See, I'm young, I'm hip...unless of course it isn't cool to talk like that anymore, probably not. Oh well, I'm being real, right? I'm really not that cool.
So, I hurt my leg. It was about 3.5 weeks ago. I did it in a weight lifting class I do for some cross training. Pretty sure I strained my groin muscle. I don't think it was pulled because I didn't hear a "pop", it just started hurting really bad when I went to run the next day. Well, being the elite athlete I was attempting to become, I pushed through the pain.
For a week.
I ran 9 miles the following Saturday.
Bad idea.
When it finally got through my thick skull that this wasn't going to just miraculously go away I decided to take a few days off. After a few days it wasn't any better. I got new shoes from a running specialty store and found out that my left leg pronates in. This is the leg I am having problems with. I got some shoes to correct that. I then talked to my dad, who knows everything, about it. His excellent medical advice was to take ibuprofen every 8 hours, heat it up before exercise and ice it after. I continued working out on the eliptical machine because that doesn't hurt it at all. I was very diligent with the meds, heat, and ice. My leg was feeling so much better after a week that I decided to try running last Saturday. I was just going to pick up where I was supposed to be that week. 7 miles. Easy, right?
Wrong.
My leg immediately started hurting again. But I didn't stop. I thought that it just needed to warm up. Will I never learn?? I ran the full 7 miles. Boy golly did my leg hurt the next day.
So then the doubt started creeping into my fragile confidence. Was I crazy to think that I could push myself like this? A marathon? Really?! I'm no athlete, by any stretch. The minute it starts getting too tough, can my body really not handle it? Maybe I should just shoot for the half marathon in May, and try another marathon later in the year. I discussed this on and online board for runners. I got a lot of support, a lot of advice. I was reminded that people often get injured and have to take time off. You just have to adjust your training schedule and press on. So that is what I am going to do. I have been continuing with the eliptical machine this week and my leg feels okay. I'm hoping it will be well enough to run next week. We shall see. But I will press on! Windermere Marathon 2010, here I come!
13 comments:
Oh, injuries. They're the pitfalls of training. It is hard because you have worked up to such a level that you worry taking a little time off to heal an injury will set you back. It might a little, but it is so worth it to get healthy quicker than to really injure yourself and not be able to run either of those races. Listen to your body. If it's hurting, it's saying something! I am proud of you for continuing and doing all you can. Be smart and you'll be there running a race in no time. You go girl!
You are an athlete, a real one. You ARE cool and you are amazing. Marathon... Half Marathon, 5 K... going to the gym every day. You amaze me any which way. Be careful and listen to your body ;-) but keep going for your goal.
i was on the easy glide this morning too. the dude beside me kept staring at my screen to see what speed or something i was doing. AND he passed gas while gliding along side of me. horrible horrible horrible. i had no where to go for my little jaunt. here's to warmer weather and hopes that you heal quickly. REAL quickly!
Bec, you should think more about your shoes. When I was training for my marathon, I bought specialty shoes and I think they ended up causing me knee problems. When I went back to regular shoes (with orthodics), I didn't have any problems. I'm not sure the shoe store people really know how to tell you what you need. Anyhow, hope it gets better!
That is interesting Les, because I got these new shoes to correct the pronation on my left leg, so they are built up a little on the inside. But when I was running last Saturday my left hip started really hurting. I was wondering if my new shoes just put my hip in a position it wasn't used to. I do put my orthodics in my shoes though. I did need new shoes, though, my other ones were really old.
Oh no! I am pretty sure that I had the exact same injury a few years ago. It seriously took FOREVER to heal. I am hoping that you heal a lot faster than I did. It really started bothering me again when I was about 8 months pregnant but went away after I had the baby. So weird. Anyway, hang in there! Shoes make a HUGE difference so if your new ones are still making your hip hurt you should try something different. Ugh, injuries are the worst. Take it easy. I am sending quick healing thoughts your way!
Yes, yes, you can do this!! This is why you spend many months training! So when you have little setbacks, you can afford to take a little time off and it's still okay! You've still got almost 3 months! Give yourself a break and don't feel guilty about it or like you won't get your groove back. You will.
I just thought of something I should have mentioned sooner - when you went to the running specialty store, did they fit you into new shoes while you were wearing your orthotics? The orthotics help to correct a little if you pronate, so the shoes could be over-correcting if you didn't have them at the store. I've always just worn neutral shoes with my orthotics, but I pronate too. So once I got some shoes for pronators because I figured I needed them...bad idea. If this is the case, you don't have to buy new shoes. Ask dad about adjusting them with duct tape. Totally works.
Becky,
Abby is probably right about your left hip problem: orthotics + pronator shoes may be tipping you out too much, especially if you're leaving the stock insole under the orthotic. The solution: take out the stock insole and add several 1" layers (maybe 10) of duct tape to the outside bottom edge of your left orthotic. This will tip you back in a little. If it is too much, gradually peel off layers of tape until it is about right. For the right adductor muscle (groin,) try gently stretching it every day, especially before and after activity. This will prevent tension and reinjury. Do long, sustained stretches, 30 seconds to a minute for each repetition, with at least 10 reps each time.
Your orthotics by the way are intrinsically designed to control the pronation in your foot, assuming they are sitting on a flat surface (parallel to the ground.) Replace the stock insole of your shoe with the orthotic. Stacking them together in the shoe may be too much. Anti-pronator shoes without the insole probably have a flat bed (parallel to the ground,) but have denser, less compressible midsole material on the medial side, which slows pronation forces. As long as they're flat inside, they will work with your orthotic, but get rid of the stock insole. Keep me posted on how it's doing.
Dad
You know what you need -- a good osteopath. Seriously, it would help. Find a DO who does manipulation.
I figured out a cool connection. You have a friend named Palfreyman. I have a friend named Palfreyman. He's from Boise. I think your friend is his sister-in-law. I went to both of their blogs and there is a link for each other's blog. I'm going to ask him tomorrow.
Colin, just a regular DO who does manipulation? Do I just call around and ask? That's cool about our little connection, it's a small world!
Good for you. I'm training for a 5K (which seems so small and sad next to your marathon training) but for me - it might as well be 21 miles.
My body is NOT used to all of this jostling around and my legs are not happy about having to support all of my chub. But I've gotta try, ya know?
Find one who advertises it.
Check out this guy
http://www.drdonwilliams.com/index.html
Colin
Post a Comment