Fear and Trembling and ... Massage?

I forgot to mention that during the infamous 18 Mile Screw Up run last weekend, I was confronted with this guy who was not racing, but running in the park, in the opposite direction, and so crossed paths with me a couple of times. He looked like a hard-core runner, and as we ran past each other, he would look in my face and say "no pain, no pain." It was great, and helpful to hear, but there was pain. Pain and soreness and exhaustion and fear. Fear of getting too injured to go on, fear of not finishing. Fear that on November 1st, I wouldn't have it in me. This is ok, I tell myself. Even Kara Goucher was afraid of the marathon. She says she is still intimidated by the distance.

Most everyone I know who is training for the NYC Marathon right now is injured. Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ITBS, PFPS, and my biggest fear of all: stress fractures. I mean really, is there anything more horrifying than the fact that prolonged stretches of distance running can cause your bones to literally fracture?! I saw some guy running last weekend who had that funky kinesio taping over 90% of his legs. Because at this point, come on, who wants to default to next year? We have come so far, this has to happen!!!

There is a lot you can do as a runner to prevent injury, and so aside from the ice baths, speed, hill, and distance runs, I have a weekly injury prevention session that is a little less painful. Massage! Now, the only way I can really afford a weekly massage is because I go to this Chinese $1 a minute place in my neighborhood. You should have seen the look on their faces Monday night when my hour massage was over and I presented them with my full punch card (after 10 massages you get one free). They did not even try to disguise their displeasure.