I thought it was just going to be a “simple” half marathon. But why was I in so much pain?!
I’ve run over 15 half marathons. Some I’ve raced to get a Personal Record (PR), and some were “just for fun.” Some take a lot more effort. I recently completed one where I simply went out for a “long-run” that just happened to be 13.1 miles. But this felt different.
As I crossed the finish line, surrounded by cheers and my medal, I instantly felt a pain in my right leg. I remember thinking, “Well, that’s odd.” As I limped to get my refreshments, the pain increased. Hours after the race, I could barely walk. What did I do differently? After several hours, it finally occurred to me that I never stretched. But why?
I guess I figured that stretching might hurt more. How dumb is that?!
Fast forward 3 days post-race, and my right leg was still causing me some issues. I was sitting in a conference and decided to simply stretch my leg. Oof! That hurt! Yet, I could tell that it was working.
Ironically, while at that same conference, the topic being discussed was way over my head. It was an information overload!
I sat there thinking, “This info is causing my head to hurt.” But why? Because it was a topic I am unfamiliar with. The bottom line, I was being stretched!
While I am not an expert on the subject matter I was learning, the stretching will make me better. And, just like the conference, a little stretching goes a long way.
As of this blog, my leg is already feeling better.
Stretch. Go make a difference. Always run by faith.