Injuries: The Facts of (a Runner's) Life

I've seen signs of the approaching season popping up everywhere lately.

No, I'm not talking about spring - I'm talking about spring marathon season.

What signs, you ask?

Well, there's the billboard for Cox Rhode Races on Route 95 in Providence that I drive by often. I'm receiving a higher volume of running gear discounts and road race reminders in my inbox. And I see more and more runners wearing hydration systems in order to take in enough fluids during longer runs.

It's the time of year when marathon chatter reaches fever pitch among runners - topics like weekly running mileage, diet and nutrition, and goal times are hot topics.

I will be encountering these signs and finding myself among these conversations for the next few months, as spring marathon season stretches from March to June.

This year, these signs and topics are making me both excited and discouraged - excited because in April, and I know from running it last year that it's an amazing experience; and discouraged because the marathon is only eight weeks away and , so I'm not sure I can run it.

I had an MRI on my hip last week, and the results showed a labral tear, which is an injury to the cartilage in the hip joint.

While this isn't something that puts a definitive end to my Boston Marathon training, I did lose some key training weeks while I rested my hip waiting to get to the bottom of my pain.

My orthopedic surgeon didn't tell me I have to stop running, but he was candid in the fact that my pain threshold and susceptibility to injury will have to dictate the extent of my training from here on out.

And that's hard to take.

In fact, I'm finding that injuries can be just as tough to deal with mentally as they are physically.

I know many people who are training for spring marathons this year, including my boyfriend Brian and my mom. For the last few weeks, as I've rested my hip, I've felt so out of the loop when they've talked about their training.

Just today, Brian went out for a 20-mile run and I found myself so envious of him; of his ability to just go for a run without pain.

I know injuries are to be expected during the course of a runner's career. I know that many runners overcome injuries and come back just as strong, if not stronger.

I get that.

It's just difficult to be in the midst of it all, my mind more than ready to jump back in the game - but unsure whether my body feels similarly.

I will have to pay attention to different kinds of signs than I'm used to this marathon season; namely, the ones my body is sending me as I return to running.

I will let you know how it goes.

One thing's for sure: I'm going to have to get familiar with the words "slow" and "steady."

Have I menioned that patience is not one of my virtures?