I’ve had on and off mild nagging hamstring soreness since last November after my PR in the Trenton half marathon just 6 days after finishing the NYC Marathon. It tends to appear after runs longer than 10 miles. And it lasts a few days. Ironically my groin pain never appears at the same time. They graciously alternate flare ups =)

I worked from home today and stayed off my feet as much as possible, iced and elevated the leg and wore compression shorts under my jeans. I’m definitely skipping tomorrow’s run and i’ll see if i’m feeling ok on Thursday.

The NYC Half marathon is in less than 2 weeks, the day before St. Patrick’s day and I’m actually running an extra 5 miles to make it an 18 mile training run so I have to get the O’Hammy healed in time, or else I’ll be crying in my green beer.

ohammysally

wishing on a pot-o-gold for fast healing!

greenbeer

no tears in the beer!

Duncan’s excited for green beer biscuits too

odoodles

green biscuit please!

OK, now on to some big props to a girl I met last February. Her name is Leah and she’s an amazing marathoner. We both were part of a Dicks Sporting Goods photo shoot for National Runner’s Month.

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I didn’t know much about her when we first met other than she lived in Little Rock and worked at a running store. We got to talking because I was running the Little Rock half marathon a few weeks later and she was telling me all about the marathon/half marathon course and the crazy big medals they give out. A week later I received my handbook in the mail and there on page 4 was a list of previous winners. Ahem, miss Leah held the title of top female for 4 years and I saw she’d be running it again. So after finishing my half I went to the finish line to hopefully catch her finish but as time went on I knew something seemed wrong. Unfortunately she tore a hamstring and had to drop back to the half and not complete the full. She then went on to have surgery to repair the leg. I followed her recovery through Facebook. Always with the most amazing sense of humor and optimism. She posted photos of her tricked out crutches and how she managed to get around in those first few weeks via her “wheels”. Well just yesterday I’m happy to say she came back to claim her title and finished top female at the Little Rock Marathon for the 5th time. It was 30 degrees and freezing rain and she still pulled out a 2:42 (she set a course PR of of 2:37 in 2012). And today she announced she was asked to run with the elite women at the Boston Marathon. I am so grateful to have met her and will always be in awe of her great, fun personality and her amazing athletic talent. Oh, and instead of her name printed on her bib she had them put Frankenbooty (I’m guessing that’s because she’s got scars from her surgery).

Go Leah! (photo: Little Rock Marathon Facebook)

Go Leah! (photo: Little Rock Marathon Facebook)

So now I’m going to watch some mindless T.V. and ice the hamstring a bit.

Happy Monday!

Question: Any plans for St. Patricks Day? Does anyone know where I can get myself a Pot-O-Gold? Any suggestions for healing a hamstring strain?