Training Setback: Trail Race Injury Before Boston Qualifier Marathon
2 weeks to go for my Boston Qualifier Marathon
Hey runners, today, I wanted to share a rather eventful update on my journey as I prepare for my Boston Qualifier marathon. With just two more weeks of training left, I find myself facing unexpected challenges, ones that I am sure many of you can relate to. Here’s how things unfolded:
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The Trail Race Mishap
Last weekend, I participated in a 25K trail race, as some of you might have heard in my last video update. It was a beautiful day, with perfect weather for running. Everything was going great until I hit the downhill section. Just two miles from the finish line, I unexpectedly tripped on seemingly nothing, took a hard fall, and hit the trail, which felt as solid as concrete.
As I lay there momentarily stunned, I quickly assessed my injuries. I had landed on my left knee and right elbow. Surprisingly, despite the impact, my knee showed no signs of bleeding. Usually, I end up with scraped knees. However, there was a notable amount of blood from my left hand and beneath my long sleeve shirt on my right elbow.
Crossing the Finish Line
Despite the tumble, I dusted myself off and continued the race. A runner passed by, checking if I was okay since my shirt was covered in dirt and my arm bloodied. But I assured him I was fine, and I completed the race, though a little slower than anticipated. However, there’s a silver lining—I still won my age group as there were only two of us competing in the over-70 category and he was a ways behind me.
Post-Race Recovery
At the finish line, I was fortunate to have a nurse and my previous personal doctor available, who promptly attended to my injuries. Upon examining my elbow, they discovered a golf ball-sized hematoma. They cleaned it, applied a compression bandage, and assured me it would be fine. The next day, I noticed that my knee was swollen, and my kneecap felt tender. By lunchtime, after removing the compression bandage, the swelling on my arm had subsided, leaving typical road rash scars. My knee, however, was tender to the touch and remained a concern.
Revising the Training Plan
With an important 22-mile training run scheduled for the upcoming weekend, this posed a dilemma. I decided to not run for a few days, then tried running at our Thursday night trail running club run. Right from the start I felt persistent knee pain. This compelled me to decide to skip the Saturday 22 mile long run. I scheduled an orthopedic appointment for Monday to evaluate my knee and determine if and how I’m going to make it to the marathon.
Looking Forward
While these set of circumstances aren’t ideal, I'm optimistic about my recovery and hopeful of participating in the marathon. It’s ultimately a waiting game to see how I progress and what the doctor advises next week. I’ll keep you all updated with my progress and any developments.
Thank you for following along on this journey. Stay tuned for updates next week as we navigate these hurdles together. Here’s to good health and perseverance!
See you all next week
-Herb