Only three more miles to go, but the the pain was unreal.
The stabbing sensations in my knee were signaling me to stop, however, there was no way I wasn’t going to cross the finish line of my first half marathon. Quitters are losers, no pain no gain.
I completed those 13.1 miles, but paid the price. It took over 3 months of complete rest and time off from running for my knee to stop screaming every time I went down the stairs. Lessons were learned from running that race. Although my training was slow and steady, I made many mistakes.
My biggest error was the lack of cross training.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), or runner’s knee, set in a little over a month before race day but I kept pushing through without addressing preventable causes. The repetitive linear movement of running created muscle imbalances and tightness, which placed abnormal stress on my knees each time my feet pounded the pavement.
Runner’s knee can happen from various triggers and is most common among runners, hence it’s nickname. In my case, I had tight hamstrings and calves, my quadriceps were poorly trained and the arches in my feet were weak (fallen arches). These imbalances within my body put abnormal stress on my knees, causing pain, inflammation and injury over time.
It wasn’t until I dedicated time to yoga multiple days a week, that I realized the immense benefit it had on my running.
Yoga not only helped treat my runner’s knee and prevent overuse injuries from occurring, but offered so many more perks for my running hobby. The dynamic stretching in yoga lengthened tight muscles like my calves, hamstrings and hip flexors. Poses and flows strengthened my hips, quadriceps and core. Balancing poses improved and developed stability in my ankles and feet. Breathwork and meditation guided me in train my breathing to be more efficient and deepened my connection to my body. It taught me to listen to initial warning signals and to back off when there is pain.
I want running to be my exercise for as long as possible, and daily yoga is my insurance.
Take care of the only vessel you have. Allow the body to heal and provide it with a balanced and solid foundation.
Making Bodies Better 