Welcome to Wednesday Word, a weekly linkup for everyone, not just health and fitness bloggers. Each Wednesday you will have a single word prompt to write about. Let your imagination run free and share with your readers your interpretation of that word, or simply use it as inspiration for your post. Today’s word is dilemma….. I’d love to have you link up, and if you do, please remember to follow my six simple rules.
Dilemma – a situation in which you have to make a difficult choice
~ Merriam-Webster
As runners, we are faced with dilemmas from time to time:
- We have to choose between going for our long run or watching our child’s soccer practice
- We have to choose between finding time to cross train or getting an extra run in
- We have to choose between staying out late on Friday night or reigning ourselves in so we can get up early on Saturday morning to meet our running friends
- We have to choose between eating healthy for optimal fueling or chowing down on our favorite treats
- We have to choose between stretching after our run or jumping in the shower so we’re not late for work
- We have to choose between running through the pain or taking a few days off
That last dilemma is probably the hardest for all runners. As runners, we’re dedicated, focused, stubborn, and bull-headed. We’ll run through pain that would otherwise cause us to whine and complain if it happened to any body part other than those we use for running. We’ll seek a second opinion if our doctor tells us something we don’t want to hear – like stop running, even if just for a short time.
My current injury dilemma? My right foot… It’s been bothering me on and off for several years without any true diagnosis from any doctor. Every season, I feel like I’ve pulled off a good one if I make to the last race without pulling up lame. Last weekend, I held my breath during Ragnar Trail Richmond, and my foot did fine (except when I jammed my toe). And now, I pray that my foot holds out until after my half in Chicago next weekend. The pain could be caused by something minor or slightly more serious, but no use going there until I have a definitive diagnosis.
In the meantime, I’ll do like any good stubborn runner would, and run.
What dilemmas do you face?
Grab My Button!
Next Wednesday’s Word: Encourage
I am all too familiar with the slight injury thing where you know you really ought to take more time off, but you don’t. Where no one is quite sure what it is or how to treat it. I’m sorry you are, too. And you are right — running raises a lot of dilemmas!
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…Fearless
Thanks, and Isn’t that the truth!
That is a huge dilemma. As you know, I ignored some running pain, and I chose poorly! 🙂
Bottom line, you know your body. But it’s still a tough choice deciding what your foot is going to be comfortable with. Good luck with it — I will be thinking of you!
Anne recently posted…Things to Figure Out
Thanks, Anne! I should write a post about the timeline of this silly foot. It has quite a history all its own!
Ugh, good luck with that right foot…..that’s where I have all my issue and “dilemma’s” as well! And your right- we runners are a stubborn bunch!
Lauren recently posted…A Runner’s Dilemma
I sometimes question whether I’m stubborn or stupid. I prefer to think of it as stubborn!
I’m glad your foot felt fine after Ragnar, but I understand the injury dilemma as well!
Sonia recently posted…Mo’ Problems?
Unfortunately, most runners understand the dilemma. 🙁
Oh the dilemmas….all of them so true!
Uugh about your foot. Sending positive thoughts to you for your half next weekend.
Thank you, Tamieka!
Ugh! Those damn feet! I certainly feel your pain. I’m not good at taking time off–I think we all know that. But you know it’s the right thing to do….
My PF has been quiet up until the last couple of days. Come on man! Can’t a runner catch a break? And I’ve been taking it easy.
Hang in there! The injury dilemma is very real…
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…It’s a Dilemma: What’s a runner to do after she finishes a goal race?
Thanks, Wendy! I often feel that you and I are so similar in many ways, especially some of our injuries. Perhaps it’s just our age, even though you’re a few years younger than I am…
That last one is a hard dilemma, but so is the dilemma between stretching and hopping in the shower! I hope your foot holds out for you!
Coco recently posted…Fitting It All In
Thanks, Coco! Now go stretch!
Running through slight pain or taking off has always been a tough one for me. I learned the hard way a few times so I am more conservative about it now.
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner recently posted…Tour De Cookie-Yes please!
Good for you – that’s a hard thing to do.
The last dilemma is a tough one- I am a rule follower when it comes to following doctors orders. I am so scared of an injury that I can’t bounce back from. Conservative would be my word 🙂
Mary Beth Jackson recently posted…Marvelous May Week One!
I’m a pretty good rule follower with doctor’s orders, too; however, I’ve been known to avoid the doctor for fear he’d make me quit running. In 2010 I had plantar fasciitis pretty badly, but I could run comfortably. I wouldn’t go to the doctor until AFTER Boston so he wouldn’t make me pull from the race. It ended up that he made custom orthotics for me, and two years of pain went away in two weeks. I love my orthotics!
I’m guilty of running with pain (though, knock on wood, not yet this spring). You said it correctly when you called us runners “bull-headed” LOL
Kimberly Hatting recently posted…Got any Dilemmas?
Fingers crossed that you’ll stay pain-free, and won’t need to resort to being bull-headed! 😀
I feel you on the physical challenges…my feet are feeling better now, and of course I have the urge to push to see what I can get away with now lol I have been pretty good and just running a little, but i have a race this weekend and I think I am just going to do it for fun, but a half is probably longer than I should go…but you only live once right. I know if I Galloway my feet will cooperate 🙂
I am so guilty of not stretching properly in the morning! I get one more mile then have to rush my cool down.
Karen recently posted…May ❤ Miles
I’m looking forward to seeing how you do using the Galloway Run/Walk Method, and how long you choose to stick with it. If your feet stay happy while using it, perhaps that’s the way to go permanently; especially since you say your overall pace stays about the same (which is one of his goals for his runners). Good luck!
Ugh stupid foot! I hope it turns out not to be anything too serious. I do like (and fully approve of) your strategy to wait until after Chicago, just in case the doc says to take some time off. Don’t we all do that? 🙂 As you know, I’m trying to figure out this hamstring thing. I don’t know why it’s hanging around the way it is, despite my backing off from running. Although it looks like I’m not doing all that I should be to help it, like icing.
Hopefully we both get things figured out soon!!
My fingers are crossed that we both figure out our problems quickly!