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Know When to Walk Away…Know When To Run

[ 9 ] 03/12/2010 |

This past week has been a huge struggle for me, workout wise. I’m hurting, and it’s kind of freaking me out. I listened to some of my fellow Sisters last week in one of our Team in Training conference calls, who were having a hell of a week LAST week.

The OHMYLORDIMUSTBEOUTOFMY MIND week.

Pretty sure this week was that week for me.

It kind of started during the beginning of this new challenge. I was all fired up and attempted to do the 30 Day Shred AND the 1/2 marathon training. About three days into the shred I was convinced Jillian Michaels may be very well trying to kill me. Not good pain, either. Like weird pains in my shins (yes, the dreaded shin splints) and this funny thing in my hip flexor where it would all of a sudden go weak and I felt like I was going to topple over. She even made the arches of my feet ache.

So I bailed on Jillian. As much as I love her, my body was telling me ‘Hold on missy. I don’t think so.’ (It totally said that. For reals.)

I took two rest days, Tuesday and Wednesday. I felt guilty about resting, but my body was telling me to pack it in for a few days. And you know how when you’re kind of sedentary for a couple of days, your momentum wanes? Tonight it took me till 9 pm to drag my sorry self onto the dreadmill.

Forty minute run. In the bank. I hated every minute of it. But, it is done.

Till tomorrow.

The good thing is, as I sit and write this, I can feel the pain leaving my body. I will get up and walk around, prepare the house for sleep. I’ll get up tomorrow and I’ll be just fine. My muscles will not be sore.

I will run again.

And again.

Last week I made a decision that I felt was best for my body – I abandoned (with a heavy heart) the Shred. I know that right now, my 1/2 marathon training comes first. I folded. I walked away.

The trick now is to figure out what kind of pain I push through, and what kind of pain I listen to. I need to figure out when my body is just being whiny. This will be vital as I get into longer runs and harder training.

Because seriously? I am SO not letting some pesky injury keep me from reaching my goal of crossing that finish line in San Diego.

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Category: Fitness, Heather, Virtual Team in Training

About heather: Thirty-three year old wife, mother, runner and wannabe renaissance woman striving to look and feel even BETTER than she did before babies. View author profile.

  • http://www.babytealeaves.blogspot.com Christie O.

    you said it, sister! you gotta listen to when you are in real pain or the push-through kind! good for you! i wish i was built for the shred AND the tri training, but it's too much for me too and I recognized that. You're doing great things girl! Way to listen!

  • BrookeF

    its hard to know the difference between soreness you should work through (pain is just weakness leaving the body) and injury. sounds like you made a good choice.

  • http://christy.shrinkingjeans.net Christy_TheSistherhood

    Yep, you had the week I had last week. I walked away from the Shred after ONE DAY. Seriously. My body staged a major revolt and said, “step away from the shred, bitch. OR ELSE.” Yeah, it really said that.

    I hope you are feeling like a million bucks today!!

    Oh, isn't it crazy that we are working out TOO much now? Like 6 months ago, I couldn't convince myself to workout at all, and now I have to talk myself out of too much. INSANE.

  • seemamarun

    So I'm totally feelin this post. Right now I'm in major pain and scared that working through it will make me worse. I have an email in to Coach Joe and am waiting on the ok from my chiropractor (hopefully getting it on Tuesday). I didn't even try the shred. I'm a wuss like that. ;o)

  • Lisa_ShrinkingJeans

    Count me in. I abandoned the shred after 1 day, too. I just couldn't handled the shredding AND all the other exercise and running that I am doing. It is so hard to determine what is injury pain and what is “growing pains”. We'll figure it out!

  • anng

    Heather, I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one struggling right now. I am so overwhelmed with just the day to day stuff, I am having problems focusing on the “exercising” part. I am tired, stressed, and hurting BUT I don't want to give up everything I have worked so hard on so I am just taking every day “one day at a time” and doing what I can that day and not worrying about the rest. Glad you decided to do the same.

  • http://www.alberts-family.blogspot.com/ danielle

    Good for you for listening to your body!!!! I, on the other hand, need to start listen to my head and get my butt motivated…. I did so go after I had my son, he'll be two in April, I lost all the weight I gained and then some. I've been in a huge slump now for what seems like the last 8 months or so. I work out but not hard, not like I know I can. It seems like ever since my son became mobile he controls my life. Anyway, hopefully one day soon I will just set my mind to eating better again and pushing my self to the limit.

  • anng

    Heather, I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one struggling right now. I am so overwhelmed with just the day to day stuff, I am having problems focusing on the “exercising” part. I am tired, stressed, and hurting BUT I don't want to give up everything I have worked so hard on so I am just taking every day “one day at a time” and doing what I can that day and not worrying about the rest. Glad you decided to do the same.

  • http://www.alberts-family.blogspot.com/ danielle

    Good for you for listening to your body!!!! I, on the other hand, need to start listen to my head and get my butt motivated…. I did so go after I had my son, he'll be two in April, I lost all the weight I gained and then some. I've been in a huge slump now for what seems like the last 8 months or so. I work out but not hard, not like I know I can. It seems like ever since my son became mobile he controls my life. Anyway, hopefully one day soon I will just set my mind to eating better again and pushing my self to the limit.