As mentioned last week, my next planned race for the Spring is a 5K at the end of April. I am really looking forward to this one as it's going to be held at my high school and it will be fun to see everyone! Fun fact - I graduated with a class of 19! We attended a small private school where everyone knew everyone!
I also briefly mentioned that my knee has been giving me a few issues here lately. My physical therapist says my entire body is out of alignment and with some of the maneuvers she has me attempting to do, it's creating issues in other areas. So, it's back to the old faithful squats and lunges I know so well!
Speaking of physical therapy and injuries, today's Tuesdays on the Run topic is all about DNS vs DNF. This topic brought back a flood of memories from 2012 and my very first running injury.
The plan was to run the Houston Full Marathon with my running buddies. This also happened to be the race where the Olympic Trials were held the day before. Watching ladies such as Kara and Shalane and Deena complete the full the day before made my heart hurt so much. I knew I could do it but I knew it wasn't the wise choice. Instead, I made the decision to bump myself down to the half marathon and although I still ran as much as I could during the race, I still finished almost 45 minutes slower than my usual due to the the crazy knee pain.
Was it wise for me to run at all? Probably not. However, I'd already completed a few weeks of physical therapy due to my injury and my physical therapists encouraged me to run the half. Had I not sought the advice of professionals, I don't think I would have run any of the Houston races at all. Was I glad I ran a race anyway? (With their go ahead, of course.) Absolutely.
With that said, I'm an incredibly stubborn person and after finishing the half, I was so mad that I cried. I WANTED to run the full, that's what I'd been training for the entire season. For once, logic won out with stubbornness and I made the right decision to forgo the Houston Full Marathon that year.
You see, back when I played softball, we had a tendency to "ignore" injuries. It was easy to just tape up that thumb, finger, joint, whatever until it was so tight you couldn't feel it anymore and "shake it off" until the pain went away... Once you got home, you would ice the injury and be fine the following day. If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know I'm 100% Cajun and stubborn and so my daddy's child. I once broke my foot during a softball game (didn't know it was broken) and finished out the game anyway. I wondered why I couldn't "shake off" the pain...gee...no wonder.
Stubbornness and dealing with injuries never go hand in hand, especially with me. It took a LOT of pep-talk on my part to reassure myself it would be ok to run the Houston half instead of the full. As I mentioned before, although I wasn't ok with it, I knew that I made the right choice.
Although I still cringe every time I see that Houston Half Marathon medal (yes, still), I know that I did my best and I am proud of the accomplishment, no matter the circumstance.
Have you ever experienced a DNS or DNF?
Please note: I am not giving out medical advice here. Although I am a healthcare professional, I am not a physical therapist and do not believe it is "ok" to run on an injury unless you are seeing medical advice and are given the go ahead. I was seeking professional help during the time of my injury and was given the go ahead to run. Please see the help of a licensed professional if you are experiencing an injury and are unsure what to do.
It's the Tuesdays On The Run Linkup with Erika, Marcia and Patty.
Stubbornness gets the best of us. I think we just don't want to disappoint ourselves. At least you still did finish the race.
ReplyDeleteThat's so true about stubbornness! Thank you! :)
DeleteI've both DNS and pushed through an injury over the years. If I think a race is going to make my injury worse, I will take the DNS. If I think I can get through it at a slower pace and not cause any damage,r I will roll the dice a bit and run.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great thought process! I agree about not running if it's going to make the injury worse.
DeleteI know the shake-it off attitude so well. Stubbornness right here too. I would get injured in every soccer or lacrosse season, and the seasons were short enough, that I played through the injuries, and I was fine. I also realize now I was younger, and my body could bounce back faster. Not so much now.
ReplyDeleteYES that was me with softball, too! And yes, our bodies bounced back so much faster then, too!
DeleteIt's like we're so damn determined! I think that stands for a lot in my book!
ReplyDeleteSame here!
DeleteStubborn is my middle name. Girl, I feel ya!! You did absolutely make the right choice!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sarah!
DeleteSometimes I use the word determined when really it's just me being stubborn, lol. I've had races where I probably should have done a DNS, but I didn't listen to my body. The two times that I actually did have a DNS I know I made the right decision because running those races would have resulted in a more serious injury.
ReplyDeleteHAHA Determined...stubborn...the do kind of go hand in hand!
DeleteThankfully I've only been injured once badly enough to not race and I only had a 5k on the schedule before I was good enough to run again. But it's so hard to make the "right" choices.
ReplyDeleteOh that's good! It really is so hard!
DeleteRunners are stubborn and we like to think our bodies are OK and can handle the pain. We have to listen to it to avoid making it worse. You did the right decision. It would have been worse.
ReplyDeleteHave you gone back to do the full?
I have sworn off the Houston Full but have completed 5 more in other places since this! :)
Delete