Waaahhh, wah, wah wah!
Nothing like a good whiny post, huh? Good grief that was dreadful! Picture me sitting on the floor with my arms crossed, all pissed off, sayin’ “I’m not running because my shin hurts! Waaaaah!”
Gack. Makes me sick to look at it now.
Sorry for shutting off the comments. I didn’t want anyone to feel obligated to comment on that. But thankyou for the emails about it. It does help.
So I have 12 days for a miracle cure. My shin felt surprisingly better this AM. Usually it hurts as soon as I step off the bed but this time it didn’t hurt until I got to the truck. My heel felt very good until I smacked it on the desk and its been throbbing ever since then. Nice.
I went to see Karen yesterday and she worked my glutes, shin, and calves again. This was right up there with some of the more painful sessions. We also a looked at the running video and she pointed out two things that she had found while reviewing it.
1. When I step on my right foot, I lean to the right and my right shoulder drops, as if I am moving my center of gravity over to the right. Its hard to described in writing. When I step with the left, everything remains level and straight. Karen says that is caused by a weak left glute. Huh?
When you are standing in the flamingo position with one foot up, the glute on the foot-up side holds your pelvis level since there isn’t a leg to support it. Stand up and try it and you’ll see. Ok, so when you have a weak glute on that side, you body shifts the center of gravity to the other side (by leaning or tilting) to help you balance. Adaptability, its what we are all about.
2. My feet turn inward as the foot comes up in the back. We knew this, but here we could see it clearly in video. And the left is more pronounced than the right, but both turn. This is caused by tight adductors, weak abductors, or a combination.
Some other things I spotted included a nasty heel strike, a foot strike slightly ahead of my hips, and my leading knee is far too straight. I’m basically back where I started from before ChiRunning. No progress other than knowing what I should be doing.
Karen had me do a leg lift (abductor lift) while lying on my side, as she pushed down on my ankle. My right side could offer a fair amount of resistance, but the left side was very weak. No strength at all. Then she did this incredibly painful work on the left glute and along my hip bone. Repeat the same leg lift, and there was an amazing increase in strength, almost matching the other side (which we repeated again to verify it).
That’s the odd thing about ART. The expectation when having it done is that you will not be able to walk afterwards, but for some reason it doesn’t hurt after she stops. I don’t know why.
Evidently, when you have muscles fibers that are shortened or contracted from not being stretched properly, they are very weak. I think that is because they do not get the full fiber length to contract when you need to use them, and you don’t get the full potential of their strength.
Karen also pointed out that my feet have alot of ground time because my strides are short. Now that may have been because I was running slowly which will shorten my stride. Then again, if my pace is slow, and more ground time is the result, then fixing form problems becomes even more critical.
All this is fun analysis, but it doesn’t fix the problem. It just lets you know where it is. I told Karen I had stopped running because things were in alot of pain and needed to heal. She said that putting you car in the garage for a month because the engine sounds funny, doesn’t work. True, you do need to repair the damage (rest), but you also need to fix the cause of the problem too or it won’t make any difference.
More analysis.
So I’m working on stretching my 4 times a day, and we have added some funky resistance training that is similar to the achilles stuff I am doing, which strengthens without shortening the muscles. I need a helper or a bizarre contraption of some kind to do this at home. We’ll see if it helps.
12 more days. Its not alot of time. I’ll just take it as it comes I guess.
October 11th, 2005 10:17
Everyone needs to rant…especially when you’ve worked so hard and want this so much. We’re here for you, Jon :-)
October 11th, 2005 10:34
Hi Jon,
Yeah, these have been hard posts to read but you gotta write them. They are important. You’ve battled. You should be proud as I’m sure everyone reading these posts is proud of you.
I have no advice. It’s likely that noone would understand more than Aaron having gone through YEARS of pain while running.
It’s a tough road you’ve been on. Hang in there my friend. :)
October 11th, 2005 11:02
Glad to see you’ve surfaced from the big bad deep dark place. We all have to rant occasionally and you are entitled because it sucks when you worked so hard for something yet it seems to be slipping away. You are determined, that finish line will be yours in time.
October 11th, 2005 11:56
I don’t blame you for the rant - Lord knows I’d be doing just as much bitching and whining if I were in your shoes. It’s good to get it out :-)
And at least now you know what the problem is, so you know how to start fixing it. It may not feel like much, but it puts you light years ahead of where you were. Maybe you won’t be 100% Mr. Speedy Man for Detroit, but you will be for the next one :-)
October 11th, 2005 13:49
Jon- We all have our days and from what I understand that is one of the things the RBF is here for to get you through it. Glad things are looking a little brighter. The rain clouds from Hartford must have made their way over to Michigan. :)
October 11th, 2005 15:49
Amazing how we have such a need for balance isn’t it?
