As to be expected, I attempted my first shot at running since my back injury last week, and it went fairly well. I warmed up first on the bike for 5-10 minutes and then walked for a few and then ran a mile, walked for 2 minutes, and then ran another mile. So all in all, I got 2 miles in with no pain. I ran it real slow (10:00/mile), which is the way I intended it to be, but I got through the miles, and 3 hours later, I still have no pain, although I am a little sore. I tend to feel what I call “phantom pains” after I get an injury, and I think its my brain just thinking that its feeling something that isn’t there. When I hurt my hamstring in the summertime, and even when I had more minor injuries, the more I thought about where the injury was, the more I thought I was feeling sore. Its really weird.

My goal for the week is to get back to running normally. As I think I already mentioned, I plan to do 19 miles this week if my body allows it, although they will be slow miles. I feel better after a good workout, so its important that I keep it up. Probably the worst thing about all this is that I am up to 202lbs, so I put on 2 pounds in the past 2 weeks, not a good thing (although it might be water weight, who knows).

We’ll continue to take it easy before and after running so I can assure myself of being able to start training again in 2 weeks for the Ocean Drive marathon. My only concern really is that by the time I start training, I will not have had a good long run in for a few weeks, so that might not be a great thing, but we’ll overcome it, we always do.

My reminder to anyone who thinks they might be injured, DO NOT RUN THROUGH PAIN! If I would’ve taken the time off back when I injured this in the first place (thanksgiving day), instead of being stupid and running fast, and thinking that the pain would go away, I wouldn’t be where I am right now, recovering from a bigger injury. The pain doesn’t go away, it only causes more pain. I’ve learned big this time, I hope (although I have to wonder after my hamstring episode prior to Steamtown training, maybe I didn’t learn???). I guess us runners are a strange breed, we just don’t know how to take it easy like we should, but I think its due to the aggressive and competitive instincts we have that continue to make us struggle week in and week out through training.

I dunno.