Almost Run
January 9, 2008 by Bryon Powell · 10 Comments
Last night I went for a 5 miler jaunt and it almost felt like I was running. I was still slow and I probably sucked more air than a Dyson. However, my legs were a bit less heavy, the trailer I’m towing now weighs 1 ton instead of 20 tons, and my legs didn’t feel like a drunk sailor’s when out at sea. In other words, it was almost smooth, I didn’t want to stop to walk, and I conceivably could have run more. Maybe tonight I’ll throw in some “hills.” By hills, I mean a series of 30-50 foot climbs in the North Arlington neighborhoods. I’ve been avoiding them so as not to injure or over fatigue myself. I’m hoping that short and easy, but consistent runs has me feeling better and like a runner soon.
On the “injury” front. As normal, I’m experiencing some pain in my right hip. I often get this pain as I first start to train or ramp my mileage up. It usually goes away as I train more. Though not unheard of, it’s much less common for my hip to hurt when I’m pounding out major mileage. I hypothesize that even if the injury is some sort of bursitis or something equally unpleasant, it’s caused when my support muscles are inadequate. Therefore, as my support muscles catch up to my training level, the injury subsides. Does this make sense? Loomdog?
On a more pleasant note, for the first time in a while I’ve been running without a heel lift for my Achilles tendinitis. Sometime in early December I stopped wearing a heel lift in my non-running shoes and now have discontinued using one when running. Eight runs in and still a-okey.
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- Waiting, Impatiently Ok, I took yesterday off completely from running and intend to do the same today. If I have as little pain today as I had yesterday, I will try running...
- The Week of December 11 – 17, 2006 Synopsis of Week’s Training: After a hard Sunday in the mountains I took Monday off to rest some moderately sore quads. Tuesday was an easy 5 (part with Drew). Wednesday...
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Bryon Powell is the Editor-in-Chief of iRunFar.com, which he founded five years ago. Also the author of Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons and a contributing editor at Trail Runner magazine, he's quickly approaching 10 years as an ultrarunner and 20 years as a trail runner. These days he calls Park City, Utah and its trails home.
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I have had bouts with plantar fascitis (sp) that sound similar to your hip. The more you stretch and loosen it up, the better. The pain actually comes from it being too tight.
When I quit running late at night and going right to bed (where it would tighten up all night) and by stretching more at various times of the day in addition to before/after running, it all but went away.
Don’t know if that will help.
Awesom to see that you are getting back into it. Run on up here to NY and we can hit some trails together !
Tony
Goat, I would agreee with Brett…the tightness could be causing the pain and more running means more stretched out. Especially a hip where one spends the majority of the day sitting and thus the hip flexors are ina shortened position. Try stretching more throughout the day. (a mandatory stretch break between each billable hour)
Something to think about is having two work stations (one sitting and one standing) Justice Lemons does all his writing at a stand up desk, so does former RR 100 and Hardrock champ Blake Wood…and Rumsfeld…but maybe he no longer works!??
Good to see you running again. Red blood cell maturation takes 20 days so those cells created during the first week of rest are soon to be working at optimum level.
good luck!
another thing to consider is what I am doing again now…a day on day off schedule where I run 10-15 / 0 / 10-15. rather than 7-8 everyday. I sure do feel better.
Keep me posted on the heel..I have some ideas for you.
Keep on inspiring us all.
Lisa
I have hip pain also. I just started ART (active release technique). I don’t know about you, but stretching is something I don’t do enough of!! Hope your running keeps getting better.
Brett, Loomdog, and Kelly,
I guess it’s time to figure out how to stretch my hip… besides that I should stretch more.
Loomdog,
For years I’ve yearned fora standing desk. Damn, I should have taken the bigger office when they offered it to me. Next time. Sometimes I go stand anywhere there’s a high counter to read.
I hope those red blood cells are gonna get to it soon. Actually, I’m feeling much better… not hard considering how shitty I felt for so long. ;-) I’m feeling improvement every few days.
Re on/off training, I’m certainly not opposed to it. Actually, I’ve had some really good stretches when my training was more along those lines – either with complete off rest days or easy 5 miler type rest days. However, I find that when I restart training I do much better with an every day (or pretty darn close) approach. I have trouble getting through these times and do better if I have to go out every day. It’s just what I’ve found works for me and my personality. I just hit Day 14 – I’ll probably try to roll through another week or two.
Lisa,
I’ll let you know if my heel flares up again – 14 days and no problems so far. Woohoo!
Goat, wake up and post!!!
*Snaps out of it*
Alright, alright, Olga. I’ll try and post tonight. I’ve been meaning to post, even if just about my slow but steady comeback.