Track

This track season so far has been full of surprise. It began at the beginning of March, and the weather was so unpredictable those first two weeks. I'd been running during the winter outside in the snow, dressed for the weather. So, I was so excited to finally have a good year and get my mile time to the low 5:40's. I knew it was possible because my times were there back in seventh grade. We began our season at a varsity meet at Eastern. For about three weekends in a row, I had varsity Saturday all-day invitational’s every weekend. In one week, I had five meets. Karlie, Brenna and I were able to go to the Mihok Relay meet in Ohio which was a three hour car ride.

Through all the tough workouts and practices, I was enjoying track so much. At times I’d want to quit the workout but running is something I love so it wasn’t an option. Finally last week Monday, I was having sudden pains in both hips. I had an important meet the next day against Northville and I couldn’t sit out. My team was depending on me to win the mile and compete in the 800m. I pushed through the pain and ran a 5:51. To me, it wasn’t a decent time, but the pain began to become unbearable. I wasn’t able to walk, and right then the trainer took me back to my back and I began the long, cold icing process until the end of the meet. Just laying there, the pain was the worst I had ever felt, and I’ll admit I have quite a high pain tolerance.

This was one of the worst mistakes I had made, pushing through the pain and running got me third place and helped my team, but wasn't worth it was the pain and injuries I'd have for the weeks to come. I had put my team before myself, and now I was the one who'd be out. Once I got home, all I could do was lay there, and I couldn’t stand the pain. The sports medicine doctor made room for me immediately the next morning to come in for x-rays. After the x-ray came back, the doctor told me I had two fractured growth plates and they were beginning to separate from the bone. I’d be out of running for a little while and in physical therapy for about four weeks. Now about a week later, I’m slowly beginning to heal and the pain is lessening.

Running is one of the most important things to me, and just a week out of running has made me miss it even more. All I constantly think about is how I want to be out there running on the track and racing, but, I can’t. All the hard work put into preparing for the season is pointless now. Watching my teamates out there running their workouts and road runs is so hard to do because I'd do anything to be able to run right now. Being apart from running has taught me how much the sport means to me, and I’ve learned that these weeks of healing will make me stronger physically and mentally once I can come back out there and run.