A Little Patience.....Please!

As a runner, there is nothing worse than not being able to run. What's even more frustrating is when the inability to run isn't even due to an overuse/over training injury, or even as a result of running itself - well, not directly anyway.

New Year's Day was pretty awesome as I spent a good few hours on the trails around Canmore with some fabulous running friends. It wasn't too cold and we even got some sunshine, and although there was still some lying snow, the actual trails were in pretty good condition with compact snow making for easier running. Having covered around 18km on one side of the valley, we headed over to the opposite side for another 10km or so before heading home.

Beautiful trails in Canmore - New Year's Day
(Photo taken by Kim)

It was a little more icy on this side, particularly on the more popular pathways leading back in to town which had been mostly cleared of snow, although what remained had melted and refrozen, making it a little dicey in places. As we ran along, we chatted briefly about how much we rely on our shoes in those conditions and how wearing some form of traction aid gives a little more confidence when trying to stay upright despite not giving 100% guarantee. 10 minutes later - wham! - I hit the ground like a sack of spuds.

New Year's Day and Enjoying those Trails :o)

I've already taken a number of tumbles this winter, but this one knocked me a little dizzy. I couldn't even say what caused me to fall - a frozen tree root that just threw me off balance, a small patch of ice hidden under the snow - I really don't know. Thankfully, the only damage appeared to be a cut finger and a few grazes on the hands, along with a bang to the left knee that was causing a dull ache and a slight tightening in the kneecap. I figured it was just bruised and so bounced back up and continued running, deciding to check the damage when I got home. Sure enough, closer inspection later on in the day showed just a couple of grazes and a slight greening/yellowing but generally it wasn't too bad.

The next day, I did my usual 10km snowy loop with Wilson around Mahogany, and with a recovery run scheduled in, it was a slow affair. The knee still felt a little sore, but it wasn't giving me any trouble even though we were struggling to run through the deep snow.

A 10km tempo run on Friday was a different matter when on completion, there was some mild swelling in the knee which had clearly been aggravated by the faster pace. I gave it a good stretching and iced it a little, before making the wise decision to rest for a day or so to see whether there was any improvement.

Sunday was the most beautiful day and although there were windchill warnings of temperatures in to the -40's, it was the most perfect day to get out for a run. I'd already made the decision to head for Fish Creek, and if the knee was ok, I was hoping to cover around 30km on the trails. I managed 32km in the end, slogging up and down the hills in a mix of deep, soft snow and more compact trails, whilst enjoying the most spectacular views of the valley with the mountains in the distance. Whether it was the wonderful views or something other, I barely noticed any pain in my knee and felt confident and relaxed that the bruising was finally settling down and could get back in to my training program.

A cold but gorgeous day for a run at Fish Creek :o)

Some beautiful trail running at Fish Creek Park 

How wrong could I be! Later that evening, the slight swelling returned and this time I couldn't bend or straighten my leg with out some mild discomfort. It felt like the bone and the tendon were struggling, and having woken up on Monday morning with no noticeable improvement, I decided that maybe a visit to the urgent care clinic was a requirement to get things checked out once and for all. 

I didn't go to the clinic. I could still walk, I'm wasn't in agony and I personally felt that I would just be wasting their time when there were other people that needed more immediate attention. I've frequently been told that I have a high pain threshold and so decided to carry on regardless, doing a gentle 8km run on the treadmill instead followed by some gentle stretching. It helped, but it still didn't fix the problem, and I'm now at the point where even I'm beginning to call myself stupid, finally admitting defeat and recognising the need to rest.

When over training, at least there is a reason for aches and pains, there are signs to look for, and we can take immediate action to control how much we run and what we do when injured or tired etc. With an unexpected tumble, we have absolutely no control, there are no signs, no aches or pains before hand, nothing. It's the most frustrating thing ever - I've been feeling fantastic this past month or so, training has been going well and I've looked forward to getting back in to a solid training routine to prepare for racing in the spring. There is a cross country race on Saturday that I so want to do but it may be a case of just doing enough to win my age group rather than flat out racing, simply to avoid doing any further damage - if indeed I "race" at all.

For many of us, running is a big part of our lives and many folks can't understand what it feels like to not be able to get outside and feel that sense of freedom and enjoyment. It's a risky business -  just like life itself - whether on the roads, trails or mountains, and you never know what's around the next corner which is what makes things in life exciting. I guess I learnt my lesson about over-training several years ago - now I need to learn the art of being patient and maintaining my sanity for the next few days - on the positive side, I'll finally have some time to start reading those books that I haven't got round to yet :o)