Day 43...........Long Time No Run
Apologies for the slackness with the Blog, lots has happened
since I posted last, but for me it’s been a frustrating and embarrassing time.As you all know I had a quad problem, which was a minor setback and was knocked on the head pretty quickly. But again, I was put out of action once again by my right glute, and this is where the problem’s been for the last few days, I just cannot seem to release my tightness and give my sciatic nerve a break!
After the last post and having that limp where I got picked up by a couple passing by, I went off to the school the following morning to talk with the 11th graders about the project so far. The idea was that I would spend the morning there giving my glute time to settle down and be back on the trail for a short run picking up where I left off in the previous afternoon.
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| Me with the best XC boys at the school |
I still didn’t feel right, I was ready to be running, the weather was fantastic, cold, but blues skies and a sun that warmed you, and with the sugar overload I had going on I wanted to hit that trail hard.
The fact was, I still wasn’t right. As we drove out of the
school I made the call to rest, as running wasn’t really an option. I stretched
all afternoon with little or no relief. Kate from PURE Physio was called and
advice given over the phone. The great thing about having a fantastic team
based back in Melbourne is that signal permitting I can call anyone of them anytime
of the day and get the best advice for what I’m going through.
It goes to show that I have the best in physios, Kate had
Vickie working on all manner of muscles I didn’t know I had and things got a
little better. Kate also said that the next stage would be to see someone who
would have a professional approach; it’s hard for her to get right to the point
over the phone. The problem was its hard to find a professional in that
department around these parts.The following morning we took the drive to Lithgow for a physio appointment as there was no one in Oberon, not even local masseuses. It took about an hour to get there and I had a sad look on my face as I stared out of the window at the amazing countryside with blues skies, the place where I should have been running.
I was sceptical on my arrival, I always am with physios, I think it’s because I have seen so many in my time as a runner with the vast majority being bad. I don’t need them telling me that I need to see them for three appointments, like they always seem to do, or the stop running for a week trick. I’m an ultra-runner, that’s what I do and If I’m not doing it than there is real problems.
There have only been a couple that have been on the same lines as me. Meaning that they have never stopped me from running and have actually cured the problem. That’s the underlying thing with most physios; actually fixing the problem, of course rest will make it go away…..”and in the meantime here are three exercises you should do”!
Kate is of course right on the same lines, she would have to be, I wanted to run a marathon a day for 5 plus months!
I was met by a Korean lady who took me through some tests…yes, that’s hurts, no, and that doesn’t, that type of thing.
Just like Kate had guessed from so far away, it was where
she thought. Needles in the front half and elbows in the back, left me feeling
better and relieve from some nerve pain for a while.
Of course an exercise was given, and I did it all afternoon
along with stretching, anything that would have me back on the trail, which I
was really starting to miss.
The next morning I was still not right, tight sore and in no
condition to run. We rang to book another appointment; everywhere was busy,
except this sports massage therapist in Bathurst, yet another hour drive away.
This guy had some strong hands and worked through my muscles
over my whole body, it needed it, 1200km in just short of six weeks does that
to the body.
After feeling better again we thought it would be good to go
to the local pool, warming the muscles in the spa, would surely do me the world
of good.
We drove back to Oberon and I felt great looking forward to
being out on the trail again.
When planning this run I thought of all the things that
could happen to me and how I could overcome them. The big thing was going to be
the mental challenge, getting myself out every single day, no matter how I felt
or what the weather was doing.
What I didn’t think of, was the mental challenge of wanting
to go running but unable to.
Back at the place I was picked up those few days before I
hobbled off down the trail Vickie alongside. She was going to run the first 4km
of this section with me, and if needed would run back with me too. The advice
was to stop is it got worse, if not carry on and see if things would loosen
off.
The good thing about the first part of this section was that
I could meet the Muai Mothership at 10km. It didn’t get worst, but it didn’t
get better, not even a little.
I got on the spiky ball and stretched for an hour and a
half, just trying to release the grabbing of my nerve, and then all of a sudden
I’d done it and ran around the Mothership, showing Vickie how easily I was
moving. Right, now was the time to get the other 20km knock off and finally be
back where I wanted to be.
7km in and it flared up again, this time I had packed the
spiky ball. It just wasn’t giving in, so I hopped the last 13km which took me
over 2hrs!
Back at square one, did I rush back into it?
I spent the night on the spiky ball again, until I saw a
cricket ball under the sink at the campsite we were staying at. A sign perhaps,
something with no give? It hurt, but anything was better than having to sit
around thinking about the BNT I am supposed to be running!
I had a bad night’s sleep, I tossed and turned and just couldn’t
get comfortable with the nerve throbbing all night.Drastic measures had to be taken, we took the 2 hour drive to Penrith in search of a sports physio, someone that could comprehend what I was doing, someone who was used to dealing with sports people, this person just happened to be part of a clinic that worked with the Penrith Panthers and had done since the 80’s, let’s hope this person could sort me out.
Kate was right on the money again, all the things she said
would be wrong were. Good news is that the physio was fantastic and there is
nothing seriously wrong with me, it just might take a little time to settle
since it’s been abused both running and releasing!
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