I only went and did it!
Hurrah! Faced with the prospect of hanging around for 6 hours whilst my friends all ran a marathon in the sunshine I investigated how I would get back to the start line when I had run as far as a could.
When I found out that I could stop at a water station, and there were water stations every 3miles along the course I decided that I could toddle off to the start, - be part of the race and get a 3 or 6 mile run in - since it was beautiful sunny weather.
I reached the water station at 3miles, then 6miles, then 9miles, then at 10miles I figured I would probably make a half marathon and was pleased with that. At 13.1miles I figured I could probably do another 3miles and after making it that far I realised that if I could get to the 20mile mark I could make it to the finish line.
It wasn't pain free, but as long as I took it gingerly down the hills my hip and leg seemed to be happy to just keep running. I didn't dare take a step of a walk in case I didn't get running again though. The final stretch was a great big uphill (which was a relief as the downhill sections were so much more uncomfortable and risky for me) then a long downhill to the finish. So close and yet moving quite slow at this point and my leg became harder and harder to bear weight on. I'd already been running for 4 and half hours at this point and this finish line just wouldn't arrive.
I hobbled down the hill and finished looking like a limpy thing rather than an athlete but I had finished!!! I had made my target of running a marathon 6months post FAI op. I was thrilled and I couldn't believe it. In a time of 4.49 which I was pleased with at the end of the day.
My final thoughts is that it is indeed possible to run a marathon 6months after my hip arthroscopy but I wouldn't recommend it :) A year after would be a much more sensible amount of time. Half marathon distances were no problem however!
My hip muscles and joint are pretty sore now and its going to take a few weeks of TLC to get them healed and healthy. I'm thrilled with the achievement of running the race and keen now to do lots of biking and leave out the impact for a month!!
Wednesday 21 April 2010
Monday 29 March 2010
Hip imposing limit on mileage ;(
Well I nearly made it. On my 18mile run I started to feel my knee on my operated side especially going down hill. This happened at about 14 miles and by mile 15 I could run onto the leg without it feeling like it was going to give way. I called Alan, my wonderful hubby to come rescue me and went home in a bit of a sulk. I had only been a mere 3 miles off a successful session.
I rested it for a week and a half and got some chiro and some rolfing. I would have killed for a good sports massage but short of an outer body experience that wasn't going to happen. My hamstring was tight and I focussed on that as the problem source.
I tried out a run for 12 mins and found that was fine, so I did a 4 mile run and that was fine too. Encouraged I set out on my final long run of 20miles with some friends in tow - for the first part at least. I had picked a very beautiful and interesting - but fairly tough route around the reservoirs near Harrogate. I could feel my knee progressively more troublesome throughout the run. At 10miles my leg started to fail me and feel like it was giving way again. Gutted, I walked 2 miles back to the car and consoled myself with a Sunday lunch.
The interesting thing was that once I'd got home and showered it wasn't my knee that hurt in the slightest, but I could really feel my groin/hip, every time I loaded the leg - even while walking. And I realised that the whole time it had been my poor hip that had been getting inflammed with the high mileage.
So the marathon is off the agenda. I may well do the half marathon on the day depending on how the next couple of weeks go, or I could just be chief supporter and camera woman as my hubby does the race. I will see Louise the physio tomorrow and she will be able to tell me if its just inflammation or whether there is something else going on. Fingers crossed for diagnosis of inflammation and solution of resting!
Disappointed about the marathon but it was always going to be a challenge and I really didn't get far off it. I've got lots more races I can do this year for triathlon and some 10K races etc. Maybe I'll try another marathon later in the year, or next year. There's still that Ironman to work up to, but just need to respect what my body is telling me right now, and that is that 26miles is just a bit too far for now.
I rested it for a week and a half and got some chiro and some rolfing. I would have killed for a good sports massage but short of an outer body experience that wasn't going to happen. My hamstring was tight and I focussed on that as the problem source.
I tried out a run for 12 mins and found that was fine, so I did a 4 mile run and that was fine too. Encouraged I set out on my final long run of 20miles with some friends in tow - for the first part at least. I had picked a very beautiful and interesting - but fairly tough route around the reservoirs near Harrogate. I could feel my knee progressively more troublesome throughout the run. At 10miles my leg started to fail me and feel like it was giving way again. Gutted, I walked 2 miles back to the car and consoled myself with a Sunday lunch.
The interesting thing was that once I'd got home and showered it wasn't my knee that hurt in the slightest, but I could really feel my groin/hip, every time I loaded the leg - even while walking. And I realised that the whole time it had been my poor hip that had been getting inflammed with the high mileage.
