Getting Back Into It

This past week I went on two runs totaling 10 miles, swam half a mile and lifted. The highlight of the week was making it past 2 miles without my knee hurting.

On Tuesday, I did my longest run since August - 4 miles, yes I said August. I ran on the Towpath to avoid any hills or uneven ground. However, the Towpath wasn't melted yet despite warmer temperatures and the surface was pretty uneven.

So Saturday morning, I tried a bit further running 6 miles on the Towpath, starting at the Boston Store again. This time the path was a bit icier from the snow melting then freezing again. I was able to run on the sides for most of the run without slipping. Again my knee felt good.

After a big injury, you always feel paranoid about every little ache and pain. These runs were different, however. I felt that the slight discomfort was just from lack of training. I think it's crucial for me to continue to strengthen my quads and core as well as mix in swimming. Swimming really interests me anyway and is a great workout. I've gotten to the point where I feel l could swim a couple miles in the pool fairly easy. In the Spring, I hope to buy a bike and get into cycling.

I don't think I'm completely out of the woods yet with this injury, but I've learned a lot from it. You aren't invincible no matter how old or young you are and what races you've done. There's a reason endurance athletes are considered the toughest athletes out there. They train. They train hard. Training is tough and no one likes to feel pain or discomfort. Accomplishing a big goal doesn't happen from one big effort on race day. It happens from a bunch of great efforts during the weeks and months beforehand. Race day is just the day you showcase your training.

Anywho, that's enough rambling for now. I haven't posted in awhile so I had a bit more to say. Moral of the story: Don't be an idiot and train.