Rest rest rest...and maybe rest

Doctor's orders.

Ah, but if you will look closely I wrote "rest" three times and then a "maybe rest". Monday I headed to the doctor for a check up, or follow up, to make sure I am still healthy, wealthy and wise after my problems in Dec/Jan. The good news: I am healthy. The bad news? I am not wealthy and the wise is debatable. =) But once the doc assured me I was certainly healthy and cleared and there was no need for any more follow ups (hooray!) I said, "While I am here, I have one other concern. *stall* I am training for my first marathon and my hip really hurts." I explained the pain and the history of the pain. I experienced a similar pain two years ago. She had me do some standing and balancing and kicks and had my lie down and she moved my leg here and there, pushed here, felt there...without hesitation she said she was putting me in for x-rays. Needless to say I was shocked. This does not usually happen. I was certain I would hear, "take a few weeks off, start up slow and come back if it still hurts." But I did not hear that!!! This doc took me to her office and I sat there while she went and made copies of a book chapter about the hips. She returned and handed it to me with the instructions to "read it." She told me she has run four marathons! How did i get so lucky? She talked to me about the importance of shoes, having more than one pair and rotating them (something I am not currently doing), about surfaces we run on and that treadmills are better than cement but still not good (uh, I thought they were nice and squishy?). She asked me if I was increasing my mileage too fast and asked if I could consider a later marathon. Not really an option, I am registered. I'll do OKC but maybe I will register for another one that will give me more time to train. In all it worked out great and I am glad I brought it up. She understood me and she understood running. When she said the dreaded word REST my heart stopped for a second then she said "for three or four days..." Thank God! I know she saw the smile flash across my face.

So I got the x-rays and she said she would call me if she saw anything of concern. Cross your fingers that I don't hear back.

After leaving the doctor's office with my high power anti inflammatory I considered meeting Mel for my 16 miler...I could always do my long run and begin my resting tomorrow! Right? I had also made plans to do my long run with Red on Tuesday so I could even begin my resting on Wed! But the truth of the matter is that my hip hurt and I knew in the pit of my stomach I needed this rest. I need to recover so I can continue to train and get stronger, faster, and more stamina and endurance. And my Little Buddy sealed the resting deal by getting sick last night so he stayed home with me today and we rested together. So I will rest tomorrow and maybe, just maybe run on Thursday.

Now here is the problem, where do I pick back up? I don't have the time to push this weeks training to next week. So do I pick up where I left off or or with my 16 miler? Or do I check those missed days off and jump ahead as if I did run this week? What do I do?

Oh yeah, and don't forget my More Cowbell giveaway! It ends tomorrow night at 10 PM PST! go HERE and enter!!!

Today I am grateful for:
All my new awesome followers! You all are amazing and I love to see all of us out there getting healthy and living life! Don't give up!!! Keep running and working hard!
My new yummy smelling perfume, I love smelling good! Who doesn't?
My awesome support system here, my family away from family, you all know who you are and I thank you. You may never know just how special and important you are to me.
No news which is good news about the X-rays! Let's hope there is nothing of concern there!