For a runner, the only thing more frustrating than an injury is an intermittent injury. Here today, gone tomorrow, only to come back the next. It’s tricky and unpredictable and throws you off your routine.
A few weeks ago I wrote about this little knee problem I’d been having. It would only hurt sometimes and only about a mile or two into the run and then it would be fine. So I kept running. Then, about nine days ago (most runners know the exact details and time frames of their injuries- we can be anal like that) I ran my first run with no knee pain whatsoever. It was gone. I was thrilled.
This past Saturday I ran a five mile race on a hilly course and felt great the entire time. The knee didn’t act up for even a second. Sunday, I did my long run of ten miles and the knee was still good. I was ecstatic. I thought it had finally become a thing of the past.
Monday was a rest day so Tuesday’s run was a six miler. I was about eight minutes in when it started to hurt. About nine minutes in when I started limping. 9:32 when I had to stop. It hurt worse than it ever had before. I knew I shouldn’t push it, so I walked home. Honestly, I was pissed the entire time. Truly irritated and deeply mad. I know that sounds drastic but I couldn’t believe that after all the icing, massage, bracing and cross training that the pain was gone for over a week and then came back.
It’s quite possibly the most frustrating thing I have to deal with right now. Not because I can’t walk or won’t be fine in a week. It’s because feeling good about running is about the only thing keeping me sane right now. When I’m out there, cruising down the road or trail, I don’t have to do anything else. I don’t have to decipher code or event plan or do laundry, I just get to sort it all out and get away for a while. And now, I can’t.
The intermittent injury is not only keeping me from a normal running routine, it’s keeping me from a normal life routine. I don’t know how much longer I can deal with it.
Oh yeah, and it snowed last night. Yes, snowed.
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