August 26, 2011
Rachel
Today's Mileage: 0
One week from this coming Monday, I will run my first half marathon. And I can't wait. But I'm also really worried.
Since the long run I did in Breckenridge a couple weeks ago (the one that didn't go so well), I've been having what seems like serious knee pain.
I haven't run in a week. I haven't done more than 5 miles in two weeks. I've been icing my knees (both of them, for good measure, even though only one of them hurts consistently while running) every night. And I'm listening to my body tell me that it needs to rest.
Even though I had a well thought-out training schedule that took me right up to race day, I've had to accept that my body has other ideas.
A few days ago I was in tears with worry about not being able to do the race. And even though everyone keeps telling me that it's not about the race...that I should be proud that I've worked to be able to run this type of mileage....it is about the race for me. Really. My commitment to this race is what got me out of bed at 5 a.m. for the last several months. It's what made me keep going for all those long miles when I thought I might actually puke, faint, or die.
Every week when I do my long distance run, I picture this race. I imagine what I'll feel like finishing it. I can practically taste the feeling of empowerment it will give me to have accomplished this goal. And not being able to accomplish the final piece of this journey will be heartbreaking to me.
So, I'm working on the mental side of things. As my cousin reminded me this morning, this is 90% mental. If I can get myself back to the ecstatic feeling I had the day I ran 10 miles for the first time (on the race course), then I know I can do this! I may have missed out on a couple weeks of training, but I know I have these miles in me.
I bought myself this knee brace and will do a short run this weekend to see if it helps. I'll keep icing. And I will get back to mentally visualizing the race and do whatever I need to do to keep getting excited about it.
Stay posted....
