It's Better to Listen to Your Body

Another busy week and sometimes I wonder if I'm ever going to get to run during the week again.  Last year, January was the month that I recorded the least amount of miles but I have exceeded those miles already.  It's just after the holidays and it seems like I stay busy all the time now.

Last week was a busy week but I ended up getting to run on Saturday and Sunday.  I had planned to run on 350 but overslept and didn't make it.  I just ran around town and got in 9.8 miles.  I enjoyed the run even though it was a little cold and 7 miles in the wind started to blow and it felt so much cooler.

As the title says, it is always better to listen to your body.  Jeff and I met downtown Sunday morning and since I always run from my house, I already had in a mile.  Just over two miles into my run, I had a pain that felt like a cramp in my upper leg.  I stopped for a few seconds and thought that was enough.  I had to stop again shortly after that because the pain was hurting really bad.  After a couple of minutes, I tried running again and decided that it would be best if I turned around and walked back home.  Jeff went with me and after about a quarter mile I tried running again.  The pain had almost went away and running didn't feel so uncomfortable.  I went on to the house and ended my run with just 3.75 miles.  I was frustrated.  As I sit here now writing this on Monday night, I still have some pain in my leg but not as much.  I will continue to listen to what my body is saying and not over do it.

As a runner, or any other athlete for that matter, it's hard for us to be sidelined for very long.  Even though we know we should take it easy for a while, we still want to get out there and "get with it".  Since I started this journey, I have learned to listen to my body so much more.  When something doesn't feel right during a run, I either slow down or stop.  The good news is that you quickly learn to tell the difference between a pain caused by injury or pain caused by discomfort.  The discomfort you can push through but the injury pain is totally different.

I have two races that I'm planning on doing in March.  I have written earlier in this blog that my first race would be the Andrew Jackson Half.  I've changed my mind and my first will be the Amanda Price 10K in New Albany on March 9.  The following weekend is also when the Andrew Jackson Half is but I will be running the Germantown Half instead.  I looking forward to meeting up with a friend, also a runner, that I haven't seen in ages and catching up.

That's going to do me for this week.  Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you again next week.