The Importance of Listening to Your Body
This is a very relevant topic for me right now, and I thought I’d share a little bit about my recent experiences.
Drop Your Ego
If you are like me and set your mind to things, trying to do everything you can to stay on track and not miss a step, you have to learn when to let go. 4 weeks ago I set out on my marathon training journey. Almost a week ago I had a really bad run. My shins hurting, my calves sore, walking’s a chore, (I kept the rhyme going here but thought it best you guys shouldn’t see it, lol). Point is, I injured myself to a point where i’m sore and in pain sitting, standing, walking etc. I have been spending time learning how to recover, how to strengthen my Tibialis Anterior, how to work on my ankle mobility, improve my calves. As a result, I know have to drop my promise of “training 4x/week" for my marathon. It is likely that I will have to take 1-2 more weeks off to become healthy again, and figure out a plan to re introduce running to my life.
It’s Okay to Step Back and Focus on Your Health
I hate leaving the plan. It doesn’t feel good having to stop running. But then again, the best thing I can do to run again is to rest, recover, and come back stronger. I told myself that no matter what, I was going to prioritize my health. I have friends who have pushed harder when they should have stopped, and regretted it afterwards. The marathon will be completed, but how many injuries I deal with on the way to that marathon is something I want to reduce as much as I can. This is affecting other aspects of my life like going to the gym and training legs, walking, and other small daily tasks.
The Bright Side
Looking forward, I know that taking time off to recover is the best thing I can do for myself. I have no doubt in my mind that I am going to come back stronger than before. There is always a brighter side to look a. Find it, stick to it, and work for your desired outcome. This applies to other aspects of life too. The foods you consume, the amounts, how hard you work through the day, eye strain at work, the list goes on. Listen to your body, it’s almost always correct.
~Kyle
