Strain, sprain, self-pity — injury gets whine in motion

The best part of being injured is that I don't have to feel guilty about not sticking to my training schedule.

The worst part, however, is that I'm not sticking to my training schedule — AND in seven weeks, I'll be running my favorite race — the Wasatch Back Relay.

And while I relish the this-isn't-a-race-it's-a-mobile-party atmosphere of the first of the Ragnar Relay races, it is, like any great race, a significant physical challenge.

My teammates and I are still haggling over which legs we're running, but no matter what my assignment there is one thing that is certain. If I don't train consistently, that party will be a whole lot more painful.

So what to do when you can't do much?

(And, just an observation, isn't it funny how injuries exponentially increase one's ability to complain!)

First, the injury: I strained my left quad pretty seriously and slightly strained my right quad.

In need of a laugh? I strained it chasing down a softball to throw out a runner who'd already crossed home plate. I wear my running shoes when I play because, well, I keep thinking that I don't want to invest in cleats until I'm good enough to justify the 30 or 40 bucks.

Which, one of my teammates pointed out, probably would have saved me from sliding across the dirt in a squat and hurting myself in the first place. (But I still wouldn't have managed to get the ball to home plate in time.)

With the change in our insurance deductibles, I opted to seek help from other runners and the Internet. Always sound advice on the Web, right?

Actually, I chose to go with the R.I.C.E. treatment suggestions (rest, ice, compression and elevation), and six days later, I am almost pain free. I am, however, terrified that I will push too hard and end up far from home (and my ibuprofen) writhing in pain on some deserted trail.

The interesting thing about injuries is that they are discouraging as well as debilitating. So while I could have done push-ups or an upper body workout last week, I didn't even attempt that until Monday.

I did some yoga — a week after the injury — and some push-ups and dips.

Tuesday, I went swimming and, while I felt some twinges of pain, I got a great workout.

The dilemma with working out when you feel that bit of pain is deciding what kind of message it is. Is my leg signaling that if I don't stop I'm going to have a nagging injury that will hamper my summer fun?