Mysterious Bruising

For my last long training run, I had planned an easy 8 mile run along De Anza. On Friday night though, as I was using the Stick on the outer part of my right shin, I felt a weird aching on the front part of my shin that is over the bone. I noticed a tiny pin-head sized knot poking out of my skin too. It hurt when I rubbed it with my finger. Curious indeed. I woke up on Saturday morning with a 3-4 inch long bruise on the front of my right shin (the part that was hurting the night before but that I did not even use the stick on...) and it glowed an unflattering shade of red. Sigh. After 12 weeks of adjusting my training, paying out of pocket for a sports chiropractor, diligently doing PT exercises and stretches and eating various foods and taking supplements to reduce muscle inflamation...and I end up with a large, unexplained bruise on my right leg. I felt like my body was slapping me in my own face (err, leg?) and trying to tell me that I am not meant to be a distance runner. So I ran a very uncomfortable, painful, slow, and sweaty (omg hottest weekend in SD in ages) 5.00 mile run at my favorite spot, De Anza Cove. I asked a few of my friends that are more experienced runners about my shin bruise...and I think I busted some capillaries in my leg. I'm going to just do runs on the Elliptical machine and yoga this week and see what happens at the race...