Day 272 of 365: Taking it Slow

I have a half marathon coming up in three weeks. And I have a pulled hamstring tendon.


I originally injured myself during an intense yoga class. We were doing a certain stretch that I've always had issues with (namely, my back hunches over). The instructor suggested I reach out and to the side before lowering, which resulted in a twang in the back of my left knee. It honestly felt like someone snapped a very thick guitar string against the inside of my knee. The pain was minor, I backed out of the pose, and I went on with my day.


The next day, I go on a 6-mile run, and notice that my left leg has no interest in extending as much as the right leg. By the time I get back, that tendon that went twang the day before was sore as all hell. But I felt a little better the next day, so I went on with my usual routine. On Friday, I ran 9.5 miles with one of the best paces I've had in a while. However, by mile 5, I knew something was up with my knee. I ignored it and finished up the last 4.5 miles.


Saturday morning, I was limping.


I told my best friend that I was injured. When I told her what happened, she responded with, "Taking it slow was never your forte."


It never has been, plain and simple. I've gotten a lot better at it, now that I'm not teaching and I have the opportunity to only work part-time. But I still go way faster than I should. I pride myself on multitasking (I used to prattle on about planning a wedding in 9 months while a ton of other shit going on to anyone who would listen). I pride myself on accomplishing as much as I can accomplish; in making people shake their heads and go, "How in the world does she do that."


Our culture does not value taking it slow. We only value slow cookers because it means food will be instantly ready for us to eat the second we get home from a long day away. We value efficiency and speed and getting the most bang for your buck.


For the first time in a long, long while, I took it incredibly easy during yoga (which I had to go to, regardless of what had happened on Friday, because every day-long session starts out with a yoga class. Gone were my jump backs and jump throughs and crazy transitions. I actually gave myself that space to, I don't know, heal from a major injury. And it was probably one of my most fun yoga classes to date.


I'm taking the week off from running, even though every fiber of my being hates the idea of not just dealing with the pain for 3 more weeks and handling the injury after the half marathon. Because sometimes you just have to take it easy.