Part 1: Running a marathon while injured

Whether you’re training for something or not, enduring an injury is never fun. Unfortunately, I have had two experiences involving injury woes prior to running full marathons.

Photo: Farah Jadran in Chicago after completing her first full marathon.

On Oct. 9, 2011, I ran my first full marathon, the Chicago Marathon. While it was (and still is) a great experience because it was my first one, I ran it injured. Have you ever had someone step on your big toe’s nail with a high heel? I have… Twenty-two days out from my marathon the unthinkable happened. My nail on my left big toe was shattered. That was not even the worst part. 

The pain and constant bleeding of my left foot caused a compensation pain to move up my shin, to my knee and finally, my hip. I ran through the pain for the final weeks of training because I didn’t want to look back now, I was so close to the big day.

On the morning of the marathon, I woke up with a stiff left hip and shin, but also I was very fearful. Was I really going to run 26.2 miles when I could barely walk? Yes.

I had spent more than three months training for this race, so there was no way around it, but running through it. I managed to make it through every mile although the pain was increasing with every step. Each stride had a sharp pain and every foot strike was harder than the last. No matter what, I started to remember how I had not been able to run for years prior due to a bout with a cancer. Recovering from surgery and therapy was tough, but this was something that I had wanted for many years. And being in the moment, I was not going to let it pass me by.

I managed to run the entire marathon. I had not planned on walking but stopping had crossed my mind numerous times because of my injuries. However, I also knew that if I stopped, starting up again would be very painful!

I finished this marathon in 3:51:40. I finished 6,691 out of 35,755 runners and I was 1,463 out of 15,471 women. I was thrilled to finish in this fashion when I wasn't sure I would finish the entire time.

It’s a beautiful feeling to know that you can overcome something that seems cut and dry. In simple terms, I should not have been able to even complete half the marathon. And while it’s been said too many times and might sound overdone, your mind is stronger than your body, it is true. But in this case, my heart and soul also are stronger than my body. That strength is still true to this day.

The following year, I ran the 2012 Chicago Marathon and I ran it uninjured. I trained to run and finish comfortably, so there were no speed workouts or major training plans during my 17 weeks of training. No matter, I ran a 3:44:04. Any runner knows that running a PR without focused training means you’re capable of even faster times.

More on marathon No. 3 and running my first half-marathon are yet to come…

Until my next post, be beautiful and genuine ― in other words, be you!