Tuesday, June 29, 2010

16,404

I took part in the Baltimore Women's Classic 5K. I have been training for months, building up from walking, to some running and mostly walking, to mostly running and some walking, to all running. It's all in preparation for the half-marathon I'm planning to run in October. The race took place at 8am in the morning and much like the days leading up to it, it was hot and muggy. Despite this, I felt confident.

There was one thing that made me nervous. Over the past month or so, I have noticed an increasing ache in my left ankle. I thought it was either a normal pain associated with beginning runners or that my precariously tiny ankles weren't up to the force of the impact. Either way, I felt that soldiering through was the way to go and I kept going at a harder and harder pace. I didn't worry that I couldn't finish the race, but I did worry that my ankle might not so I decided to take it a little easy last week, trying to give my ankle some time to recover and become strong again.

When the race day dawned, I was feeling rested and my ankle was in as good of shape as it has been in a while.

For the first mile, I felt pretty good.

It was somewhere around the halfway point that it started to ache. And then hurt. And then it was lightening bolts of pain. So I slowed to a walk, not that I was breaking any speed records anyway, and hobbled along.

But I hadn't sweated and suffered and pushed myself for the last three months to walk across the finish line, so after a half mile, I picked up the pace and I ran the last mile and change. I was huffing and puffing and my ankle was killing me, but I finished it. And I finished it running.


















I finally broke down and went to the doctor today and he thinks it might be a stress fracture. That'll teach me.

24 comments:

  1. YOU DID IT! Yay Cara! You wouldn't be happy if you hadn't of given it your all...YOU GO GIRL!!! :)

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  2. You did it!!!!! WHoo hooo!!!!!

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  3. Congrats onfinishing strong! I hope your ankle feels better asap.

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  4. Wow Cara, that is wonderful! (not the stress fracture, I meant doing the race!, lol) What's a HALF marathon? I'm guessing it's over 5K? And to me 5K is like running from my house to Africa. Because I don't run. I admire you for finishing this with a sore foot.

    And, beautiful pic too btw.

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  5. Woohooo! Congrats!!! Hope your ankle heals quickly

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  6. I knew you could do it!!
    Congrats :)
    I am so proud of you. You look awsome in your picture.......all sweaty and athletic.
    Dang your stupid ankle.

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  7. I love the smile on your face, despite the pain! What a great accomplishment...the best part of the race is running across that finish line, and you did it!

    Hope your foot is all better soon!

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  8. amazing! Good for you! I couldn't rundown the street I think!

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  9. This is exactly why I DON'T run. Good for you, though.

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  10. I was going to run it. But my knee is seriously injured, so I had to sit it out. But for future reference, extra calcium and Vitamin D is supposed to help prevent stress fractures. Congrats!

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  11. It doesn't matter how you go there, you crossed the finish line! Well done. I'm impressed.

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  12. Ouchie! I hope your ankle will turn out to be OK. But how awesome are you for finishing -- and finishing it running!

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  13. Congratulations! My running career was very brief. I always hated every second of the running but LOVED the feeling of accomplishment afterward.

    Finishing a half marathon will feel amazing (not that I've ever done it).

    Hope your stress fracture heals quickly.

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  14. Ouch, that sucks :-(

    And yet, you finished anyway, you awesome, awesome you!! So inspiring!

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  15. 1 - I'm ULTRA proud of you for doing the race and finishing.

    2 - TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!!!!

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  16. It takes grit to be a runner. You've got it in spades. Way to go! Hang in there and get that ankle healed up!

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  17. Good for you!!! I'm sorry that you have a stress fracture, but simply finishing through an injury is something to be proud of. Hmmmm...maybe I will start running and maybe I will run this next year. I gotta get my a$$ in gear!!!

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  18. You go girl! You might just inspire me to start training!

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  19. I know how much you love awards, lol....so you got one today. :o)

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  20. Stress fractures heal, eventually. You just keep on running and keeping yourself strong and healthy. You'll love yourself for it when you get to my age.

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  21. Hurray for the 5k, and boo for the stress fracture. I hope you heal swiftly!

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  22. Sorry about the injury. Hopefully all that salt water your in this week is helping it to heal. :)

    WTG! You are my hero.

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Give me some sugar, baby!