The plot twist in my marathon journey — Legally Fit

But where the training program was not so good, was that it took me too far away from myself.  The routine I had kept my body fresh and strong, and mixing up my workouts kept my mind balanced.  The constant push through an aggressive program pounded my body.  My mind was all about the race – even as I did some of my other favorite activities outside of the training program.  With each benefit I got from it, I could feel the added risk I was taking.  I became too focused on trying to keep up with the program and less aware of what was best for my body.  Enter the plot twist . . .

If you read last week’s blog, you know I sat out my long run due to groin pain.  And while I thought it might be improving after resting it last Saturday, I listened to the advice of friends and family and saw a doctor.  The likely diagnosis is a torn labrum in my hip.  I’ll be getting an MRI this week to confirm the extent of it and will further discuss treatment options with my doctor.  She did not give me any assurances that I can run the marathon, but she said there are some injections that might keep it in play.  In the meantime, she said I could do other workouts so long as I am careful to avoid any that appear to aggravate it – which I had been doing since Saturday.

That said, after receiving the news that my injury was more serious than I had expected, there was a lot that my mind had to deal with.  I went through every emotion from thinking that I may never run a marathon to thinking I can just push through anything for one day to cross the finish line.  I could be like Rocky and go the distance no matter how long it takes or how much pain I am in.  But thankfully, my mind was able to put it all in perspective.  In that moment, there really was only one thing to think about . . . what’s next?

That seems like an easy one to answer.  Up until this point in my training, “what’s next” was simply the next step in the program towards race day.  Now, the program is out the window.  The target for determining what’s next is less clear.  Part of me felt like succumbing to the possibility that training is over and just returning to my previous routine of doing mostly what I feel like doing.  I have built up a genuine need to remain active, so I wasn’t worried about shutting down entirely, but just being active won’t always help get me to race day.  So, I ultimately answered what’s next by focusing on what it would take to be as ready as I can if, and when, running begins again.  The past week I’ve done swimming, Peloton, strength training, and some indoor climbing.  Peloton was the only one that felt afterwards like it aggravated the injury a bit.  Amazingly, swimming makes it feel better.  So, until I find out otherwise, most of my cardio workouts, long and short, will be in the pool.  Just as I had to do with running, I’ll need to adjust to doing longer and longer swims, as most of mine have only ever been 40 minutes or less – and usually are less.