Today was my 4th therapy session and I took some time to reflect on how strong my body is growing. Saturday morning I attended the Boot Camp class at Emerald City Athletic Club. The format changed since the last boot camp I attended there a few months back. We were herded on the basketball court instead of the group X workout room. There were five or six instructors attending the entire group of 40 or so members of all shapes and fitness levels. Throughout the class the instructors shouted they were gonna kill some quads and destroy some calves ... We did lunges, squats, jumps, laps and everything in between ... 100% legs. I worked through the workout. My knees held strong, my legs leapfrogged me through the last evolution ... Boot camp kicked my ass no doubt. But I had more in me so I went out for my scheduled six miler. Then later we went down to Seattle Pike's Market ... walked around a couple of hours, still I was standing strong. That was Saturday.
Sunday morning came, I could barely move. Couldn't recall when was last I had been so sore lol ... Nevertheless, with some encouragement from SGF I headed out for my 16 miler. It was a slow start no doubt. I worked out a local (flatter) route in my head. The key to get me going and keeping me going the first few miles was ... small strides lol I could feel my calves wanting to cramp, my IT band wanting to snap out of my leg ... my quads yelling murder at me. I stopped for stretching when the pain started to feel sharp and walk thirty seconds or so then started running again. I will own up .. the last few miles I was singing along to some country songs ... there is so much drama in country songs even the pain of your legs falling apart is dull in comparison to 'em cowboys broken hearts lol
Looking at the map of the run the route wasn't as flat as I expected ... 716 feet climb though which I maintained a good pace though throughout despite my legs' condition. The average pace fluctuated more than my last runs yet I maintained marathon pace over the distance. The run was hard because of the amount of soreness I had but the run didn't feel like a stretch either (no pun intended ... well yeah a little pun intended really ah ah) ... or maybe there was a stretch but I want to remember it less of a stretch lol ... Strong body. Stronger mind!
When the base of your sport is so mental can there be too much mind over matter sometimes? I think this training cycle the highlight has been anti-climatic. As it isn't my expected performance or some of the great runs I had, it's the strength I am recovering/building in my body, it is how a few weeks of therapy is improving the quality of my run. Because I know I have that power in me to burry pain and discomfort at such a deep level and remain functional I keep looking past them, but to the people that love me it may look like recklessness. I could had been running myself into the ground just dealing with my knee pain on a mental level and fine with it. But I am glad that in a moment of clarity I listened to the people that love me and sought help for my knees !
So I dedicate my de-constructing JM run Sunday to you !
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