Have you ever set a fitness goal for yourself and you just seem to never be able to reach it? A PR in a race or a weight goal that you alludes you? My biggest goal to date has been to run a half marathon. I got the running bug about 7 years ago and ran lots of 5Ks and a few 10Ks. I felt like I was ready for the next challenge- for me it was to run a half marathon. I found a training group in my area that was training for a specific race in October. We started group runs in April so there was plenty of time to train. I started building my distance and adding miles weekly. We would do group long runs on Sundays and I would run shorter runs during the week. I was also continuing my cross training- strength training and yoga. I thought it was a great mix. In early August I was feeling very confident that my dream would come true. I was up to 11 miles during training runs. I had even signed up for an earlier half marathon that was to take place in September since I felt I was “ready”. I was so excited! I was oozing with self-confidence and felt like nothing could stop me. Then one Saturday morning in mid-August I went out for a 4 mile run on the bike path and it happened. Something was not right. I felt a sharp pain in my shin. I could barely run. The pain was too strong. I tried to “work through it” but it didn’t happen. I rested for a few days. I rested some more. I tried to run but couldn’t do it. I could barely put weight on my leg- too much pain. I had to back out of the September race and hoped that I would still be able to run the original race that I had signed up for. After a few weeks I went to the orthopedic doctor. He took x-rays and although he didn’t see anything (they are hard to see on an x-ray) he said based on my symptoms I had a stress fracture in my shin. I was done. I was still hopeful that I would have enough time to rest and do the October half marathon, but I just wasn’t ready. I couldn’t believe it! I was devasted. That year I ended up volunteering on the course of the October race. ( I wanted to be a part of it in some way.) I was so excited to see all the people that I had trained with run past me at the mid-way point but was heart was aching inside. I was determined to try again the next year. And I did…try….
Watch for my next post on my second attempt at running a half marathon.
Lisa's fit lifestyle 