... but I did!
Preface:
Last fall I entered the lottery for the NYC Half Marathon in March. Chances of getting in were pretty high I think as this event hasn't gained nearly the popularity that the Full Marathon has. But why should it?
Then for me, it was a nice Half event early in the season with ample time to get in shape for and kick off the Tri season in style. Needless to say - I got in.
With moving etc. training was tough, but fortunately running is about as easy to do while traveling as it gets. I was really on a roll with speedwork and all until I strained my iliopsoas muscle in early January. Diagnosed kindly my my friend Guenther Effinger.
I have never been injured.
Never. But this was bad. It just wouldn't go away. I even flew to Thailand and rested for 2 weeks with only swimming and cycling in the hotel gym maybe twice. But it wouldn't go away. I had this nagging pain in my right hip that would get worse when I overextend the leg, as you do in 'fast' running. Early February I took one week off from training all together and eat Vitamin I like candy. That seemed to have worked and I was able to start running in 15min increments at a painfully slow pace (for me).
So here comes NYC Half March 17th! I pick up my Bib on Thursday and since I predicted a fast finishing time I was seeded in one of the 4 first corrals - prompting the volunteer to say 'Wow that's fast'. Little did he know that I hadn't run more than a handful of runs prior.
So my plan to PR was canned but somehow Saturday night it dawned on me that I shouldn't run at all. I felt some twitching again after a longer (laugh here if needed) run earlier in the week so after all, what's the point of going for a slow jog for more miles than I had run since last year only to aggravate the hip again?
The point is - there was no point.
So yes for the first time ever I actually paid money for a race entry and didn't even show up at the start line. I felt a bit silly, but I know in the end it was the right thing to do. I am gunning for IM Canada as my number 1 race this year. So if not running this event will help me to be competitive I can take the punch to my pride.
Now if it ever stops snowing here, I can go outside and ride at least.
