Trust me, this post is not nearly as melodramatic as the title suggests.
Today’s Run
This morning, I set out around 8 to run 2.5 miles. Yesterday was sofa king hot, I skipped my cross training day (biking) and slept in. It wasn’t too hot out, but the direct sunlight kind of killed me. 75 is hot to run in!
My face stayed this red for the next half hour.
I also lifted some weights (aka, boxes of my college stuff) for about 20 minutes.
Injuries
In my short, two-year, on-and-off running career, I’ve had a few injuries. In the last eight months alone, I’ve had issues with tendonitis, hip bursitis and shin splints, as well as random ankle pain, sore calves and pinched nerves in my hip.
Here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way about running injuries:
R.I.C.E. = Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation When I had tendonitis in my right foot this February, I took two weeks off running and focused on biking and strength training. I iced it regularly, and, in lieu of compression socks/sleeves, I wrapped an Ace bandage around it super tight while icing. Then I elevated it.
Putting R.I.C.E. to work on Tuesday after my calf hurt
Stretch the affected area. I started having issues with my hip in March. The side of my left hip ached after a run, especially when I stood up after sitting for a while. I looked up symptoms online, and I found that my pain was a dead ringer for hip bursitis. I took a week off, iced my hip regularly and avoided sleeping on that side, but the pain still came back after I ran.
Thankfully, one of my favorite bloggers posted some of her favorite hip stretches, and I started using some of them after I ran. My favorites to use are pigeon, lying hip and glute stretch and butterfly. Once I started focusing more post-run stretches on my hips, I noticed less soreness. Now, I don’t have any issues with it.
Start back slowly. After taking time off for an injury, don’t go right back to where you were before. When I took time off for my foot, I started running four miles every few days, and I had more pain. Slowly add mileage or speed. If something hurts, cut your run back. Don’t be stupid like me. Follow the 10 percent rule for adding weekly mileage, and ice anything that hurts.
Prevention! If you feel a nagging ache or something feels off, take a break. Go see a doctor if rest and ice aren’t helping. Part of the reason I had issues with tendonitis and shin splints was because my running shoes were old. Over Christmas break, I left my usual shoes at school, so I had to use my super old pair at home. I ran five miles once a week as my long, and between two and four during the week. This was dumb. I should have biked instead.
Don’t over estimate your fitness level, don’t add mileage too quickly, train for speed or distance (never both!), and don’t be afraid to take a break or cross train.
What running or sports injuries have you had? How did you deal with them?
