Cleveland Marathon 2015

Let's be real.  I had no business doing this race.  I've been lying to myself and everyone else around me about how injured and painful my hip had become.  I saw the doctor twice last week and had ART done on it, did about a million PT exercises, stretched, and iced like crazy.  My last run was on Thursday which allowed my hip two days to return back to feeling okay.  See, every time I ran hard or basically at all I would spend the rest of the day limping around.  Some days were worse than others.  Still, I was determined to get through the race.

Sunday morning brought warmer temperatures and HUMIDITY!!!  Regardless, I was "all in" and ready to tackle the race.

I don't like professional basketball, but go Cavs?!

I didn't mess around either.  I started between the 3:25 and 3:30 pace groups and took off way quicker than I am used to.  Although I did not hang with the groups for long, I was moving.  My miles were consistently in the 7:50s to 8:10s.  I was hot and sweaty but I was moving and doing okay.  But then my hip started to ache.  Not hurt like shooting pains, just ache and I found that it was getting more difficult to lift my knee.  I felt like my leg was dragging.  It was going to be a long day at this rate.  

I saw Dave at mile 9 and called it a day.  This time he didn't fight me on it.  It wasn't going to happen today.  I didn't even want to turn off with the half marathoners and at least get that medal.

Having spent the day not being able to walk (seriously, I had to get out the crutches to get around and couldn't sleep last night because I was in so much pain), I'm really glad I stopped.  I have talked to my coach (um, yeah, I didn't tell her about my hip until after the race) and my doctor and it's time to do more testing.  Coach is concerned it may be a torn labrum (that would SUCK!!!).  I'm hoping it's just a strain and inflammation.  Tomorrow I go in for some x-rays and there will probably be an MRI in the future too.  Suck.  

Not achieving my goals this year has been heart-wrenching.  I have put all of myself in my training, been more consistent than ever, and I just haven't won the race "lottery."  All the stars must align to go after big dreams and my hip was a star that was WAY off the target.  Hopefully the hip is just a minor bump in the road and there will be more great races ahead this summer and fall.  Keep your fingers crossed.