Two miles into an eighteen mile run and my gut flared up in acute pain. I have been sick with the flu the week preceding that run.
I was forced to do something I've never done before. I stopped my run and walked back to the car. In excruciating pain, I was limping back the place where our training group started. My left side throbbed and I was certain that I was going to die on the Capital City Trail. My appendix had burst or my liver was finally giving into all those harsh days of drinking. Who was to call emergency vehicles for me? Who would be there to hear me whisper my last words?
Sarah jogged by me with another girl, "Steve you ok?"
I look up and smile, "Yea, I'm fine."
OK, maybe I won't die but it's a hard walk. Just get me back to the car and I would be fine. After twenty-five minutes of walking, I made it to the car. I thought that I would wait for my good friend Stephanie to finish her run and she would take me to an urgent treatment center or the ER. I squeezed me eyes shut in the acute pain. I sat in the car and listened to music. She would arrive in about ten minutes and she would be able to help.
Five minutes pass and I think, "I can drive home." I start the car and drive home grunting in sharp sticks of pain to my left gut.
The coughing fits from the past few days had made some mild pain along my left side but never this bad. I came home to have Jeni help me assess the pain. We knew only two things: it wasn't the appendix and I needed ibuprofen since it felt muscle-oriented.
Browsing through Walgreen's on a Sunday morning in running shorts, I held my gut and browsed the pain relievers. I also found an ice pack that I could strap to my stomach. Got home and downed 600mg of Ibuprofen and strapped on an ice pack while I laid on the couch. This seemed to take the 'edge' off whatever pain this was.
I called Lauf who had an acute knowledge of the injured body. That is a valuable friend to have. She listened to what had transpired up until the pain. She suggested continuing on that regiment but also including some abdominal stretches on a stability ball for two or three times a day.
My rib muscles got injured. There's no treatment--only rest and rehab. I believe my running is out of commission for the next two weeks. I have an annual exam next week with my G.P. and if it's not better by that point, I will have to look into serious help for my ribs.
It's always the stupid stuff that mess up training.