Symptoms of a Running Addiction: The Injury

And it’s driving me entirely crazy.

I’ve known all along that the pavement is my best place to shed stress, worries, anxieties and over thinking–but, just spending one measly week not running and resting my mysterious leg injury is sending me into a complex. I think I have an addiction.

The first weekend of “rest” seemed to have all of my friends running 5Ks, 10Ks and half marathons.

I proudly doted on them all with encouragement and excitement; but with no “end of the tunnel” on this rest quite yet–I was a little sad for myself. I want to go run!

The mysterious injury? A bum shin. Not a bum knee, or foot, or ankle. My shin.

It started about a month before my half marathon. That nagging soreness after a run and sometimes during that I suspected was a case of shin splints. I have a history of needing shoes that offer more stability and when I opted for some lighter trainers before my race (dear Sauconys, you’re super cute and awesomely light but I know you’re the reason I’m injured. Only myself to blame) I knew it was maybe going to be trouble down the road.

The soreness was usually much better when I ran on asphalt (no surprise) and also better with some ice.

I was a little paranoid about it going into my half; but surprisingly I didn’t feel it one bit during or after my race.

Every single run that came thereafter though has been some varying level of brutality. Be it the five-mile run that left me hobbling through the grocery store afterwards or the three-mile run in Savannah that has now completely decommissioned me. Since Sunday before last it’s been constant pain, hobbling and discomfort.

The symptoms? Swelling. Concentrated pain in one place on my inner left leg. Radiating pain. Sensitivity to bearing any weight.

I’m still going through the diagnosis process of what’s gone wrong. A blood test today will confirm whether or not it’s a blood clot. (Of course, I’ve been walking around the office all day wondering ‘Do I feel short of breath?’ and ‘Am I feeling dizzy?’ and ‘Is this pain traveling up my leg?’ Of course it’s a matter of life or death : ) )

If the blood test comes back OK I’ve been referred for x-rays; but the stubborn stingy part of me who has done reading that says stress fractures do not show on x-rays doesn’t want to go.

So, I think I’ll opt for a specialist instead. I need a doctor who understands runners injuries; not a physicians assistant who actually just wanted to give me a shot for muscle pain until I convinced her that maybe it was something more than a strained muscle. (I mean, seriously . . . come on.) The lady pressed all over my leg and confidently said “it’s a strain, not even swollen.” Um, do you want to look at it from my angle? She also told me though that “Fractures usually happen to women with osteoporosis. Young people rarely, if ever, get these.” Par for the course? I gave blood middle of last week and they forgot to do the test on it . . . so they needed me to come give more today. Yes, I think next step calls for a specialist.

So, dear runner friends please tack an additional mile on your log today for me. I miss it so much and it’s killing me to keep “taking it easy.” This is just not my nature. Fingers crossed that this one week of rest can mark off of the grand total of (God forbid, worst case scenario) up to 8 weeks of complete rest.

Anyone else have experience with injuries of these types? No fun, I tell you that—but all the same, misery loves company. So if you have advice, I’m all ears.