Where there is a will...there are still limitations

     I have neglected this blog.  No excuses.  I should've been posting.

     Here is what has been happening.  Over the course of my training, I developed posterior shin splints.  I didn't know that I had shin splints though.  My leg caused me a little pain, but I figured it would only hold me back if I let it, and I continued to run.  I probably did myself in on my last long run, which was 14 miles.  I was in pain the whole way, and I considered stopping halfway through.  But I told myself just to start down the path and see how far I got.  If I had to quit, I would.  I finished.  That was a terrible idea, and I'm lucky I didn't train myself into a stress fracture, which would have thrown everything off track.

     That run was on a Saturday, and by my softball game the following Thursday, just running onto the field to take my position was pretty painful.  Only then did I actually start to research shin splints and ask the guys at the gym about them.  I found out that I needed to back off, and I was a little frustrated.  I was willing to put in the time and work to attain my goals, but my body was making it difficult. 

     I needed to realize that I was just doing too much too quickly.  My weeks consisted of hitting crossfit 4 or 5 days, running 3 to 5 days and covering a lot of miles, rucking 1 or 2 days, ice hockey...it was too much too quickly.  I wasn't giving my body time to adapt.  So, I backed off of the running for a week, and gave myself a break.  I'm only going run the half in October, and I'm already in shape for it.  I just need to maintain it at this point.
 
     I’ve been icing it, and last night I did my first sets of double-unders since this speed bump.  My leg didn’t bother me at all.  Jeff and Jay got me to commit to icing it regularly, and I started ice massages last night.  I woke up feeling good and feeling excited.

     So, I've been a little frustrated, and I kind of disengaged mentally from my training.  But I'm back BABY!!

P.S.  I have discovered the worst part of ice massages.  As the feeling slowly returns to area you are massaging, it itches like crazy.

P.S.S.  I want to thank my wife, Katie, for helping me make good decisions.