I have never really been a big runner. I enjoy running Lake Merritt, which is about a 3.2 mile run. I’ve done a few 5Ks in my time, but never would I consider myself a “long-distance runner.” Hell, I don’t even do long-distance relationships! When I signed up to train for a marathon my reasons for wanting to do this was to raise money for the San Francisco AIDS foundation in memory of my cousin who died of AIDS and for friends of mine who are HIV+ or living with AIDS. (And go to Florence, Italy!)
Let’s rewind back to June 10th. (The first day of my marathon training.) The wonderful and fabulous coaches of the AIDS Marathon Training program had us run three miles and timed us in order to determine which pace group we would be in. It took me forty-two minutes to run three miles. I was put in the fifteen-minute mile pace group. I trained in this group for a few weeks and met some of the most wonderful people who have now become some of my dearest friends. After a few months as the miles increased so did our time. We supported and encouraged each other and eventually moved up to the fourteen-minute mile pace group. In order to participate in the Florence marathon you must be able to run a fourteen-minute mile).
I was feeling particularly proud of myself … during the twelve mile run near the end of July I felt this sharp shooting pain shooting up down my left leg, stemming from my hip. Around six miles I told my running mate Melissa that I was in pain and she asked me if I wanted to stop. Me being the bad-ass that I am said “Hell no, I’m going to keep going!” She asked “Are you sure? If you are in pain, you should stop!” I refused to stop. I ran the whole twelve miles and when I stopped I could barely walk to my car (or for the next couple of days …). I ended up going to a sports medicine doc/orthopedics and after going through a series of x-rays and a MRI it was determined that I had a “transitional vertebrae” and minimal stress on my hip. I was devastated. I wanted to cry as I wondered how I would tell all the people who supported me that I will not be able to complete the training or the marathon. My doc assured me that with some time off from training, and some physical therapy I would be able to complete the marathon. “Time-off?!?!?! Are you freaking kidding me?!?! I have a marathon to train for … I reluctantly listened to my doctor, missed several long runs and rested. After a few weeks I healed, and felt better than ever.
