Two weeks into my half-marathon training and unfortunately I've already been thrown off track. I've always had large leg muscles - I can specifically remember a girl in 7th grade making fun of my calf muscles because of how big they were. When I began working out several years ago, I simply accepted the charley horses and cramps that I believed just came along with working out. Luckily, with some education about nutrition and fitness, I learned that not everyone constantly has muscle cramps from working out, so I began integrating some things into my routine that were helping to reduce the issues I was having.
Last year during my training for the Knoxville half-marathon, I began having some pain around my knee, which I figured out wasn't actually my knee, but the muscles around it that were pulling on it. I went and saw a massage therapist, who after making some general comments about the tightness of my leg muscles, got me feeling back to normal before the race. Since that race, I took a break from running outside and started regularly attending OrangeTheory Fitness, which incorporates treadmill running, so I thought that it would be an easy transition to going back to training outdoors.
Little did I know.....
One week into training I knew something was wrong. My legs, particularly my left leg, was just constantly cramping and really bothering me, particularly in my quads, IT band, and hamstring areas. I scheduled another massage appointment, thinking that it would be similar to the last time and that I could get back to training within the next day or so. The moment the massage therapist touched my legs, he made the title comment: "You have the worst legs I've ever seen." He then proceeded to explain to me in detail what was going on in my leg muscles - golf-ball sized knots in my quad muscles and IT band and hamstrings that felt like gravel. Apparently those are not things to be proud of and he was questioning how I even had the ability to work out with how tight my muscles were. As one might expect, it wasn't as simple as a one massage fix. I waited a couple of days and let my legs rest and tried to get back out there. Immediate tightness and cramps again.
It's now been a week and a half since I've done any running or working out in general and to be completely honest, I'm terrified to try again. I've been trying everything I can to figure out how to make this better - I've tried to rest as much as possible, I've signed up to get some more regular massages, I've been foam-rolling and stretching every single day, been taking additional magnesium supplements because that's supposed to help relax muscles and reduce tightness and cramps, and most recently signed up for some yin/restorative yoga sessions. I've also gone as far as connecting with friends of mine that are physical therapists and chiropractors to talk about what my options were there.
So I'm doing all of this stuff, but none of it makes things better overnight and I am so nervous about how this is going to impact the rest of my training. I'm afraid to get back out there and try again to only have the same thing happen. I'm afraid to not keep training and let myself down and fail to meet this goal that I have. I have a huge goal of raising $2,000 for Girls on the Run with this race and I'm terrified to not be able to meet that if I am not able to keep up my training and complete the race. I'm afraid to get back out there when I'm not ready and seriously injure myself more than just tight muscles. It's a constant thought at the forefront of my brain.
More than the fear however is the desire to want to accomplish something that I once thought impossible. The hope that I can provide others with the opportunity to also realize the potential they have to change their lives and achieve their full potential. The motivation I need to continue my health and wellness journey when things get hard.
I'm going to attempt an easy, short run this afternoon and see how I feel. I'm praying that the preventive and restorative measures that I've put into place will help the tightness from immediately coming back. If you feel like helping me to boost my motivation and reminding me about why I shouldn't be scared to get back out there, feel free to visit my fundraising page here - https://www.raceplanner.com/donate/Half-Crazy-for-GOTR-Greater-Knoxville
Also - any advice, suggestions, or recommendations for how to continue to reduce muscle tightness, I'm completely open to all of those!
