No more marathons
I've been suffering through a pain in the ass (OK, both the glute and the hamstring) for several weeks - off and on since the end of May. Decided to take a few days off, and my last day of running was 6 miles last Saturday.
My "week" goes from Monday through Sunday - so if I don't run today that will give me my first zero miles week in my RA log book since the second week of 2009 - shortly after I restarted this running nonsense.
So my dilemma is do I risk extending this injury (it's feeling about 95% healed now) by shuffling though a couple of easy miles just for the sake of my running log or do I let it rest for a couple more days? Hummmm. Decisions, decisions.
Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey
Lordy, I hope there are tapes.
He's a leaker!
I would just let the 0 go. I had the same issue during the time pre surgery and post marathon when I promised myself a week off. The shock passes.
Damaris
As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.
Fundraising Page
race obsessed
Yup let it go.
Embrace the non-running streak!
I thought that the big black bird with an eye on its wing was going to bring you wisdom? Pffff...
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
I often heard it was questionable to accept the advice of strangers on the interwebz, so I completely ignored everything you all said and went for a 2 mile run. (Actually, I went out before anyone had commented).
Run was extremely slow (if you're really interested you can see it in my log) mainly due to a greatly shortened stride length. Felt stiffness in the hamstring and a little discomfort in the glute, but no more than walking produces. Rolled both with foam roller when I got back and it seems no worse for the wear. We'll see how it feels tomorrow.
Caretaker/Overlook Hotel
Great job ignoring the whack jobs here!
To be honest, I'd have probably done the same.
Just definitely take it easy.
You doing any soaking in a tub?? (Warm bath might be good for circulation in the interest of healing)
Only other advice I'd give is to not let a "calendar week" decide your fate. It's just a unit of measure. Allow your body to give you cues!
Randy
Great job ignoring the whack jobs here! To be honest, I'd have probably done the same. Just definitely take it easy. You doing any soaking in a tub?? (Warm bath might be good for circulation in the interest of healing) Only other advice I'd give is to not let a "calendar week" decide your fate. It's just a unit of measure. Allow your body to give you cues!
Follow-up question that I can then ignore.
I have access to an elliptical machine, and the movement on it does not seem to impact my effected area. I know this is not a replacement for running, but I wonder if it would at least help me keep some of the aerobic fitness level.
I have a seniors track meet at the end of September and I hope to not lose too much fitness/speed between now and then. Of course, I also hope to just be able to compete.
Damn pain in the ass - literally.
Absolutely you can use that elliptical!!
Many moons ago when Bill Phillips ("Body for Life, EAS Sports, etc.) was just breaking in the fitness news arena, he and his brother were working hard on some of the original "before & after" body transformation business.
HIIT (high intensity interval training) was a biggie in trying to help folks with little time get into shape.
I did it almost exclusively with an elliptical. (x minutes low intensity, x minutes medium, x minutes high and x minutes on fire and back to low & start all over again) I wouldn't necessarily recommend that for your aerobic maintenance but otherwise, have at it!
Antipodean
I have also been suffering from a pain in the butt, and hamstring. I was stubborn about continuing to run a token amount each week to avoid zeros and have paid for it. I am now 2 months since any running, but the month before that was just a waste of my effort, exacerbating my injury and causing me lots of pain. I am now mostly recovered and starting walk/run tomorrow after a build up of walking and lots of PT.
My point? We runners can be too stubborn. Taking a rest is no shame. Easy to do? Nope.
Julie
"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."
~ Sir Edmund Hillary
I have also been suffering from a pain in the butt, and hamstring. I was stubborn about continuing to run a token amount each week to avoid zeros and have paid for it. I am now 2 months since any running, but the month before that was just a waste of my effort, exacerbating my injury and causing me lots of pain. I am now mostly recovered and starting walk/run tomorrow after a build up of walking and lots of PT. My point? We runners can be too stubborn. Taking a rest is no shame. Easy to do? Nope.
One of the things I'm fairly good at is stopping once I get hurt. A few miles is meaningless in terms of my fitness but if it exacerbates an injury or keeps me from healing, then it's seriously not worth it.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
^ That's me as well. Numbers on paper mean nothing to me. That I have 52 continuous weeks of running during the year, or that I had a few weeks off here and there is meaningless. It's my races and their results which truly count. And also, of course, that I have no injuries.
Thanks for the comments.
Yesterday's two miles seems to have had little effect - no worse, no better.
I'm taking my running gear with me to work today with the idea of doing my "normal" noon time run. Will be slow and short, but as long as running doesn't cause the pain to return (right now it's just tightness in the hamstring) I'll give it a few days of effort.
I'd take more time off, but the state senior games are the end of September. I have a good shot at getting a spot for next year's National Senior Games. It's sort of a damned if you do and damned if you don't. Continuing to run might keep me from competing, but not running might keep me from competing effectively.
Says the man who's been running with a bad hammy for how long??
I guess "fairly" is the keyword.
Noon run done. Got in 3 miles in a slow for me time of 30 minutes.
Interesting that running up hill caused no discomfort, and only mild pain downhill - it's running on flat surface that causes the most pain.
And I can mostly isolate the pain point - it is right where the hamstring and the glute come together under the left butt cheek (TMI?).
Plan will now be to see if the discomfort is greater, lesser, or equal before tomorrow noon. If same or less, I'll run. If more, I'll rest for a couple days and hit the dreaded elliptical.