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.