They say, “No Pain, No Gain.” After a certain age, though, pain caused by an injury can be a serious setback. I have observed over the past year a couple of friends suffer injuries during the course of their workouts. Just yesterday, a guy in my husband’s bike group had a serious accident and ended up in the hospital with broken ribs, broken clavicle, punctured lung and serious road rash.
Being new to running, I am mindful of my ability and surroundings. I really don’t want to lose a year or so of the progress I’ve made (from regular kickboxing classes) recuperating from a fall or accident. So, I go slow and steady.
Today’s boot camp was all about running. We ran to the pier on the beach and back on the pavement. I’m told it was a little over 5 miles. Unfortunately I wore shoes that are meant for the water (they have little holes in the soles to allow the water to drain out). But I ended up running with shoes full of sand, rubbing a big blister on my instep in the process. There’s no comparison to the injuries that others have suffered, but, still, a simple blister was a huge drain on my focus and ability.
Our instructor, Matt Costa, demonstrated the best way to run. He said “breathe in through your mouth, out through your nose, swing your arms and stretch your legs.” He said to land heel first and roll forward to your toes, eyes on the horizon. I try to visualize and focus on his words as I run, steady and slow.
