The Dark Horse

I'm having a really rough week. So, my back has been hurting for a couple weeks now. Well once we got back running on Monday after 8 days off, the pain in my back led to pain in my IT Band. I ignored it on Monday and was just getting treatment on my back. The run Tuesday was awful. The pain from my back caused pain in the IT Band which caused pain in my whole right quad and somehow my right shin started hurting, but it feels more like inflamed muscles around my shin than the bone. After the run, I was in so much pain. I got treatment on my back and iced my legs. Towards the end of the night I could not walk it hurt so bad. The next morning was just as bad. Throughout the day, my back loosened up, but my quad and IT Band still hurt. I did a bike workout instead of running, which did not cause nearly as much pain as Tuesday's run. Afterwards I got treatment on my quad and iced my shin. I felt a million times better last night. Then my back started hurting because I didn't get to heat it after the bike ride yesterday. Our trainer Katie says that my back is probably only hurting now because my hamstrings are so tight. I've been stretching all morning. IT Band and quad feel a lot better, shin feels a bit better so now my back and tight hamstrings are the only things bothering me. The plan is to bike for one more day and continue this intense stretching and hopefully I'll be ready to go by Saturday. This is so frustrating though. I want to be the Dark Horse this track season. A stud runner that no one even sees coming. It's going to be a little harder being a week behind and now being scared that at any minute my back or IT Band could start hurting again.

The only thing I'm being positive about is that it happened now instead of in March or April. Being injured takes up so much more time. I go in about 30 minutes early, I stay about 30-40 minutes late.. it's so annoying. I just want to be normal. My friend Mike just came in my room and told me about his 100 minute run this morning. I'm so jealous. I WANT TO RUN.