Friday, February 1, 2013

Insane Ideas Update

Remember my insane idea from last October? Yah, me neither...well, no...I remember it quite well which is why I'm writing an update to it.

My hip still isn't where it needs to be to run. Late November, I resumed a very light running schedule under Aracely's supervision. It was going ok. We were meeting twice a week to do core and pelvic strengthening while I started to integrate short runs. My core strength improved dramatically--I stand much taller because of it.

I had my setback in December during a scheduled "longer" run. I had already procrastinated on going out because of the rainfall but convinced myself to go out the next day (I didn't want to fall behind). I felt myself hunching over from the cold. My form was all over the place and I couldn't correct it. In less than a mile and a half my hip started to hurt intensely. I walked it in and wrote Aracely a note. She agreed that I needed to stop running until my pain subsided.

But after three weeks off running my hip was still troubling me. I was getting frustrated. After one excruciating strength class I couldn't handle the pain. After an emotional exchange, Aracely and I agreed to hold off on training until I had a doctor examine me thoroughly.

The verdict? I wasn't strong enough in one muscle group to resume running. I need to take an even more gradual approach to building my strength starting with seeing the PT exclusively until the weakness balances out.

I'm glad its not a tear, break or something worse. Still, I'm astounded that its taking so long to build strength in this one area. Everything else is strong.

During all this I really struggled with the thought of quitting--quitting training, running, my marathon goal and everything that had to do with it. I haven't quit but I cannot think of anything in my life that has gone as slowly as this.

I wanted a triumphant comeback. I wanted in the space of four months to resolve my strength issues, redeem myself as a runner and also conquer the surfing thing. My story is more like "The Little Snail That Keeps Creeping Along".

So for now Nicaragua is on hold (although Aracely just wrote me to tell me the dates have been set, the tshirts at the printers etc). She is waiting for me to come back. To be her student and to finish what I started.


I'm turning 46 this month--where will I be at 47 if I give up now?


I've taken up longboarding to stand in for surfing. I carve around my neighborhood blacktop and think of warm Pacific water. I have a pile of Runner's World magazines waiting for me to read them. I will pick them up...I just need to feel a little less insulted by my body.

1 comment:

  1. I don't think it is called giving up. It feels like it is more that there is a door waiting for you to open... I think swimming is really therapeutic along the lines of longboarding, too. And super kick ass exercise.

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