the aches of a track body
This morning I was on the phone with my best friend and she asked why I sounded funny. I informed her that I was standing in an ice bath and I hadn’t gone numb yet—hence the high-pitched quivering voice. Ask any track athlete and they will tell you that willfully submerging themselves in water cold enough to make an Eskimo squirm is a necessary evil of this sport. I admit that I wasn’t so diligent in my younger days, but the older I get—and the more broke down my body becomes I find that my body appreciates and needs this form of torture.
I can go months and months without being able to wake up and feel “normal”. In fact, I am pretty sure I have forgotten exactly what normal feels like. I walk differently, I leave my shoelaces tied so as not to be forced to try and bend over or I adopt a fetal position to get the job done, I ride in a car with pillow support to try and keep my back in a more bearable position…all the things some might take for granted are an obvious effort for me. We run ourselves into the ground. Literally. As in, the effort it takes to merely stand up is too much for our body to handle at times. Last year I almost had to go to rehab for my addiction to Ibuprofen.
Right now my body feels like it is in a heightened state of distress. First there are the chronic problems, such as the horrifically tight lower back that teases me with signs of improvement that never last and the right hamstring that refuses to ever feel like the left one and finds comfort in staying in a perpetual knot. Add to that the tendonitis that has developed on my left kneecap presumably from all the increased jumping I have been doing in practice, and the other knee that just will collapse on occasion, especially after a hard session of running, supposedly because whatever muscle or tendon that connects to it has become extremely tight and pulls it out of position. Ouch. And finally there is just my clumsiness. On Saturday I was in the process of taking a bar off the rack and it slipped out of my hand and fell directly on my foot. So 45 pounds from about 6 ft. up caused an immediate screaming fit from me and a swollen and bruised foot for a few days. Luckily the foot is okay though.
So what’s the solution? More ice baths. Baths with Epson salt. Stretching. Tons of money spent on massage therapists and chiropractors. All of this so I can continue to train as best as possible. If I were to wait until I felt absolutely fantastic without an ache in site, I would be close to collecting social security. So while track bodies may look good, they hardly ever feel good. Take comfort in that fact the next time you secretly yearn for the chiseled perfection that we possess. :)
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ART
6:41 AM, April 10, 2008
.. Posted by
Does your chiropractor do ART? Also cold/hot contrast baths work wonderful as well, a lot better than just ice baths. I'm sure with all your resources you know all of this, but just in case u were unaware.
Ibuprofen
11:09 AM, April 10, 2008
.. Posted by Gr0wTesK
I feel you on the Ibuprofen. Sometimes I think that I can't survive without it these days.
Ditto
12:43 PM, April 10, 2008
.. Posted by ladagen
I feel you on that one....Amen!!!! Being a triple jumper the pounding and force that is put on the body is sometimes unbearable. On another note, my I suggest the run and jump in method when it comes to the ice baths. This is when you just do exactly what I said, run and jump in that’s the only way it works for me. I hate ice baths, and if my liver doesn't fall apart before I'm 40 I will have stock in Advil or some Ibuprofen company :) I think I’m immune to the stuff now.
hot/cold
1:05 PM, April 10, 2008
.. Posted by missbri
you are right...the contrast baths work very well! although you have to be lucky enough to have the proper facilities. at my school i try to do that, but when you are on the road you just have to take your trashcans to the ice machine down the hall and fill up the tub!
hello to all the first time commenters...glad to see ya around!
Pain..
3:04 PM, April 10, 2008
.. Posted by Eich
Well written blog. Won't it be nice to someday wake up and not be sore? I look forward to then...
NIce
8:37 PM, April 10, 2008
.. Posted by Kev
I have to agree with your post and all the thinsg we have to go through just to keep our body in shape and keep it loking good.
i mean missin a day of practice can sometimes mean a big detrimite in your speed and some one will pass you its always interesting how much we have to heal ourselves for us to bear our body and make it function the way we want it too.
When it's over
10:08 AM, April 11, 2008
.. Posted by prttyboy10
As a recently retired triple jumper, my body took a serious beating as well. I still feel the sting of those ice baths...:) I thought retirement would make the pain go away but boy was I wrong! Two knee surgeries later and I'm still limping. Train hard but remember you have a long life ahead after track. Be Blessed!
Untitled Comment
2:52 PM, April 11, 2008
.. Posted by Antwane President
I feel you on the whole look good but feel worse situation. Man, this track thing takes real dedication 100% of the time
hell
12:44 AM, April 12, 2008
.. Posted by Anonymous
After a particularly rough 20M day, I embrace the pain. Tell you what though. Ginger will get 'er done and enzymatically ensure adaption at the same time. Word.
2008 OLYMPICS
2:26 PM, April 12, 2008
.. Posted by Anonymous
WHAT EVENT ARE YOUR CONSIDERING QUALIFYING IN FOR THE 2008 OLYMPICS?<TRACK FAN FROM NYC>
to track fan from nyc...
2:17 PM, April 13, 2008
.. Posted by missbri
I will be trying for the 100 meters and long jump. Thanks!
i feel you
8:37 PM, April 13, 2008
.. Posted by Anonymous
As a 800m i felt the same way with my body during the first 2 months of training in the winter quarter. The most important thing i believe is resting. I know you've heard this before, but getting atleast 8-10 hours of sleep is very essential to Athletes. For the ice baths, i switch off between ice baths and epsom salt baths. I wish you the best of luck in competiton this year.
Training Room
I agree with the cold/hot contrast baths. I feel they help better than just strictly cold. I also agree with the Ibuprofen, it's a necessity these days.
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