Reality Check

Today when I was running with the high school team I coach I got a little reality check.

I have one runner who likes to take off a little fast on training runs. My rule is that if you push the pace, then you have to maintain it the whole distance. Well, I was feeling a little frisky and decided that I would oblige his pacing by upping the ante. Then another runner on the team joined the fun. We were running a 7 mile course today and it was in the low 30's and I was feeling really good. Normally, I would put a stop to this type of behavior early in a run, especially since I knew this particular runner would not be able to hold the pace for the duration of the distance, but I didn't. I must have drank too much Kenyan roast coffee this morning! I was flying along, leaving my athletes in the dust, except for the one who joined the fun, when all of a sudden...

There are many things I like about being 42. No one ever cards me when I buy beer. My car insurance is lower. And when I look at other people who are in their 40's I feel pretty good about how I have managed to stay in fairly good shape with few health issues. However, today, being 42 let me know that it is not 17, nor will I join Zach Efron and be 17 again. At about 3 miles into our little speedfest, my left hamstring said, "not today sucka." Wow. I have never actually had a knife stuck in me, but I think what happened at that moment was equivalent. I tried to play it off as slowing down for the others and that we needed to stretch. After stalling my guys out for a few minutes we started up again, but it was too late.

As I hobbled back to the school, I would have walked, but since I was wearing tights I didn't want to add any insults to my injury, I cursed my poor aging body and my lack of wisdom that is supposed to come with age. Apparently, my mind still works like a 17 year old, even though my body does not. Although this is only a minor setback, this is only week 1 of my 24 week training plan, it still irks me that I could do something so stupid, Fortunately, the first 3 weeks calls for easy running, but I may end up missing a few days with this little injury.

I will try it out tomorrow and see how it goes. I have not missed a day of running in 39 days, so I really do not want to take time off now. Here is hoping that tomorrow will bring a better day of running.

Until then, stay healthy, remember your age, and run strong.
SP