Friday, September 17, 2010

Should have listened....

So, this year started off with me having a busy career, three crazy kids, and a challenge to run or participate in 24 official events (5k's, 10k's, bike rides, etc - basically, if they are giving you a number and a t-shirt, it counts).   And in terms of "then I was here"...my here is at the beginning of this challenge and I am so looking forward to it being at the end of this challenge.

In the first four months, I ran 13 races.  I did five 5k's, six 10k's, and two 1/2 marathons.  For the most part, I was injury free.  A little tug here.  A little tug there, but very happy to have set some PR's and for the 13 new shirts in my wardrobe.

In April, I started to feel the weirdest tugs.  It went from my lower back on the right side to the left pelvic bone/hip flexor area and then to the deep part of my groin (btw, groin is a FUNNY word and I try to avoid it!).  It wasn't so bad that I couldn't run, but for a day or two afterwards, I felt old and sore and tight.  And I kept on running.  One morning, I woke up bright and early to do a quick 5-mile run with a neighbor.  We did hills.  We did lots and lots of hills.  Hills are good.  Those hills, that day, were not my friends.  My hip hurt so badly that I didn't run for a couple of days.  I tried again the next week, but it was shorter, less hills and the same result.

Fast forward through a summer of rest and recovery.  Not my style to take an entire summer off, but I plan to run forever, not just the next big race, so I took some time off.  It worked out well.  I was super busy quitting my job and being a mom full time.  And the extreme heat and humidity of this summer made it a tiny bit easier to get over the anxiety of missing my runs.  I did my own version of physical therapy.  Plenty of rest but also plenty of strengthening the muscles around it.   I even bought those Sketcher tone up shoes to help balance out the muscles in the front and back of my legs. This had to work.....or so I thought.

In August I resumed my running routine.  I have a lot of fall races lined up (at least the necessary 11).  The first couple of runs went well.  No pain at all during the run and a moderate amount later.  All was manageable until I played tennis for a couple of hours with my oldest daughter and followed that up with the U.S. 10k Classic.  This race is almost straight uphill.  I made it up the hill with little pain in my hip, but with a time just under 59 minutes.  This is about 6 minutes longer than my average 10k.  And the next day, I could hardly move.  Time to face facts.  Whatever it is, it isn't fixing itself.  I gave in and scheduled an appointment with an orthopaedic doctor.  He clucked at me and told me I have likely torn my iliopsoas tendon or muscle and I am having a special MRI next week to determine the injury and the treatment.  It may require surgery.  Of course I asked if I could still run.  He said someday.  I said which day?  He shook his head and said let's wait for the MRI.

The MRI is next week.  I see him the next week.  I am considering  running a 5k tomorrow.  I plan to do it quickly and with as much intent and focus as I can draw upon.  I am sure he would not approve. but he did not tell me I cannot run.  Only that I should do something with less banging.

So, I say to myself...then I was here...a runner.  A fit, fun, happy mom who runs to strengthen my mind and body.  It is ironic that the activity I choose to make me stronger has made me weaker.  Here is a weird place to be.