Abort Abort!
(First off, Blogger ate this post yesterday)
I started yesterday at 5:05 at the pine swamp. Too swampy. My new headlamp didn’t work. All I saw was fog in all directions. And the swamp was overwhelming the path for the first 1/2 mile, so I quit and turned around.
I went to Maudslay, starting at 6:10. Not bad, but HUUUUUUUMMIIIDDDD. God! It was so miserable that I was sweaty and ruined by the first mile. By the fourth mile, I had NO energy in the tank. I decided to call it quits and left after four miles.
So, cruddy sunday.
And this morning. Ah, yes. Feeling ashamed for missing my 13 miles, I decide to screw my schedule and run a few miles on the treadmill to make up for it. At 1.89 miles, I felt a weird twinge in my back. And then, OW! It was the same “throw my back out” feeling that put me out of business for a week a few years ago, only up higher on my back.
I got off the treadmill, hobbled through cleaning the thing up (because I’d already sweat all over it), and then slowly moved out to my car to head home. I got Kat out of bed and she nursed me through a shower, and then into bed. Thankfully, between six ibuprofin and some really decent home massage, I think we nipped it in the bud. I feel some weird pulls in my back and if I walk certain ways, I feel it more. So what the hell is that?
I’m not sure what I’m going to do differently. I’m going to take today and perhaps tomorrow off, and then see what happens Wednesday. I’m going to revert to fueling up more before my runs (I’d switched to just a few pieces of fruit). I’m going to pray like hell that the twinge was just a whoops. I’m going to re-enter my Core Performance workouts instead of the lighter stuff I was doing. It focuses on core muscle strength and stability, and this twinge is dead center of what core would’ve been working on.
But sheesh. I guess there’s something telling me to slow down a little.
Good news department: a friend is running the same marathon as me this November.
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Comments
The funny part about this is that I *was* doing Core Performance by Verstegen, had written about it on other sites, etc. I just stopped because the routine was taking too long overall, and it felt too much like “work.”
So, I’m back on it once I’m done feeling twingy in my bag.
You probably already know this but it’s worth repeating…
The thing with the core and distance running is that core muscles are called into play constantly while you run so the longer you run, the more fatigue sets in and the greater likelihood of injury. I can tell you that when I get to the 18 and 20 mile runs I am at serious risk of back injury. That’s why I’m also working on those muscles. Hopefully, it was minor Chris. Perhaps you should go see a Chiro or Physio-therapist?
I agree with Mark. You shouldn’t just ignore the problem. I had some back problems a couple of years ago and thought that they had gone away once the pain was gone. I was wrong though. The first time I tried to tie my shoes while bending over, I couldn’t move at all for over an hour. After that I found myself a good chiro…that doens’t twist or pop my back, but uses this little tool to apply pressure to certain places. Worth looking into. Hope it gets better soon though!
Do go carefully - my “thrown out back” injury was years ago and once in a great while it flares up from some seemingly innocuous act (rolling over in bed was my last offense). My chiropractor gave me posture enhancing exercises to do. I hope your back is feeling better.
~ Lara
First, great call to abort.
Second - I’ve recently started reading Core Performance by Mark Verstegen. Its got a ton of good advice and exercises designed to stabalize your trunk and help prevent injuries like this one. I know that that’s a weakness that I have personally, and his regimen really seems to help. I’ve just dabbled so far, but I’m starting up with the whole thing this week (and yes, I’ll be blogging about it starting tomorrow).
Might be worth a try…