Running In Place

Be Here Now

If the universe is giving me a message..

Filed under: General — lara at 9:47 pm on Tuesday, August 17, 2004

..that I wasn’t meant to run..

..I’m not listening.

Today was (is) a beautiful day – 80 degrees (first time that high in a month or so), not humid (what??), no rain (that’s kind of unusual too). Sneakers – check, bra – check, rock n roll. Did 30 sec. running/1 min. walking intervals, planned on 16 reps but stopped at 14 due to some strange back discomfort. Not pain, more like a pressure, low back below the kidney on the right. No sharp or shooting pain, nothing down the leg, not sciatic I don’t think, no hip pain. Hmmmm, I’m befuddled . When I stopped running and just walked, there was no discomfort but now that I’ve been sitting down at the computer for awhile and got up to move around, I felt it again. Strange.

Happily, my ankle did fine with the 10 second extension on the running intervels.

I think I’m just going to have to cough up the cash and go to a sports PT place to get some for-true guidance on my gait, shoe needs, training program, or whatever else. Maybe I’m just super-sensitized to not wanting anything to go awry, and maybe that’s not realistic. I’m probably being reactionary, as usual, but if shit needs correcting then so be it. How ridiculously annoyingly dispiriting would it be if I sustain some other run-preventing problem all ready?? I guess I can’t just continue to bungle along.

Ironically, in all other aspects of my life, I consider myself a pretty low maintanence person. I live a relatively simple and satisfying life. Running was supposed to be simple too, maybe not easy, but simple.

Well, tomorrow is new. I know it sounds like Pollyana’s taking a dive but it’s really just a stumble :)

6 Comments

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Comment by Jon in Michigan

Wednesday August 18 2004 @ 8:44 am

Of course you were meant to run! You were designed that way on purpose. That’s also why your body repairs itself, because you can get hurt even doing what you were designed to do.

Doesn’t sound like a stumble at all. I think you are taking reasonable precaution.

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Comment by Richard

Wednesday August 18 2004 @ 9:42 am

Running can be easy. However, there’s nothing wrong with realizing that you lack specific knowledge and then going out and obtaining it. One of the best things that I did was hook up with a running coach to help me with my gait (and in other areas). I know that my friend Alex has credited Gilbert (our coach) with getting him to a much faster place, just by showing him how to change his gait. I was getting there when I hit my MCL injury, and can’t wait to get back to it.

So why do I call that easy? Because, after you’ve learned, you can still go run. Just you and the road. Nothing special, nothing fancy. Just the sound of your feet slapping the pavement.

Oh, and Jon – don’t forget that your body was also designed to get hurt! Luckily, its designed to fix itself as well, for the most part. Of course, that’s something that we sometimes need to learn how to deal with too…

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Comment by Lafe

Wednesday August 18 2004 @ 2:44 pm

The lower back pressure/pain sounds just like how my back felt when I was just starting. For me it was just a case where those muscles were protesting, but once they strengthened up a bit, the problem went away. I’ll probably have to go through that again after having to take 3 weeks off due to a stupid illness.

But definitely do go get the gait analysis/shoe advice. Once it’s done, it’s done, and you’ll have the info you need. Keep up the good work!

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Comment by Mark

Thursday August 19 2004 @ 3:02 pm

you are just being wise Lara and, as Forest Gump (one of my most favorite famous runners) would say, “That’s all I have to say about THAT”.

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Comment by Richard

Monday August 23 2004 @ 9:40 am

Am I the only one who fantacizes about taking a sabattical and doing the Gumpian run across the country? I know that other people have done it for charity or whatever, but I’m thinking just a no-fuss start at one end and end at the other. Support would be the hard part, depending on the route. Maybe start with a run across Texas…?

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Comment by Annalisa

Monday August 23 2004 @ 11:09 am

Lara, I have biomechanical difficulties also, and it can be really frustrating. While your body is meant to run, some of us are built a little different. It’s okay, and can be fixed, especially with the help of a PT. They are awesome, and worth the money, IMHO. Anyway, the low back stuff could be related to your core muscles and with a little strengthening, those problems should go away in time. :)

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