The hamstring injury is back. So much for being careful. The hamstring failed last Wednesday at about mile 3 of a 4-mile run/walk, running just one third of the paces. I was indeed very careful, by the way, still building up slowly from the initial injury. I haven't blogged about it until now because I'm so disgusted.
Unfortunately I didn't recognize the injury right away - it seemed to be in the back of the knee or even below the knee at first - so for a short distance I kept trying to run, thereby exacerbating the injury somewhat. Unlike the first time, though, I had no pain walking the last mile home, so perhaps I haven't set it back completely.
The first time, the injury happened as I was running downhill. I thought that was probably a fluke, because hamstring injuries are supposed to happen as the hamstrings pull us up hills. This time it also happened running downhill, though, so I'm not sure what is going on. Maybe it's just the pounding on ancient muscle, or maybe I have the basic principle wrong. It feels like the injury is in one very small strand of muscle, or in a small ligament, toward the bottom right of the hamstring muscles. It's a stopper though - when it happens I can't run any more.
What to do? I've tried to wait it out and build back slowly - that hasn't worked. If I take it to the sports doctor, s/he will probably prescribe a program of exercises and stretches and tell me to take at least a couple of weeks off from all running. I've been around the block a few times, though, and I think that I can create that program myself. I'll do that.
In the meantime, since Wednesday, I have gone out biking three times and walking once. Today I biked almost 18 miles in 1:27, for a speed of 11.7 mph. With a hilly route and 78 degrees today, that speed is good enough. I feel quite physically satisfied after a ride like that. And nothing hurts.
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