I just got done with my physical therapy appointment. It’s been the same each visit…massage the muscle, ultrasound, shoot some anti-inflammatory gel in there, and electro therapy. I always walk away feeling good, but the injury just doesn’t seem to be feeling a ton better…yet. I realize now that it’s going to come right down to the wire as to whether or not I can race. I’m going to test it out on a short run Friday morning before I go in to see the PT for the last time before the race. Like I said last week, I’m preparing this week to run. Good food, lots of water, and lots of rest. If Friday’s run is rough, I’m still not going to count myself out because you never know how it will feel on Saturday morning.
When I started training with the Road Warrior team in November, I had no idea I could run a six minute mile. I didn’t think I had a shot at holding 7:15′s for more than a mile or two…then that became my goal. I didn’t think I’d like running with other people, but I do now. I thought I would hate speed work, but I’ve found it just as fun as long runs. I also didn’t think I’d get injured this bad. I expected some injuries…minor ones. It usually happens when you’re running long distances. I didn’t expect the last month of my training to be light because of it. I didn’t expect the revelation about myself to come as a result of my injury.
But, here we are five days away from the starting gun, and one of the greatest things I’ve learned (or relearned) is to expect the unexpected. On Saturday I’ll either spend two to three hours running a race and then watching my friends and family finish, or I’ll spend two to three hours just watching my friends and family finish. As the days continue to count down, and the jury is still out as to whether I’ll run or not, I have more and more peace about the whole situation. But, what will happen after Saturday is that I will start to expect the unexpected. I will expect to work hard at my speed once my leg is healed and hit a sub six minute mile…unexpected just six months ago. I will expect to do some very long repeats over the next year and work my marathon time down to qualify for Boston…unexpected just six months ago. I will expect that there will be seasons where I need to slow down due to injuries like the one I’m dealing with now…unexpected just six months ago. I will expect finishing a 5k in less than 20 minutes…unexpected just six months ago. I will also expect a sunny 50 degrees every year for the Fifth Third River Bank Run…always unexpected, but when it happens one year, I’ll be right and everyone else will be wrong.
So, here we go, five…four…three…two…one…will I or won’t I be able to run? I feel that in closing this blog entry, I need two closing statements. So, here they are: ”The journey over the past six months has led me to the starting line…and sometime after 10am on Saturday May 12, across the finish line,” or “The journey over the past six months has left me bruised and knocked down, but I’ll be getting up shortly…stronger and ready to reach for the same goals and even more lofty goals than I already have.” That is why I keep coming up with two titles.
Don’t forget, I’m running (or maybe watching) for Hope…Hope Network that is…click here to donate to this amazing organization, and partner with me in encouraging, equipping, and empowering individuals with disabilities or disadvantages to reach their greatest independence.
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