So the marathon is off the agenda. I may well do the half marathon on the day depending on how the next couple of weeks go, or I could just be chief supporter and camera woman as my hubby does the race. I will see Louise the physio tomorrow and she will be able to tell me if its just inflammation or whether there is something else going on. Fingers crossed for diagnosis of inflammation and solution of resting!
Disappointed about the marathon but it was always going to be a challenge and I really didn't get far off it. I've got lots more races I can do this year for triathlon and some 10K races etc. Maybe I'll try another marathon later in the year, or next year. There's still that Ironman to work up to, but just need to respect what my body is telling me right now, and that is that 26miles is just a bit too far for now.
Sunday 28 February 2010
6 weeks til marathon day
My plan to keep this recovery well blogged has not been good. I'm coming up to 5months post op now.
Fortunately that is largely to do with being able to train well and because I've been really really busy at work - and the best bit - coping with it.
Prior to surgery my groin, SIJ, back etc etc would get so tired and I would be very limited to how much work I could do. Now I can do much more and suffer much less afterwards.
Training is going well. Slight shin splint niggle on the right (operated) side - because my function isn't perfect yet on that side. Hoping I can get through a 2 hour run today OK. I've already run 3hours last week and will go for 3.5hrs next Sunday. Following that I will do an easy 10 and then a final long run of 20-22miles (4hours ish) the week after. Then 2 taper weekends until the big day - April 11th.
Fitness wise I'm doing great. The hip is good and I just need to get on top of this shin to progress and hit my target.
I always struggled before to rise up onto the ball of my foot as my hip/hamstring etc would not allow it - now I can do it but my calves (both of them) are relatively weak. I'm strong mostly in my legs although my right hammy and glute are both weaker due to the poor ROM pre-op.
My training partner has not had such a good time and has got a knee injury which has forced her to stop running and pull out of the marathon. However there is a half marathon on the same day and she will be able to transfer to that provided she can recover in time.
Fortunately that is largely to do with being able to train well and because I've been really really busy at work - and the best bit - coping with it.
Prior to surgery my groin, SIJ, back etc etc would get so tired and I would be very limited to how much work I could do. Now I can do much more and suffer much less afterwards.
Training is going well. Slight shin splint niggle on the right (operated) side - because my function isn't perfect yet on that side. Hoping I can get through a 2 hour run today OK. I've already run 3hours last week and will go for 3.5hrs next Sunday. Following that I will do an easy 10 and then a final long run of 20-22miles (4hours ish) the week after. Then 2 taper weekends until the big day - April 11th.
Fitness wise I'm doing great. The hip is good and I just need to get on top of this shin to progress and hit my target.
I always struggled before to rise up onto the ball of my foot as my hip/hamstring etc would not allow it - now I can do it but my calves (both of them) are relatively weak. I'm strong mostly in my legs although my right hammy and glute are both weaker due to the poor ROM pre-op.
My training partner has not had such a good time and has got a knee injury which has forced her to stop running and pull out of the marathon. However there is a half marathon on the same day and she will be able to transfer to that provided she can recover in time.
Sunday 10 January 2010
13 weeks to Marathon Date
Had a really good week of running this week despite the snow. Did a run in a blizzard on Tuesday morning which was brilliant fun. Did 6x 2 and half minute hill reps on Wednesday evening. And topped it off with an 8.5 mile run today which took 1hr35. Lots of snow underfoot, some was fairly easy to run on - the crunchy stuff - but some was really knobbly and really tested the stability of my hip.
I could feel the inside deep in my calf on those knobbly bits cos kept pronating lots, but was fine as soon as I got on the road and off the knobbly footpaths.
Been working on glute med with these awesome wall leans. You lean agains the wall with the leg nearest the wall bent up and with the side of the thigh and foot against it. The leg you are standing on is the working leg. You press the foot into the floor and press your hip into the wall. Either hold or do 12x squeezes. Really hits those glutes well and you can get a good squeeze if the firing is a little dead. Will def keep working on those!
Really looking forward to next week. Lots of work carried over from this week, because of all the cancellations I had, but hopefully I should still be able to focus on keeping the running consistent. 11 miles long run next week!
I could feel the inside deep in my calf on those knobbly bits cos kept pronating lots, but was fine as soon as I got on the road and off the knobbly footpaths.
Been working on glute med with these awesome wall leans. You lean agains the wall with the leg nearest the wall bent up and with the side of the thigh and foot against it. The leg you are standing on is the working leg. You press the foot into the floor and press your hip into the wall. Either hold or do 12x squeezes. Really hits those glutes well and you can get a good squeeze if the firing is a little dead. Will def keep working on those!
Really looking forward to next week. Lots of work carried over from this week, because of all the cancellations I had, but hopefully I should still be able to focus on keeping the running consistent. 11 miles long run next week!
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