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2008-10-18 2:07 PM

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Subject: to run or not to run??
I have been training for a half marathon that is TOMORROW morning!! Before I started training for the 1/2 mary, I was training for my tris, a duathlon, and a 10M run. However, over the last two weeks I've been noticing some pain in my left ankle around the bone...maybe in the joint area. It never hurt while I was running, just after. I would take Ibuprofen and ice it and it would go away. Well, this past week I ran on Wed. and immediately after my run my ankle was killing me. The pain was worse than ever before and it still hurt when I went to bed. Thurs...still ankle pain. Friday, I was going to run but decided against it b/c my ankle was still bothering me and I actually started limping a little bit by the end of the day. I iced it and took ibu. throughout the day. Today it's still pretty painful, but not as bad as yesterday. I'm not sure what's going on with my ankle, but it's definitely something!

My question is: do I try to run my half marathon tomorrow or skip it? My concern is that I could have something really wrong with my ankle and running tomorrow will make it significantly worse. Or, I start running and 3 miles into it I can barely walk. I feel like I have trained so hard for this and I am just so disappointed in knowing that I may not be able to run tomorrow. But, I don't want to make a problem bad beyond repair that would inhibit me from racing in the future! What should I do?

Also, I have had a gait analysis done...so I know I'm in the right shoes. I don't feel like I put in too many miles too fast because I followed a pretty strict plan (Hal Higdon's) and I was already at the 10M mark in September. So basically I've just been building up my miles for the 1/2 mary. And I'm not sure if this matters, but I'm 32 and weigh about 120...so I don't think weight is an issue either.

Any input/advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!


2008-10-18 2:57 PM
in reply to: #1751675

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Subject: RE: to run or not to run??
If it hurts enough for you to ask the question, then the answer is no. The risk of a sustaining a significant injury outweighs running a race. I once ran a half through an injury and was subsequently sidelined for several months. I hope your ankle feels better soon.
2008-10-18 3:24 PM
in reply to: #1751675

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Subject: RE: to run or not to run??

I personally would not, and I understand the disappointment.  A few years ago, I injured my knee 1 week before a marathon where I was poised, because of how I trained, to PR very easily (by maybe as much as 10 minutes).  I didn't face the same agonizing decision you do, because there was no question of running -- I couldn't walk again for a few months, and am hoping to do my first post-injury marathon (alas, with zero chance of PR or anything remotely like it!) only this December.  Still, I can appreciate -- as I'm sure many others can -- the agony of training for an important race then not doing it, but it sounds to me like not doing it is the smarter move.

 

2008-10-18 7:51 PM
in reply to: #1751675

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Subject: RE: to run or not to run??

I know how frustrating it is to miss your target race because of an injury or illness.  However, if you skip this one, you fitness is not going to go away, and you can race another day soon.  Race now, and you risk making the condition so much worse that you may not come back from it for a very long time.

2008-10-18 8:25 PM
in reply to: #1752006

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Subject: RE: to run or not to run??
griga262 - 2008-10-18 5:51 PM

I know how frustrating it is to miss your target race because of an injury or illness.  However, if you skip this one, you fitness is not going to go away, and you can race another day soon.  Race now, and you risk making the condition so much worse that you may not come back from it for a very long time.

 x2. A buddy of mine was having minor, but persistent, pain in his ankle after physical activities (tennis, cycling, some running). Long story short, he played through the pain and didn't see a doctor for several weeks. He finally went in last week. Diagnosis: ruptured achilles tendon. He's in a walking cast for 4-6 weeks. Play it safe out there.

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General Discussion Triathlon Talk » to run or not to run?? Rss Feed