One thing that my running journey has taught me is that I tend to return to writing when I return from a running injury. And here I am now. After months of struggling to get an accurate diagnosis related to my hip and then rehab, I just completed a half marathon nearly two weeks ago.
The injury was initially diagnosed as a psoas strain, then a stress fracture, until I got an accurate diagnosis: a labral tear. I both run and lift weights so it’s hard for me to tell what caused the injury. I started feeling pain after I went hard on a trail race, which made the psoas and stress fracture diagnosis seem plausible. Over time I’ve learned to both listen to my gut and to have patience and give myself grace in this journey. My gut told me I needed to get a second opinion and I’m so grateful I did. The words “labral tear” absolutely terrified me at first, but physical therapy is helping me heal. I may not be where I was with respect to aerobic capacity, but I’m running pain-free and gradually building my mileage.
I have fairly ambitious goals to end this year and I’m determined to meet my goals. At the same time, a big goal of mine is to have fun and enjoy the process and experience new races and environments. I can’t do that if I’m injured! I won’t share what’s in the works just yet, but I’m excited for what I have ahead of me.
The REVEL Chilliwack race in Canada was absolutely what I needed to get back into my groove and rebuild my confidence as a runner. The course was mostly downhill, with only a few gradual hills, and the scenery was beautiful. We got to watch the sunrise and ran along mountain streams. Texas in August is a warm sauna, but not in Chilliwack! I crossed the finish line feeling incredibly satisfied and proud of myself, which is ultimately what matters.
