Injury, Setbacks, and Accountability...

Injuries...
That's the easy part... While running Psycho, I injured my IT Band on my right knee with only a couple miles left in the Walk... I hesitate now in retrospect to call it a Race. Realizing, I spent a disproportionate amount of time walking to time actually spent running!?

The pain was such that running down hill was completely out of the question...as for walking, well let's just say if not for gravity and fellow walkers I might have sat down? Yet, I pushed on, knowing my family would be at the finish line. My kids had to see me RUN across the the finish line! I had to finish! I would not quit!

So, I did the right thing and took some time off after the race. I slept until 9:00am the next day. Got up at 5:30am on Monday and went to work. After work, at 5:00pm, my time off was over! I ran a good 5 miles on the trail. And proceeded to run three more times that week. The injury was still there, I had just learned to run to my threshold and stop. By the end of the week all was not well so I really took time off. Five whole days...

The next week we were back to running! Only now, I had been joined by my 7 year old and my wife in earnest. I logged 25 miles that week and little man did about 15!? This from me who had ONLY really run street leading up to the race and averaged 15 miles a week myself. They say a trail mile is like one-and-a-half on the street.

I took a couple days off due to life interferences and the went back to it. Until this past Monday when, while running in the mud, injured my left IT!!! So, I have now been off ALL week having learned my lesson. Tomorrow, I go back to it!

Setbacks...
This is a little harder... Since, I have not been running as much these past few weeks, I have not continued my weight loss. Which was one of the reasons I began running as you will remember. I still have about 10-15# to go. This week, I will refocus and get back on track (if not trail) and aim once again for those goals!

Accountability...
This is the hardest... When you run who are you accountable to? For me firstly, I am accountable to myself. My Run Time is what I refer to my "Head Time" the time I have to let it all go. I try to make it my worry tree. (google it if you don't know)
Secondly, I am accountable to my family. They are the biggest reason I run. I want to show them I can be a better person inside and out! But, they don't push and that is fine for me.
Thirdly, I am accountable to the Tribe. These are the people who make up my running family. Without them. I may not be running today or tomorrow or even next week. But, I do RUN!
Fourthly, I run for those who ask me why?I run for those who want to run with me and learn and do.
Fifthly. One day I WILL RUN for those who can not!


So, next time you head out to find yourself or even lose yourself on the trail think about why you run and who you run for...

Without pain, it's just a walk!
That being said pain is good, hurt is bad!