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Waddling - Kara GoucherPublished by
Well, I’m running again. Or waddling, anyway. I started back up two weeks ago. The post-surgery swelling in my foot had subsided enough so I could actually fit it into a running shoe, and my big toe felt good. My first run consisted of a minute of waddling followed by a minute of walking, repeated several times. Yes, I’m being cautious, not so much out of concern for my toe, which seems fine, or because I’m hugely pregnant, but because of my low back. It was a stress fracture in my sacrum, indirectly related to my pregnancy, that caused me to get the foot surgery when I did. And it still felt a little sore after just a few minutes of waddling, so I knew I would have to take my time ramping up. I’ve come back from breaks from running many times before, but never like this. Usually it’s an injury that happens at a crucial time in my preparation for racing, and when I start up again I am impatient to regain my lost fitness and scared that the injury will come back. My current situation is very different. I would never choose to get injured, but honestly my stress fracture really couldn’t have happened at a better time. I was pregnant and not planning to race again for many months. Plus, I needed to get the foot surgery sooner or later anyway, and the stress fracture gave me an opportunity. Now, although I am eager to be running again, I feel no sense of urgency to make quick progress. There’s no pressure on me to go fast or far or to feel fit. I can just enjoy the process and appreciate merely being able to run. Or waddle. Read the full article at: karagoucher.competitor.com
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