Injury

I guess I injured myself more seriously than I had originally thought. It's been almost a week since the shamrock, and I still can't run. A coupe days ago I attempted to do just a mile or two. I took 5 steps and had to stop. Haven't tried again since.

It's a big wake-up call for me. I haven't been cross-training or strength training nearly as muh as I should be. My minor muscles are very weak, and I guess I figured injury wouldn't happen to me. But when I did the shamrock, I was running a lot harder and faster then usual, and I was dodging lot of people, too. I'm not used to the side-to-side movements at all! Thus, I ended with an injury, and now I'm a little regretful.

So now I'm creating a dedicated strength and cross training routine. If I have to cut my running back a little to fit it in, I'll just have to suck it up. I want to swim twice a week to get some good non-impact cardio work, tennis once or twice a week to strengthen my sideways muscles, and strength training in the gym or at home three to four times a week. My friend taught me a couple of moves that might strengthen my problem muscles. One of the moves is called the "Fire Hydrant," where you basically pretend you are a dog pissing on...you guessed it...a fire hydrant. This is my favorite. =)

Hopefully I will be up and running again soon, but I'm beginning to get anxious. Every day that goes by makes me feel like I'm losing my endurance I've worked so hard to obtain. I can ride a bike without pain, so I guess I'll just start with that, and at least try to keep my cardio going.