“
With my right foot taped dampening my spirit, I could only hope for a great
finish….”
It has been
barely three weeks since I have discovered and fell in love with the serenity
and contemplative feeling evoked from running the trails. Since then, I’ve been cruising the trails as
if I were doing a short stroll at the park.
I was fortunate enough to have found a running buddy who’s willing to
join me; otherwise I would have missed unraveling the joys of trail running. On top of it, I was able to convince one of my old pals and other former colleagues to explore the trails as well.
Much to my
disappointment, an unthinkable happened a day just before the race: I tripped and
sprained my right ankle. It was swelling and had discolored. Although it is a
very common injury among runners, I still opted to consult a doctor. My doctor
would have not allowed me to run if I didn’t have an x-ray of my foot, just to
rule out any dislocated or broken bones. While waiting for my x-ray, I was too
worried that it would take me off the trail for weeks or even months. After
doing the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) and with the Leukoplast
and Fastum Gel, I decided to run the much-awaited TNF race the next day.
When the gun
fired off, I was still unsure of whether I’d run or walk instead…. I started with
a slow jog and frequent walks during the first few kilometers. As runners piled up entering the trail, I was
so tempted to speed up knowing that I could outrun them under normal circumstances. With my right foot taped dampening my spirit,
I could only hope for a great finish…
As I traversed
the steep downward trail with loose gravel, I was terrified that a sharp stabbing
pain would hit me anytime and my body would eventually totally shut down on me. Fearing that I end up tripling as the two
older women whom I have helped who literally trampled right in front of me, I had
to slow down just to make sure I am not setting myself up for another sprain. Since I
believe in finishing a race strong with the best time,I did not allow
myself to cross the finish line limping… Instead,I came out feeling physically powerful and happy!
Kalyani-
visionary runner.
04.22.12 TNF
Philippines; Baguio City
No comments:
Post a Comment