May Update for Colleen

After Bear Mountain, I took a few days off of running, but hopped right back onto that train and went for an easy 2 miler on the treadmill the Tuesday after the race. I rested Wednesday because my legs were still feeling tired even after only 2 easy miles, and I was back out there with The Breakfast Club on Thursday running a fairly hilly 5 mile route. I wanted to push for 6 but was still feeling that general tiredness you feel post-race.

On Friday I decided to try a run with my old sneakers (they weren’t worn out mileage-wise, but they were the shoes I was in when I started having shin issues at the start of my training) since the pair I had been running in had hit 300 miles and are just worn out. I’ve been trying to put off getting new shoes, and I’m 100% regretting that decision now. My right shin got a little sore after our 10k together on Friday, but nothing unheard of. Saturday, I was out in NYC and went for a nice, slow 10 miler with my amazing friend Laura Beachy (co-founder Beachy Media, 100-miler ultra marathoner, and the crazy woman who convinced me to do triathlons in college). The run went pretty great, but my shin was starting to get a little more sore. I was back in my worn out shoes because I truly couldn’t stand to run another mile in my old New Balances.

Sunday I took a rest day (mostly from a raging hangover thanks to a bachelorette party!) and planned on a rest day for Monday as well. I ran Tuesday and Wednesday with shin pain still persisting, but it got much worse on my Thursday morning run. I’m unsure of what exactly is causing all this pain, but I’m going in to see my physical therapist this week to figure it out. I’ve been resting since my painful run Thursday (more like going crazy and wishing I was out running) and doing ice massages on my shin. I also got myself some new running shoes and cannot WAIT to break them in!

In the meantime, I’m planning on cross training and continuing work on my core/upper body since I’ve been feeling like I’m severely lacking in that department. I’m also making an effort to eat more whole foods and limit my processed foods. It’s so easy to take my health for granted, especially when you’re running 8 hours a week and trying to replenish the calories your body is burning. It’s been so easy for us to order a pizza after a long run or to eat a sleeve of Oreos, but if I’m putting this much effort into exercising and training, shouldn’t I be fueling my body with good, healthy, clean food?

We will see what my physical therapist says – hopefully I can still run the Pinelands Farms 50k (or possibly bump it down to the 25k if my therapist decides that’s the safest option). Hopefully it’s nothing serious and I can get back to running soon. If not, well, we’re called “one and a half runners” for a reason! I will continue to train in any way my body can handle and get back into running whenever I can. I’m not going to let this injury drag me down and make me unhappy.