After resting for two straight days because of a strained neck, I couldn’t wait to get on the treadmill at The Village and run for an hour. My neck is not completely back to normal yet but a little blood flowing through my body is not going to hurt anything!
I spoke to Binita and did a bit of research on the Internet (I know, I know, it can be false info on the Internet but I tried looking at authentic websites like WebMD.com). I seem to have a strained Sternocleidomastoid muscle (aka and SCM muscle). It all started in my lower neck but I can feel it in my lower jaw, around my ear and even a bit in my left temple. The red squares are where I felt the dull stretchy hurt for the past few days. Anyway, it seems all good now. No harm, no foul!
The 7.2 miles felt easy. I was running at sub-marathon-pace and paying attention to any signs of weakness in my neck. I was careful to regulate my heartrate below 142 and my pace no faster than 8-minute-mile. Overall, I felt good. The neck pain is just about gone. I will most likely be able to race on Sunday.