doing additional exercises to help my leg. On Thursday I was able to complete my 4 miles once again, and today I was able to run my 8 miles - the last long run - with some discomfort but no pain. I took a break to stretch after the first 4 miles, which I think really helped. Completing the 8 miles made me feel a lot more confident and prepared than I felt in the last couple weeks, like I actually stand a chance.
This week I have one more run - a short 3 miles - and that will officially end my training. On Friday we are heading down to Miami, since the race is on Sunday. Part of me is excited that the race is so soon, but part of me is nervous because after all this training, I really I don't want to disappoint myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment