Yesterday I ran 8 miles. Half way through my run, I felt a pain in my calf – a sharp pain on the outside edge of my left calf. And the pain intensified when I ran up the hill. Instead of stopping my run, I chose to slow down and shorten my stride to manage my pain.
Of course I thought about stopping but quickly ruled against it. Because quitting is to me not only a bad form (for I still had to walk back) but also a mental trap for future reference. All kinds of negative thoughts would have filled my head.
Besides, during marathons, I had dealt with the dreaded cramps when they popped up unexpectedly. Unless they are to the point I could not move my legs, I would have chosen the same approach – work it out gradually.
So I pressed on, sensibly. Keeping my body light and relaxed, not to exacerbate any possible injury. Maintaining my body heat and blood circulation to the left calf. And finished my run without catastrophe.
Would you have handled it differently?
Running with Buddha 