Sometimes...

... I realize I am a complete nut case. So I come back from Colorado on Monday. I have Tuesday off until 7:30 pm, so I go a bit crazy. I do a nice 18 mile run, swim for an hour and 20 minutes, eat, take a nap, ride 5 miles down to the yoga studio, take a yoga class, teach a yoga class, and then ride 5 miles home. The next day I wake-up and my arse hurts fucking bad. I still run, really short though, like seriously 4 miles and slow, but I still swim. Come Thursday my ass is getting a bit worse, I swim, but don't run (well I tried to run, but knew it was a bad idea and stopped). Friday rolls around and it hurts to even kick in the water, so I cut swimming short. So you'd think I'd figure out by now that running a 50k Saturday is out the picture. Nope. I guess I have just been able to run through things before and wondered if this was just one of those things. I discovered it was not. I ran a 20k and opted for a massage instead of more running. One of the smartest things I've done all year. Well I guess not even attempting it would have been smarter. But my love of running makes me not think straight sometimes.

Ok, so I go get my massage and get this, the massage therapist explains that my left calf is bigger than my right and that the calluses on my left big toe show that I am pushing off with my left foot, but not my right when I stride. She tells me instead of propelling forward with my right foot I am falling slightly back on it and using my hip/arse to support me. Oh, and remember when my foot was bothering me a few months back... it was my right toe. Oh, and the ankle that I twisted 3 weeks ago, my right. So it all makes sense, if my foot or ankle is hurting, how can I roll through my foot and propel forward? So you know what I am doing, taking some time off running. Going to let my body heal up and when I came back, I am going to focus on using my right foot. No more lazy right foot.

Anyway so after my massage, I go grab some beers with my buddy, Ricardo, and that seemed to solve my arse pain for a little bit. He of course knows me too well and asks if I am really going to take time off. This time I told him that I seriously would. In fact, I took a few races off my schedule too. When I was in Colorado, I realized that toning my racing down would be smart. I run because I love it. I loved it before I was racing and now realize that if I push myself too much I won't be able to do what I enjoy. But it is a hard thing finding that balance sometimes. By the way, thanks Mark Tanaka for reminding me I didn't have anything to prove yesterday and Suz for recommending a alcoholic beverage. Here is to resting my arse and learning to not always be a complete running addict (or a nut case for that matter).