October 11th, 2005 16:01
I think you can I think you can I think you can I think you can
October 11th, 2005 16:01
oh and…TEEHEE she was rubbing your bummy!
October 11th, 2005 16:53
I think there should be something like taper madness called injury madness. just my plantar fascist talking.
*pom pom*
Jon say’s chocolate is good
it’s the best food
it improves the groove
hopefully it will improve his mood
*pom pom*
not my best, but still sent with warm happy cheery thoughts!
October 11th, 2005 17:03
Hang in there, Jon!
October 11th, 2005 18:36
I also believe in the power of the vent–rage on, man! We are all hopeful that your analysis and work on the problem will take care of it. That and your heart and spirit will carry you forward:)
October 11th, 2005 18:41
I know you can. Find out where they can put cortisone. It is a miracle drug. I gets shots once a month between my toes to sooth my crying metatorsal nerves.
Think of it shots between my toes, every month. Just thinking about it makes me quiver, but finishing the last miles is worth it every time.
Take care.
By the way I am a FL runner preparing for my second marathon at Disney in January. I may run another marathon before that because if you run the 1/2 marathon in Tampa, you have to be in the top twenty to get a hat, but all the people that run the marathon get a hat. I want a hat, so I’ll pay fifteen dollars more and run thirteen point one more miles to get it. Am I pathetic or what.
October 11th, 2005 19:55
I was ready to write you an email and “yell” at you for turning off the comments but you already apologized so I’ll let you off the hook, this time, hehe! Your issues sound so much like mine it has to be the same things going on and so you know, I ran two full ‘thons 9 weeks apart this summer when I probably should not have done either of them! I’m healing well now and I will run again soon so my point is 12 days will make it passable and they won’t sag wagon you in Canada, they’ll just leave you there!
October 11th, 2005 21:02
NOW I’m allowed to comment?!?! Geez, someone has become a blog dictator :) Anyway, here’s to hoping for more big progress day-by-day.
October 12th, 2005 00:18
I am glad you posted it,, as horrible as it sounded at that paticular point and time,, you yourself will see how much better your going to be and how far you have come. Yes, it is just for you,, what better reason to run a marathon than for yourself. People need to do certain things for themselves, push themselves out of their boundaries, etc.. etc.. you get my point dont you?
Heather
October 12th, 2005 01:32
I was going to stomp my feet about you turning off the comments too … but then I forgave ya. :) I wanted to comment that if you read this coming from me, what would you have to say to me? We’re so hard on ourselves. I’m glad you vented here. Because it will not only help others who run in your path, so to speak, to understand the hard times, but you’re going to look back on it and have a lot to say.
You know the drill: you’re awesome, we’re all with you, etc. Know it well, please.
October 12th, 2005 07:20
We all have our off days and need to rant, there’s nothing in the world wrong with that. I really, really hope your injuries start getting better and you can complete your marathon pain-free. Yoga has really helped me with my completely absent flexibility and it’s helped Brent with his ITB problems. It’s amazing how much flexibility I’ve lost in the 10 years since I quit doing gymnastics in school. I couldn’t do the splits now to save my life. Thanks stupid cubicle and desk job! =)
October 12th, 2005 09:10
You’ll be ready, I know it.
October 12th, 2005 10:16
On the 11th day of taper
My true love gave to me
Two hours of ART
And a book of the running of the Chi.
October 12th, 2005 20:03
You are doing all that you can do and that is more than enough. I liked Karen’s comment about putting the car in the garage for a month not fixing it. Keep at it!
October 13th, 2005 15:26
Jon- what she said about weak left glute is right on the money. do you exercises at least twice a day and it will help. I went through the same routine for four months and I’m getting better. weak glutes suck!
October 17th, 2005 20:31
You just said everything I think–constantly. BTW, I haven’t run for like four weeks. I have the exact same doubts. Thanks for being brave enough to share your weakness.
October 19th, 2005 23:49
You have every right to rant. Let it out. It’s your journal/blog.
I hope you heal quickly. I hope your father is doing well. Most people eventually face far greater challenges in life than running a mere marathon.
For me, it was irrelevant as to whether I actually finished the marathon. I wanted to, I trained for it, I hoped I could, but in the end, it was about the exploration of what I could do with my body. It was more about making a journey back to fitness. You know, 20 miles is no mean feat! Most people can’t imagine running 20 miles. I hope you can do the 26.2 but if not this time, then perhaps next time. And if not next time then perhaps you can simply keep running and stay healthy.
I hope you can finish the marathon but I have even greater hope that you can remain healthy, happy, and running.
March 3rd, 2006 18:40
I’ve developed a metatorsal problem and just about can run! It’s in the ball of my left foot. Have a very high arch and battle palntar faciatus, or however you spell it. Experimenting with custom orthotics but not much luck yet. Any advise out there?
Bob