Sidelined

An injury has kept me from running for the past four days, the first time this has ever happened. It will also be the first time I can't make it to the starting line of a race due to an injury. I guess us runners all have to face something like this at least once in our running lives.

This sucks. I would rather be on the road and sweating it out through a 10 kilometer run early in the morning than on a lounging chair worrying about the persistent pain in my right foot. But it has been like that since Wednesday this week.

I went for a run Tuesday, doing fartleks and some hills on a 12k route. Everything was going fine until the last downhill curve which was quite steeply banked. I didn't twist my ankle, but it was likely that my right foot hit the banked pavement in some awkward kind of way so that on the uphill surge going to the kilometer marker, I began feeling the pain, apparently from a pinched nerve. The pain became more pronounced on the last kilometer and had me limping through a slog home.

I had a chiropractor work on my feet twice. But the slight swelling and the pain persisted. The morning after the visits to the chiropractor, I tried to see if I could run. I can't. The pain in my right foot whenever it hit the pavement was too much. I would say now that I was in denial. Friends already had me registered for the 17k Philhealth Run in Koronadal on Febuary 5. I already had my race number and singlet. I have no plans of missing this one.  It can't really be that bad. I should be able to run at least by Friday. Reality told me otherwise.

This morning, I went to an acupuncture clinic and finally informed my friends who sponsored my registration that I just couldn't make it to the starting line in Koronadal. My right foot needs time to rest and heal. It's definitely frustrating not being able to race. I had put so much in training for a good finish. But things like this are part of our sport, and we just have to learn to live with them when they come.

Last night, I saw a tweet by American marathoner and US 50K record holder Josh Cox that said:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept when I cannot run; the courage to run when I can; & the wisdom to know the difference. #runnersprayer"

That is my prayer today.

Stubborn runner cartoon from Marathon Sweetheart