Some Early Warning Signs

Shockingly, I was not able to squeeze in any runs on my trip to Montreal this weekend.  I did, however, manage to get in another six miles today.  I took it easy on today's run, and knocked it back at a 7:55 minute / mile pace.  I'd like to believe I took it easy because I've got a longer run coming up tomorrow.  Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I was still shaking away some cobwebs from the past three days.  Nonetheless, today's run is in the books, and tomorrow's run is being planned for now.

There were a few instances during today's run that left me with some concerns.  My left hamstring "warned" me a few times that if I kept up the pace I was running at, it would cramp up without any additional notice.  This warning usually comes in the guise of a very small cramp or twinge in my hamstring, and when this happens, I slow down immediately.  When my hamstring has locked up during a run, it has been one of the worst pains I've ever experienced, and it wiped out any hopes that I had of running a good race.

My hamstrings have locked up two of the three times I've run the Boston marathon, and both times it made me seriously question why I would ever run again.  In both instances, one leg would cramp up and require me to hop over to the side of the road to get not trampled by the rest of the racers.  I'd lean over to rub the back of my leg in hopes of trying to loosen up the muscle.  Then as soon as I leaned over, my other hamstring would cramp up and pain would engulf my entire body.  Now I'm standing there, not moving, fighting off tears, and getting jeered by some semi-drunk Boston College students watching the marathon because I'm not running.  After five to six minutes of not moving, I'd start this ridiculous walk / hop hybrid of running in fear that any other running form would result in my hamstrings locking up again.

So what can I do to prevent this from happening again?  There is really only one answer, and that is to stretch.  I need to start stretching more after all of my runs, and I need to do it for longer than two minutes.  If anyone has any recommendations on stretching exercises that work for you, I'd love to hear them.  I'll be trying some different exercises over the next couple of weeks and hope that I'll find a few that work well for me.

Tomorrow I have a nine mile general aerobic run.  Hopefully I can keep it in the 8:00 - 8:10 minute / mile pace, and without my legs giving me any "warnings".  And if there are, I'll promise you that I'll slow down, and that you'll be the first to know.