Road to Eugene Marathon 2018: Week 1 Training Update

I’m nearing the end of week one of my Eugene Marathon training plan. While I wish I could say that everything went grand and I’m ready for a 75-minute long run tomorrow… it hasn’t. I’ve been dealing with calf/ankle/shin issues for about one year now. The injury has come in varying forms – swollen ankles after any activity, tight calves, pain in my ankles when I ran. I’ve been able to solve a lot of the lower outer leg and calf issues with insoles. However, I haven’t entirely been able to resolve the inner lower leg issues (I say that because I’m not 100% sure it’s my calf vs. my shins).

I took two weeks off in December and slowly ramped back into running. The pain lingered during short runs, but it was nothing I couldn’t ignore and quickly resolve with ice and yoga post run. For the first time in months, I had a pain free run two weeks ago. Then I ran Fartleks with the team on Wednesday. I powered through the workout… then the pain returned. Sharp, cramping sensations through my inner lower leg. Then I went to a Lean425 class at Bassline last night (taking the running REALLY easy)… halfway through the workout my legs throbbed. I couldn’t put any pressure on that area of my leg and when I tried to stretch, coming out of the stretch would lead to a sharp, throbbing pain that wouldn’t go away.

If I told you that everything is okay and that I’m hopeful this can be resolved quickly, I’d be lying. I’m really nervous. Fear is setting in that I may need to change my spring marathon plans. Or worse yet, that I’ll have to take a break from running.

I shouldn’t be this worried about it. It’s not like my livelihood depends on my ability to run – but running has become a place of solace for me. I get anxious when I have to be still for long periods of time (by a long time I mean a day). I love to be in motion always, and I find rest and mental ease from running. I’m nervous that this will be taken away from me.

I’m also nervous that I’ve put all this work into my running this past year and that it will all be for nothing.

So there you have it – my week one update. I visit a doctor at Airrosti on Monday who will hopefully be able to provide some insight and put me back on the track of recovery AND running. Airrosti, who offers musculoskeletal treatment options that combine massage therapy, chiropractic, and physical therapy, has helped me get back up and running quickly before. So I’m praying it’s nothing more significant than they can help me solve for. Until then, I’ll be on the bike and in the yoga studio.

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While I won’t be able to join, I hope you’ll attend the Cascade Run Club Community Run from Run26 this Saturday. Run in my place, please! This event is open to all runners of all ability levels. This is your chance to test them out without any commitment and meet the team, run with current members, and talk one-on-one with coaches and ambassadors.