Mine's NOT a Double
Mine's NOT a Double
Buckle up and get yourself strapped in for another ride on the rollercoaster ride that IS my running “career”.
Originally I had intended to run Comrades this year but decided against it when I had missed a few too many key training events and the long standing issue with my left foot was still unclear.
Not to be deterred I decided to run The District Double in the place of Comrades. After all I had
still some six month’s worth of quality training to unleash on what I thought would be a creditable attempt at running two marathons in two days. In training I was used to running back to back twenty milers and all the signs were looking good following my recent stormer (for me) at Stratford where I ran 3:01:54 – a 16 minute PB. Coincidentally it was the first race where I used my new running style in a race. Unfortunately, being a Pose neophyte and only having a few jigsaw pieces in the box I ran it with far too much gusto with the accompanying tension managing to injure some tendons plus for some reason my old left foot fracture site started to grumble about a week or so post race. I decided to take it very easy indeed which culminated in me refraining from running at all for this last week. This morning I got out of bed and I am limping probably worse than I have been in the last week or indeed since I ran Stratford!
Balance the above with an atrocious weather forecast for the weekend and having to drag my wife and 14 month old puppy over to The Lakes to stay in a caravan and it all seems suddenly quite pointless to put me, my wife and Rosie through this just to say I ran two marathons in two days. I could easily half cripple myself and put myself out of the running scene for several months too. It is not a risk worth taking just for a couple of races. There is always next year. I am officially gutted but I have to be honest with myself. I have been trying to break this gently to myself over the last week really. Every day I have hoped for a marked improvement in my condition. I can bear weight and I can sort of run without pain. I cannot walk without pain though. I have also become aware of a slight pulling feeling on my opposite hip flexor and Heidi (my wife) says I look like I am walking and guarding my left leg. I don’t like backing out of anything but it would be stupid to attempt two marathons in this condition. I not only have to think about myself but also the example to novice runners that I may be setting. If I treat injuries with contempt and try running races on bravado only when I know I’m injured then it sends out all the wrong messages. I love running and I want to help people to enjoy it. Running should not be painful, it should be fun.
I would just like to point out that my injuries (in my opinion) are a result of me doing the following…
- Being far too impatient with myself.
- Running with too much tension and thinking it’s ok.
- Running a long race when I wasn’t completely sure that my new running form was correct and I was in fact doing it wrong.
- Trying to carry on with my racing while trying to change my running style – not recommended.
A case of the running being wrong and NOT the teaching method. I will continue to work toward wards an efficient running ideal using the Pose Method as my learning framework.
I am going to have a week or two (as long as it takes actually) with either complete rest from running or just the odd short couple run with some skipping and Pose drills – when the pain has gone of course. I also intend to maintain my fitness by getting on my bike and cycling rather a lot.
I will restrict any racing to no more than half marathon. All my longer races this year will have to be cancelled – there are a few!
I am rather gutted about all of this but I knew it was coming actually if I’m honest with myself. I am rather philosophical about it actually. The body and nature have ways of reminding you who is in charge despite how indestructable you might think you are. Gravity doesn’t care how you feel.
In case you were wondering about the photograph. I leave it here as a reminder to myself and others what can happen if you keep running with a niggle. I wore that boot for many weeks last year and didn’t run for 2.5 months. This was as a result of a huge forced forefoot overstride and me insisting on running ultra distance.
Now I’m not posting this for attention or my own good so much as I really hope others can learn by my mistakes. It would seem rather daft for people to put themselves through such experiences when they already know what is likely to happen just by reading about my issues.