Marathon Training Recap: Week 17

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!!!!! I’m in my LAST WEEK of marathon training! LAST WEEK!!!! So much to do, such little time. It’s almost go time!

I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s talk about Week 17…

In a word? Sucked.

Tuesday — 4 Miles

Tuesday’s miles were pretty solid. Noemi came over and we ran together through my ‘hood and took it nice and easy. Nothing of note except the company and the weather. Nice and warm. Perfect. 🙂

Wednesday — 3 Miles

Wednesday wasn’t anything exciting either, except that I started off on my old route but decided to change it up halfway through. It was kind of fun. I just ran wherever my happy feet took me.

Thursday — 4 Miles + Strength Training

Thursday was a disaster. I met up with Julie for our usual 4-mile route together. I felt solid on my way to our meeting spot and I got there a few minutes before her. As any blogger would do, I started taking some lifestyle shots to use here and post on Instagram. Unfortunately for my dumbass, I let my head hang lower than my heart which in turn jump started some awesome heart palpitations. Note dripping sarcasm.

Julie arrived, and my heart was beating out of my chest. FML.

We started our run, and I had to stop more than several times to get my heartbeat under control. If I were my own coach, which thankfully I’m not, I would have told myself to stop running and walk home. But since I’m a stubborn runner and I wasn’t running solo, I kept pushing myself. At one point I remembered my husband saying he read somewhere to lie down to stop palpitations. We ran over to a sidewalk, I laid back on my back, and a concerned citizen walking his dog came over to ask if we needed help. I waved him off in true stubborn fashion. 

Lying down didn’t really help but we kept going. When we split off, I texted my husband to tell him I was at the end of the street and if I didn’t make it home in 10 minutes he should come pick me up and take me to the hospital. In the end it was fine, but overall the run was just ridiculous and I was happy it was over. Needless to say, I did my strength training later in the evening.

Silver lining? I did manage some pretty cool lifestyle shots…

Saturday — 7.5 Miles

Saturday was supposed to be a glorious run! It was beautiful — a bit humid — but still beautiful. It was warm, the sun was shining, and I was running our last training run with Sara, Julie, and Eric. As usual, we all started together but as the miles wore on, the distance between Julie and Eric, and Sara and I grew wider. We saw them when they reached the 4-mile turn, and exchanged high-5s. Good times! On our way back, Sara and I were making good time. Even effort, nothing strenuous.

Then, out of nowhere around mile 6-6.5, my knee started locking up in pain just like the prior week. It was horrific. It was so bad that I had to walk most of it. I finally told Sara to go on without me. She asked if she should come pick me up, and I told her I would text her. I didn’t want to hold her up. I did the run/walk thing until about mile 7.5 when I just gave up. I was beat down, so pissed, and on the verge of tears. This could NOT be happening the week before my marathon.

Could. 

Not.

But I was smart enough to know I would be risking further injury if I continued on. I knew it was time. I typed “I quit. Come get me.” And then I reluctantly pressed send.

As soon as I sent that text, I made an appointment to see a sports injury specialist in our area. Sara came to get me and we met up with Julie and Eric at our meeting spot. 

I spent the entire weekend on pins and needles. At first I thought it was from running trails the last two weekends. Then I thought it was an ITB issue like I thought the week prior. But then I noticed a small, dime-sized bruise right where it was hurting. And it was catching and kind of locking up as I ran. So then I was panicking that it was a tear of some sort. My anxiety was through the roof over the weekend. I was pissed off at the world and everyone knew it. I knew taper weeks were bad, but add injury to insult and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

In the throes of my panic, I made a second appointment with a sports medicine doctor. If I got bad news at my first appointment, I was definitely going to get a second opinion and maybe even a cortisone shot. I was asking anyone and everyone their medical opinion. Thankfully it was all just speculation and no one gave me any advice. One person did give me solid advice. In fairness, she’s training in the physical therapy field so she was one of the first people I asked. (Thank, Erin!) It was very helpful though, and very much appreciated.

Finally Monday morning arrived. I got great news. I’m cleared to run! My leg was pulled, twisted, turned, and beaten up by the doc, and there’s no guarantee that this issue won’t flare up again during the race since it doesn’t hurt when I’m not running and it doesn’t flare up until several miles into my runs. 

But, from what he could see and feel, there are no tears and it’s just an ITB issue! I never thought I would be relieved to say it was my ITB… He also mentioned my tibia was turned, and asked if I had been running trails. Which, of course, I foolishly had. Gah!

I’m truly relieved, though. Now I can focus my efforts on things like nutrition, rest, and hydration. And I can panic about what I’m going to wear, what fuel I’ll be bringing, and if I’m running with a hydration vest, a belt, or relying solely on the aid stations. It’s the little things in life…

I have one more appointment on Friday before my race. I’m sure it will be more of the same with the pulling, and twisting, and evil massaging. I was also given several exercises to do this week. I was planning on taking a complete rest week due to my injury, but doc seems to think I should run so I’ll continue with a couple 2-milers just to keep things loose and happy.

Unfortunately I went out for a 3-miler this morning and I did feel my knee start to catch. I’m hopeful the exercises he gave me, along with the icing (and maybe even taping on race day?) will help and I won’t have this issue for the marathon.

I know many of you follow me on Instagram and Facebook and were sending me positive, healing vibes this weekend. I cannot thank you ENOUGH. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And keep sending those healing vibes so this issue doesn’t flare up on race day!

xo xo xo

What injuries have you sustained during training? 

Have you ever had a DNS due to injury?