Sidelined and Frustrated

Sometime in the last week or two, I did something to my back. I don't know what I did. It could be any number of things, but I first noticed it last Sunday. As I was getting ready for church, it felt like I had slept wrong and I couldn't really turn my head. I figured it would go away on its own. And it did somewhat.

Monday morning, the pain in my upper back/neck area was gone, but I felt something in my lower back when I would sit or stand. Didn't hurt when I was walking, and it didn't hurt when I ran, so I did my normal Monday workout. Same thing Tuesday and Wednesday. During my short run Thursday I noticed I could feel it just a little bit. I figured resting Friday and Saturday would be good and I'd be good to race in the Race for the Cure on Sunday.

My body had other plans. I could barely move on Saturday. It was a struggle to get in and out of the chair to watch my son's soccer games. Sunday morning I felt a little better, but still wasn't sure that I could run. I met the other people from my church who were going to walk the course and we headed downtown. We went through the "expo" and got all the free goodies and then got ready to head to the start line. It was decision time.

I had not put my chip on my shoe yet. If I wasn't going to run for time, I wasn't going to run and I wasn't going to have the chip reflect my time. I did a few test "jogs" to see what I thought and I could feel the pain. And the final straw that made my decision was that after I turned my Garmin on, it froze. It wouldn't register a signal and it wouldn't turn off or anything. I took that as a sign that I was not meant to run, stuffed my chip in my pocket, and headed to the start line for the non-timed runners and walkers. And so I walked the course with my parents. And it took a while. But I got to experience the race from a different perspective.

I got to read the backs of people that had "in memory" or "in celebration" on their back. I got to cheer on runners who were struggling up the hill. I got to stop and pat the dogs who are out there every year to cheer everyone on. And I got to spend almost an hour talking to my parents.

I spent the rest of Sunday resting. And Monday morning I called a chiropractor to make an appointment. At our church's Fall Festival a few weeks ago, I bid on and won a gift certificate to a chiro for x-rays, exam, adjustment and massage. I figured this was the perfect time to use it. They couldn't get me in until Tuesday. And all they did at that appointment was ask what was hurting, take x-rays, and do some heat sensor thingy on my back. They told me to make a follow up appointment to go over the x-rays and to start treatment. Only thing is that between their available times and my schedule, they can't get me in until Saturday morning at 8:30.

I'm frustrated. Other than my back, I feel great and want to be out running. I go stir crazy not exercising. I did go to yoga Tuesday night after the chiro. I wasn't able to do all the poses, and I definitely stuck to the beginner poses on the ones I could do, but I think it helped to stretch things out. I felt a little better this morning, but still not 100%.

In the three years I've been really exercising and training for endurance events, I've never been injured to the point where I can't workout. I've had muscle issues and minor pains, but they've gone away with a day of rest. Not this time. And I'm frustrated.