Day 208, 157 To Go

July 27, 2013

After a day off, Honey came out for a run today.  Really, she didn't take any days off, she just switched Friday for Saturday (against my advice).  Her knee feels fine, according to her, but I believe her injury is a common knee injury called Chondomalasia.  This injury normally hits woman more than men (although I had it) and it will not get better without rest and strengthening of the quad.

Honey had neither.  Hence, my advice to take some time off.  We are going on vacation to Brazil in a few weeks and she has new bikini's to fit into, so my advice fell on deaf ears.  Oh well.  I suppose she really IS becoming a runner because she is ignoring injuries and running through the pain.

This brings me to rule #5 from The 25 Golden Rules of Running from Runner's World magazine.


5. The 2-Day Rule 
If something hurts for two straight days while running, take two days off.

Two straight days of pain may signal the beginning of an injury. "Even taking five days of complete rest from running will have little impact on your fitness level," says Troy Smurawa, M.D., team physician for USA Triathlon.

The Exception: If something hurts for two weeks, even if you've taken your rest days, see a doctor.

This is a fairly conservative rule.  I've had pains for more than two days that have not amounted to anything.  Then again, I have had a pain for one day that caused me to miss weeks.  This rule is very general, but many of these are and the main goal of these rules are to get you running faster and to keep you running.  Injuries are a part of running and when you are injured, you can't run.  So, it is a good rule of thumb to follow.

I have ignored pain before to my detriment.  My most memorable kept me from running for three months and caused me to miss the Honolulu Marathon which I had trained for.  I was in my last warm up race when I pulled my hamstring.  I was 5.5 miles into the race and I ended up limping back 4 miles to get to the finish line (it wasn't a straight out and back course) which was in Kapiolani Park (which also happened to be across the street from my residence!)

I felt a slight twinge in my hamstring a few days earlier.  I kept on running, but took it a little easy.  Then, I ran the next day and it still hurt, so I took two days off..  Then, I attempted to run the half marathon.  I was feeling great and I knew I could nail this race.  I was pushing a 7:30 pace at 5 miles in and I wasn't tired at ALL!  Then, it went.  Three months off and physical therapy and no marathon.  I had to watch my friends run the race I had trained so hard for.  If I had taken a week off, maybe, I may have been able to continue my training and complete the marathon (a marathon I still have not run in, I might add!)

So, don't play around.  If you are hurt.  Stop running!!

Here are our numbers:

Time: 25:00

Distance: 2.25 miles

Pace: 11:06/m

Max Pace: 7:13/m

Calories: 215
Avg HR: 114

Max HR: 138

Honey ran well today, and she didn't complain about her knee, but I know it was bothering her.  We'll see how it holds up next week.  She says when she runs fast it hurts less.  I believe this is because when she runs faster, her form is a little bit better and she is lifting her knees higher and her footfalls are under her body instead of in front, like normal.  She needs work on her form, for sure, but when she runs faster, some of those issues work themselves out.  Running fast, though, is never a good recovery for injury, Honey!!

Run for Life!!