★ News from September 27, 2009 - October 03, 2009:
This morning I attempted the ING New York City Marathon Tune-Up 18-Miler in Central Park. I had to drop out of the race because of an injury to my left knee.
For one, I really wasn't feeling it today. Although I needed to do a long run today since yesterday I did the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile, my body was subtly telling me not to run. Too bad, I replied to my body, as I'd already signed up for this race and I needed to stay on track with my training. It seemed that Mother Nature was also trying to tell me something as it was raining and chilly, both making for dreary conditions. Still, I fought, I made it out to the start line, and started the race.
Of course, again I was in the first corral and, of course, I got to a point where people were passing me and I wasn't passing people. This wasn't totally true for the whole time I was on the course as I did get some occasional passes in, but it wasn't something I sustained the whole time. My pace felt a bit slow. One supportive runner said to me, "Steady," as words of encouragement despite being passed at the time by almost every runner. Still, I was managing somewhere around a 6:50 pace I think.
I made it around the first loop of three in Central Park. Eventually, though, I started to have pain in my left knee. I'd had this kind of pain already this season, and usually it resolved by just slowing way down for a few seconds to let my knee "figure itself out." I presumed it was an acute and temporary inflammation in the knee joint.
Well, I think I resolved it once, but it came back, and it came back again, eventually bringing me to a walk. I walked for a little bit then tried to stride again and I just couldn't--my knee felt too unstable and painful. I was essentially limping while I was running when I tried. This all happened just after Mile 11, and I was only a mile away from Medical, so I quickly resolved that my race was over and I was going to try to get some medical attention. Thinking positively, I figured this would be a learning experience for the future should I ever need medical attention during a race.
All I got was ice wrapped around my knee with cellophane. At this point I was formally declared "out of the race." I got my pretzels, plum, and baggage then slowly walked to the subway. My walk with my knee would have been okay were it not for my other injury--what is probably plantar fasciitis of the right foot--which is very, very painful in my heel. I feel a bit like a wreck now, at least when I walk. Or should I say, hobble.
But these injuries are both lessons to me. I believe they mostly resulted from putting on way too much mileage and stress last weekend. Last weekend, I did a 23-mile run on Saturday, then on two hours of sleep I ran a great half-marathon race on Sunday. That meant I did 36.1 miles in two days, which in some cases could be my weekly mileage. Mentally, I was up for it. Physically, I should have known better. What is interesting to note is that it took a week for injuries to take me down. Granted, I did feel the plantar fasciitis all week as it's been getting worse, and it wasn't much better today. The thing is, I can run with the plantar fasciitis, I just don't feel very comfortable. With this new knee issue, I was brought down.
After getting medical attention, I felt a bit like a rabid dog. I was growling a bit at my condition. It was as if my fight was still in me but couldn't be expressed in a run.
I've decided to see if I can take the week off from running to get some proper rest. I hope this knee injury isn't more serious, like a meniscus tear that will need surgery. And I hope I can bring down the plantar fasciitis soon. I want to get back to running. I'm about halfway through my training program and it seems I'm close to my goal. Today's run was going to help me gauge myself. But I should have known what with 36.1 miles from last weekend in my body, I wasn't ready to do such a long run today.
ING New York City Marathon Tune-Up
18-Mile Race
(Did Not Finish)
September 28, 2009
(Monday)
Today I played an assistant district attorney on Episode 301 of the television series Damages.
September 29, 2009
(Tuesday)
This evening I auditioned for Kate Martineau, casting associate for the soap opera As the World Turns.
October 1, 2009
(Thursday)
Late yesterday into early this morning I worked as a clerk in Episode 106 of the television series The Good Wife.
October 2, 2009
(Friday)
Yesterday into early this morning I worked as a clerical worker and as a stand-in on Episode 11006 ("Spooked") of the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
From Friday to Friday, October 2-9, my web host will be making upgrades to their servers. They've asked that I not make any changes to my website in that time.
Therefore, I won't be updating you on my acting career over this next week. However, I will post my news from this week retroactively, soon after the upgrade is complete.
See you soon!
Ben :)