Reality Check
Yesterday was Friday, and it was the last hard workout of the last hard week before staring to taper. Am I pumped? You betcha!
So what happens?
My leg falls off of course.
Halfway through the workout, my left knee decides it doesn’t want to bend anymore (at least not without the accompanying sensation of a knife stabbing into it). Yeah, I’m freaking out. Jogging is fine, but fast running is very very bad.
Experience tells me to calm down, ditch the workout, jog home, and get it loosened up pronto. So I’m jogging home and on the final stretch even jogging becomes a major problem. So I’m walking the final 200 meters to my house and even walking gets complicated. My knee simply doesn’t want to bend, like its not getting the signal, and when I consciously make it bend, it hurts (like wow hurts).
I’m on the verge of panicking and my mind is racing.
What the hell have I done? Where did this come from? I’ve never felt something this sharp and quick before, and there was no warning! I think I want to panic now. Why am I not panicking right now?
Totally weird thing happened: the panic never surfaced completely. Something told me it was just a freak thing–probably a pinched nerve, or something out of alignment. The pain was temper-tantrum-worthy for sure, but the problem wasn’t. It couldn’t be. Right?
As I fairly calmly dragged my rod-straight left leg up the stairs to my house, I actually started laughing out loud at the image of how a 22-year-old me would have reacted to this situation (thrashing around on my bed, inconsolably bemoaning the end of my running career). I decided to try to hang on to logic as long as possible, and logic told me to call Jack Magic.
Jack got me in for a massage within a half hour (life saver that he is) and calmly listened to me explain my symptoms. I know I had a crazy look in my eye, but Jack’s pulse didn’t so much as quicken for a second. He methodically worked through the potential problem areas and within an hour I could walk again. All that remained was a little bit of instability and tightness in my lower back: nothing a day or two off couldn’t fix. Looks like I’d be going into my taper hard. 🙂
The Edge
During my day off today, I started thinking about just how dangerous this place is in marathon training: the edge between the build and the taper.
For seven weeks I’ve been filling and filling and filling a water balloon without any problems, and suddenly I see that the skin of that balloon is stretched dangerously thin.
Now here I am carrying this swollen balloon towards the promised land of the taper, aware that the slightest bump from the dullest branch can irreparably rupture what it would have taken a machete to pop five weeks ago.
Yikes!
Big time yikes.
After taking today off and feeling better, I could probably do my normal Sunday run and be fine, but there is no way in hell I’m running tomorrow! Instead, my balloon and I are going to spend the day on my cushy sofa watching movies. I’m going to whip out some duct tape to reinforce the skin and let a little water out. Then I’ll feel a little safer carrying the water balloon the rest of the way to New York City, starting Monday.
Lauren, I’m glad to hear you got whatever it was nipped in the bud and are back on the upswing. Unfortunately, I feel your pain (literally), but wasn’t quite as mature in my approach. Maybe I can channel whatever you did. Can you fly Jack out to NY? 🙂
Enjoy movies and such. I myself am watching the Kardashian wedding and am looking forward to the Real Housewives of NJ Reunion Part 11 tonight, which should be a shit show. Just my recs if you want some trashy television.
Oh no! I’m so sorry all of that happened, but (as always) I’m very impressed with how you handled the situation. Your thoughts on tapering are so spot on. I’ll be keeping them in mind as my team and I start the process! I hope you feel 110% ASAP!
You are an exceptional writer.
Lauren,
that is the best description of the last weeks and taper for the marathon that I have ever read!!!
And, I am so glad that you were able to calmly work through your injury and then have the smarts to take the day off! Reading as you train up for NY has been really fun. Good luck to you!
Hey Lauren,
First time posting, although I have wanted to many times in the past. Let me say- I love your tenacity, your ideals, your folksy but witty personality, your love of your v-dub but most of all your crazy passion for running your f—n ass off even when your not sure if you have it in you. Enough buttering you up- your a beautiful freak of nature with an amazing outlook on life. I am worried though, that you will not chill out enough (think your taper is to soft). In my opinion, you should not run at all for a few days even- your training is in and you will be more pleased with your effort if it ends up feeling good (mentally and physically) all the way to the finish line. Run your race- HI 5
Just a small bump. you got this.
Hope the knee problem is truly nothing serious. I get pain in my knees just talking about pain in the knees. Taper, taper, taper. You’ve done the training, now you just have to get to the start line healthy.
First, I’m happy to hear you were able to be so calm and smart in your approach to dealing with this problem. Yay you!
Second, I love your balloon analogy. This is seriously how I felt the last month before my first marathon. It was so scary to think that something small could un-do all my work and squelch my efforts to run 26.2. So… I tried not to think about that possibility to much. 😉 Luckily I made it to the start and finish line happy and healthy, which I KNOW you will too!
Do let us all know how the knee is. About 2 years ago, I experienced something very similar to what you describe – sharp pain, no warning at all, delightfully locked knee – and for me it was a patella mobility issue. Great lateral mobility but essentially no vertical mobility at that point. The memory of that locked knee is so vivid that I have become a stretching convert – never used to do any, figuring easy running was enough of a warmup – and among other things, I stretch those blessed quads religiously every day. Just wondering if the source of the problem is similar…
Lauren,
The deep ligaments in your knee, hamstrings, and IT band are likely too tight, causing the condyles of your femur to lose its centering in the cups of your fibula when your bend your knee. The effect is the femur pushing out on the kneecap (and exerting too much pressure on it) and the socket, and instead of the femur condyles sliding in their sockets, they are acting as a lever putting excessive force on the deep ligaments of your knee joint. When it gets like this, you have done as much training as the joint can take. If you let your mind exceed this warning of misalignment, your body will pay the price. Suggest you work on straight-leg hamstring stretches with the balls of the feet dorsiflexed on a book or firm foam half-roll.
Best Wishes,
FogRunner
…correct “fibula” to read “tibia”
Haha, you had me worried there for a minute Lauren. I think I might have been thrashing around, screaming a bit. I am so glad you’re all better. Maybe you should have a daily tuneup massage til New York. One thing is for sure, we should all have our own Jack Magic!!
#SuperRelieved
#GettingPumped
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Oh Lauren– great water balloon metaphor! That last big week is the scariest- knowing training has gone well, but going into every run with your fingers crossed you’ll make it through this one too. Then the taper- suddenly your Achilles hurts, then you knee, then your shoulder, and you’re wondering if you’re tapering too much? Gaining weight? Losing fitness? From my experience, anyhow 🙂 You’re going to rock this!!
Exactly how the rest of us tapering for NYC feel right now. Totally on the mark, aches and pain and all….. I personally love the advice from everyone…… Enjoy the taper and good luck on 11/6!
Good luck with it all coming together, Lauren. I hope the knee issue was just a passing issue that was nipped in the bud. My own NYC plans were derailed by a first-time ever knee issue so I’ll be spectating and hope to watch you race by!
Maybe time for another update? You kind of left us hanging there…
Echoing Blake’s comment. We’re getting nervous not seeing a new light bulb. Please let us know you’re ok! Can’t wait to see you at the Expo (I’ll miss you during the race since you’ll be a couple of hours ahead).