Forums >Health and Nutrition>The Sgt. Hulka Story: A Cautionary Tale for Stupid People
The single most important factor in running longer or better or faster - is not getting injured. Most of us ignore that, assume training harder (rather than smarter) will be better ... and sooner or later, pay the price.
if you're training right, you shouldn't have constantly shifting aches and pains. Sometimes its inevitable, but if its "always something," you're overtraining. The good news is that sooner or later, you're body will make sure you don't really hurt yourself. The bad news is it might keep you off your feet for a month when it happens. The time to change things is now, not when it's too late. And no - I can't follow my own good advice. I'm in the middle of my own forced layoff after pushing through a minor ache that wouldn't go away.
Jumped from a 90+ mile month to a 140+ mile month, with a 42+ mile week last week ... and now I'm hurt. Pushed right through the pain yesterday, broke my PB on my daily 7-miler by a whopping 3-minutes ... and now my big toe feels like a small shark is nibbling on it. A small but hungry shark.
How very stupid I am. No long run for me today, thanks to not following my own advice. Wonder if I'll ever learn.
Yup. I have a theory that it takes injuring yourself at least 3 times before this lesson starts to sink in. And they have to be stress-injuries caused by too much upping the mileage, and they have to be severe enough injuries to completely screw up your running and keep you off your feet for a few weeks, so that it finally hits you that - because you were stupid - all that extra (extra stupid) hard work actually made you fatter and slower. Me, I'm at injury 2.5 right now. One more moment of abject stupidity and I might have learned my lesson.
Ironically (and I'm not naming names!), there are at least a couple people right on this thread alone that (I peeked!) have doubled their mileage in a month or two and are busy chasing more mileage, just so that they too can learn the lesson the hard way.
E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com -----------------------------
rectumdamnnearkilledem
So what have I learned? Well, obviously, I learned that not having any beer tonight was a huge mistake. That's clearly the most important lesson.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
Professional Noob
Roads were made for journeys...
You'll ruin your knees!
""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)
Finished!
Betcha 6 to 1 he didn't...
Injured to or not, you are an inspiration
Jake, we've got bets riding on you did you go have ye old toe examined?
R.I.C.E. - "That's the fact, Jack!" Sorry to hear you are ailing. If you don't go to a doc, at least continue the icing and elevating and know that a week off won't kill you! C'mon, dude, listen to your body! Even after drillin all night, Winger and the troops RESTED before hitting the parade ground! You can too! Take care, Lynn B
Congratulations on your two PR's. Your name has been removed from the 10K list. Urgent cares are open on Sundays. Follow their advice. Not sayin' one more word.
Sure, your toe injury is probably not life-threatening, and with the proper application of RICE will probably get better in time. And if it's a stress fracture? It'll still heal with time. ::shrug:: Hmm... It could be gout! Those crystals gather in toes and really really hurt, from what I've heard. Could also be tendonitis.
The fact that you don't follow your own advice is why I give you such a hard time.
Jake: I apologize if I jumped too quickly on the Razzing - I want to thank you for being so awesome with welcoming in newbies like myself into the crazed world of running. On your recommendation, Ive been tearing my way through various running books, the Galloway book on running being one of them I do hope your toe isn't severely damaged - and it has actually brought to mind a condition I have recently observed in my own feet (foot) - I'll not hijack your thread but will start a new one - but I do sincerely hope that your toe is on the mend, and that you aren't taking the joking too personally. Injured to or not, you are an inspiration