Ego

Where do I start on this one? Background – I’ve been running really well, the best I ever have lately. But I’d been noticing a heel pain in the mornings or after rest. I don’t do doctors, etc but decided to google it, turns out it’s plantar fasciitis. This was 2 weeks ago so I decided to be sensible and not run as I had a half marathon on 21st March. I continued to walk, swim and do more cycling.

I decided to do a trial ‘run’ 5k on the morning of the half marathon which I did, but the pain was bad afterwards. I had people telling me I shouldn’t run which then fuels my ego more to prove a point that I can. I have to run, I’ve never had a DNS (Did Not Start) in 15 years of running!!

I go to an event and bump into another runner who I’d met on the last run before stopping running a couple of weeks back. He too was due to run in the evening (the 10k), he too had pulled up injured with a similar injury but he had decided to not run. I pondered during this event and when he came to wish me luck I told him that he’d inspired me to not run.

I figured that the money was sunk regardless of the outcome but by not running I knew I wouldn’t do any more damage. I decided to go to the running event to collect my bib as a momento, caught up with a few running friends and wished them luck then returned home to rest.

I really thought hard about why I had to run injured and it all came back to ego! I had the knowledge so it would have been foolish to let the ego win this one.

I remembered that my last ‘ego’ run was a half marathon that I’d run in 2017, that ended up with me not being able to walk for a week. I was training and running well but had a niggle in the knee. I ran on ibuprofen and continued to ran even after something went in my knee at 10k. I got a PB but at what cost??? To this day it’s weaker……

It made me realise that I’m not invincible. If I was talking to a friend I would have advised they don’t run, so took my own advice. It was a very tough decision to make and I was grateful to have support.

A humbling experience