This article is taken from the eBook Your Half Training Schedule available here.

Runners get injured. It's not a question of whether you'll get injured, but when, how often and how badly. Even when we do everything right, we get injured sometimes.

Running related injuries are generally not life-threatening, but they can wreak havoc with our schedules. For this reason, it's a good idea to allow more time than you need to train for a race. If you can, give yourself 3-6 weeks more time tha...

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Today would normally be my long run day but I'm injured again.  Actually, it's probably still, rather than again.  I ignored my pain in running for too long, and it caught up with me.

According to Runner's World, Dr. Jeffrey Brown (author of The Competitive Edge) says that over time every runner is going to get injured: it's a part of running.  It's important to keep perspective: my pulled hamstring is not like losing a job, for example.  Being chronologically gifted, though (read "old"!) I am...
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My training schedule is still being held back by hip pain.  I self-diagnosed either a hip flexor strain or an ITB (ileo-tibial band) strain.  Whatever it is, it's been forcing me to run slow and easy all the time for the last couple of months and is driving me crazy!

We runners are a funny bunch.  We hate to miss running because of injuries, but we also hate to spend time in doctors' offices to get treatment.  I finally bit the bullet today and went to see a physical therapist.

I'm glad I did, ...
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Yes -- I ran today and felt so good about it!

This morning was bright and sunny and cool here in Huntsville: a perfect day for running.  My upper respiratory infection, which started just after Christmas, has improved enough that I was able to take a 30 minute easy run and enjoy the weather.  Also, I was wearing a new pair of tights, which I had read about in a forum, to support my hip flexor or ITB.

Joy!  I was able to run without pain for the first time in a month or more.

It seems that the s...
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Yes -- I actually ran today.  Slowly, painfully: I'm still not ready to get back to my half training schedule.  Fortunately, I have plenty of time before the end of April, but unless I heal soon I'll be lucky to make it.  My main concern now is whether I'll be OK to run a 5K in a month's time.

I suppose I can always walk it, if need be, but somehow for a 5K that seems pretty pathetic.  If I had not committed to run with my daughter, I'd be inclined to scratch and just prepare for my 10K in Mar...
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More like staggering, really, but at least I got out today!  After the first five minutes or so, I started enjoying it.  At about ten minutes, I began to remember why I do this ;-)
I took it really easy and very slow, and as soon as I started to feel pain (running uphill) I shortened my stride until the pain went away.  It felt really good to be back running again, however slowly.  In fact, I barely even broke a sweat!
Tomorrow Ill rest, then maybe the next day I'll try a long, slow run.  I'll ...
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I'm still not running.

The weather hasn't been kind, which I guess is just as well, because it means I've been taking a good rest break.  Today, however, was a pleasant day, and guess what?

I didn't want to run :-(

The worst thing about laying off for a while is that I get to the stage when I just don't feel like running.  I know I'll get back to it, but I've been working hard on the web site and found excuses not to run.  Then, when I do get back to it, the first few runs will be tough until I ...
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My training has really suffered a setback lately.  A couple of weeks ago I managed to strain a hip flexor due to some pretty intense hill training.  I thought it would be better after a layoff during which all I did was cross train on my bike, but it hasn't worked out that way.  A couple of days ago it seemed to be better, so I went for an easy 30-minute jog.  Felt fine at the time, but a little pain came back the next day.  Then today I went out and was really suffering: not the hip especial...
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