Injuries!

There is not an athlete in the world who doesn't suffer from some sort of niggle or injury. And, show me an injury and I'll show you heartbreak. I'll show you frustration. I'll show you defiance.


When I'm cruising along on my training program and feeling the improvement, I am at peace. I have a purpose that is being achieved in a very honest way, inch by inch, little by little. It is something that is very hard to see in the rest of my messy, fallible, grey-area existence of my day. Raising kids makes me feel like a near constant failure. I am almost continually at odds with them. Work is just work. They pay you and that is thanks enough. Contrary to the government's belief, success as a high school teacher is not really measurable. So, when I am training, I have a context. I have specific and overall goals that I can actually measure with the clock or a hill or a race. I love the affirmation.


Enter injury...


An overuse injury is a sneaky little sh%#. It sneaks up on you at night and vanishes during the day. One minute you are limping, then you go for a run and you feel fine. But you are not fine.

I have an overuse injury in my tibialis anterior. My what??? I enjoy an anatomy lesson but the words are not easy on the ear or the memory. Turns out that this sneaky little muscle and tendon by the same name is very important in running. http://www.getbodysmart.com/ap/muscularsystem/footmuscles/tibialisanterior/tutorial.html. It stretches from the bottom of the knee, over the calf, becomes a ligament and inserts just at the arch of the foot. It dorsiflexes the foot at the ankle and inverts the foot. It is essential for running, jumping, and effective cycling. Dammit!


Wrist: I think it's extensor carpi radialis longus muscle &/or " EXTENSOR CARPI RADIALIS BREVIS MUSCLE " or some sort of thing that is making me feel pain in my wrist. It is in my right wrist and I am right handed, so I am having a very difficult time resting it.

On top of all this, I've had a cold. A cough keeps threatening. My five year old is oppositional. My three year old is deathly afraid of soap bubbles. Life just keeps getting less intelligible and I have no time to figure out solutions.

So...training has come to a screeching halt. I had to do it. My husband has reports due and he needs my help. My kids are always wanting my attention. We are moving house on Sunday. And I have to work!

This is how I feel...frustrated, guilty, weak, sensible, wise mother, enabling mother, supportive spouse...no wonder I am confused.

This is the life of an amateur athlete.

And if my body weren't backfiring on me, and I didn't know that I could severely damage myself, and I hadn't talked to my personal trainer and physio, I would be out there still. I would be defying my body. I would be seeking a thrill. I would be seeking the confidence and well-being that I gain through exercising. However, here I am...heartbroken, frustrated and waiting, waiting, waiting....