Dry Martini: The Future’s Bright

Here is the lesson 2021 has taught me (so far): if you are going to have an injury, February is the best time to do it because the weather outside is terrible for running. Go ahead and pencil that into your schedule for 2022.

Your mileage, of course, may vary. Those who live in the Southeastern U.S. currently have the best running weather. I reckon that the Pacific Northwest is tolerable right now. Those in the Southern Hemisphere are likely enjoying a decent autumn. But here? Fuhgedaboutit.

In other years, I’ve been able to avoid the snow, ice, and sub-zero wind by making use of our campus’ indoor track. Running a bazillion circles in a stinky gym isn’t the most fun ever, breaking my butt by slipping on the sidewalk is even less of a good time. COVID precautions have taken the indoor track option off of the table this year, which is fine because my butt was not cooperative anyway.

Note my use of “was” in that last sentence. After six weeks of physical therapy, during which I earned an A++ in compliance, my PT told me I had graduated. “Graduated” is not the same as “good as new,” mind. I just didn’t have to show up to do exercises in front of him and can, instead, do them at home in my jammies.

The first two weeks of February weren’t great, running-wise. They also weren’t great mental health-wise but that isn’t a new problem. February is hard. The sun sets at 4:30 p.m. and seems to never really rise. Under the best of circumstance, leaving your house is problematic. Most years I cope by having a race on the schedule somewhere — last year’s was the WMNRun Hilton Head Half — but the first six months of 2021 are barren. Which is ideal, I guess, because I couldn’t really train. And, you know, the pandemic.

At the start of the month, I started to wonder if my lower back and left leg would ever not hurt. Yes, there were moments when I thought I’d turned a corner. They were only moments, though, and passed as quickly as Des Linden in a marathon. I ran when I could but the weather stopped me as often as the owies.

Mid-month, a miracle occurred. 

One afternoon, I literally limped into the PT’s office. He asked me how I felt about the wonders of modern technology. Shortly after I said, “fine, I guess?” I was face-down on a massage table with a TENS unit and a giant heating pad slapped on my back. 

For those like me who knew nothing of the wonder of the TENS, it stands for “transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation,” which is a long way to say “amazeballs.” After 15 minutes gently electrocuting my left glute, I felt almost … normal. I would have gone on a celebratory run had we not been in the middle of a nor’easter. Still, it was nice to be able to sit and stretch and sip hot cocoa without continuously shifting around to find a comfy spot.

Two weeks later, I felt good enough to plan for my running future. I would not have predicted such a thing was possible just a few weeks previous.

I’m back on the training train and have a late June half marathon as my destination station. My only goals for the race are to start and finish. I’d like to not feel like hot garbage at the end but am willing to let that dream go — not because I don’t think it’s important but because I generally feel like hot garbage after a race and I’ve accepted it as my default. Still, it’s good to dream.

We remain firmly in winter’s grip, which means I’ll need to be flexible for most of March and April (and some of May, frankly). But now that I have a goal and the sun is slowly coming back, I’m feeling more like myself. I bought myself a TENS unit (getting older is so sexy) and slap on the electrodes maybe once a week. Even if the benefit is only in my brain, I’ll take it. 

How was February wherever you are?
Are you doing your best running or is it best when you can run at all?

Adrienne Martini writes about more than running. Her most recent book is Somebody’s Gotta Do It: Why Cursing at the News Won’t Save the Nation but Your Name on a Local Ballot Can.