Start n' Stop

After last week, I was ready to start settling into my Chicago Marathon training. I was looking forward to some slow, low, and steady base building. Full steam ahead! But then it happened.

I got a little injured.

Following my Brooklyn Half high, I probably did too much. I jumped right back into speedwork, and went on long hikes and spent days climbing outside. I knew I needed a longer recovery, but it was all too much fun to turn down. Whoops.

My right quad was causing me to limp. I was half way through a series of 800s when I knew I was in trouble. I finished my workout and pulled over to speak to my coach.

Stop. Now. Go see someone, don't let it get worse, he warned.

A quick google search later, and I had self-diagnosed myself with a quad strain. Years of injuries have taught me that a week off now could save me from months off later, so I pulled all the way back. No running, no climbing. 

Instead, I've been making great use of my pass to Bend and Bloom, a local yoga studio. It's surprisingly social, and I have had a lot of fun spending time doing something I normally can never fit into my week.

Still, while I've stretched and sweated my way to more flexibility, I continue to feel the pain in my right quad. It seems to never release, keeping me up at night and feeling tense during the day.

I feel slightly defeated by this. Surely, I thought, a little yoga and time off will heal this small injury. Had I gone to the doctor, isn't this what they would have done? I can imagine them handing me a paper with strength exercises and telling me to rest. After years of PT, can't I be trusted with my own recovery?

Maybe not. 

So this week I am going to bite the bullet. My first defense against injury is massage, so I'll go see my sports therapist. If that doesn't do it, I'll head to the doctors. I figure if I can take the time needed to recovery from this now, I should still be able to tackle a full training season soon.

Wish me luck!