Real David H.

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I’ve had about two dozen blog posts in my mind in the past few weeks that never made it anywhere.  

I was prepared to write about so many things, like how I was ready for a running break one day and inspired the next to set amazing new goals. 

I was going to complain about the hot weather, but still talk about getting in 8 miles in the worst conditions I’ve seen in years.  

This year has been so weird with my running that I’ve felt “done” with the sport many times, but something always draws me back.  

Then last week on a hot run on a 90-degree afternoon, in the middle of a surprisingly good run, “it” happened and stopped me in my tracks. 

That “it” is one of the worst pains I’ve ever felt while running. Something worse than my last major ITB injury I documented very well nearly 6 years ago. 

This “it” was in my lower left calf on the left side. It’s the same foot that I had plantar fasciitis issues in earlier this year that probably never healed fully.  

One area is connected to another and so on and so forth …. so it’s all my fault for not treating myself better a few months ago.  

I have an appointment next week to get this checked out. My plan in the meantime is lots of biking (which has given me no trouble), walking (which doesn’t seem to aggravate it) and some occasional runs for a minute or so on an easy trail near my house (which has felt OK since the initial pain stopped me).   

So here I am … down but not out. There will be no Rock ‘n Roll Half this weekend in Virginia Beach; my plans for Savannah are TBD (the full is OUT, but the half could be possible); and a 5K I signed up for at work in less than two weeks looks questionable.  

This may be the weirdest thing I’ve said as a runner, but there’s something about this that I needed. While I don’t like to push the reset button, there is no doubt I DO in fact need a starting over point both physically and mentally. 

I have a whole lot of uncertainty in what’s ahead, but that “TBD” aspect of it has me strangely looking forward with a whole new attitude.