The challenge? To recover from the calf injury I sustained this weekend. In actuality this began several weeks ago, just into the first mile of my Saturday morning run with AustinFit. The course that morning was pretty hilly, and I had been running on softer trails and mostly flat surfaces. I was also operating on two incorrect assumptions, that:
- I could run through the pain as I've done with other injuries in the past. Not really so much because of ego, as from a lack of knowledge about running injuries and their causes/cures.
- My cycling fitness would translate at least as a base for running. Running in fact uses the same muscles as cycling in many cases, but uses them in completely different ways.
I have well developed calf muscles, in appearance you would not think they would be where I was prone to injury. Thinking back on the 2008 Austin Marathon, I first injured the left calf at about mile 17. I heard a pop, never a good sign unless you have that weird bubble wrap thing going on, in which case you should stay away from me! The last 9 miles of that marathon were the most agonizing hours of my life. I hobbled/shuffled/walked/stretched and jogged it till I finished. I did run the last mile, in complete agony. My running ended soon after that race, but more to a nagging plantar fascitis injury that turned me to cycling to maintain some kind of fitness. I did not give up running happily, that's for sure. But my podiatrist told me if I ever wanted to run again, I had to stop for 6 months. It was a rough day, that day I had to put the running shoes away.
So fast forward to about six weeks ago when I started running again. I was wise to start at a much slower pace than I once ran - not to mention it was a physical impossibility for me to run that fast! I was running in the high 7/ low 8 minute per mile range back in my better days, and taking 3rd in my age group several times (and winning a 10K I was the only one registered in my AG for, lol!). I really did not realize back then how good I was getting...but I was impatient and way too hard on myself. I'm smarter today. In some ways.
I was moving my long runs up about 1 mile every week, which was comfortable and I was doing fine. I had already ran 7 miles when I joined AustinFit. Their half marathon group was doing a 5.5 mile run my first weekend, and I was stunned when my calf started hurting on that first mile. I thought it was just a cramp, and I was able to finish the run. It actually started feeling better in the second half of the run, where we were mostly headed downhill. I bought my 'The Grid' foam roller that day, got correctly fitted for the right shoes, and did stretches for several days with the Grid. Things were soon just fine, and I started running within days. No pain at all. I ran the 6 /14 long run last Saturday without a hint of trouble, including sprints on a track halfway through our run. I rested a lot the last week, with only a couple of slow runs thrown in - each about 4.2 miles....
Sunday I was worried in the back of my mind about the calf. I knew the course was hilly, and it lived up to it's reputation. I ran every hill though, and I was smart about it as far as shortening my stride, and easing up the hills. But at mile 7.5 roughly I felt it instantly, like someone had jabbed a knife in my calf. The immediate dilemma was what to do - whether to keep running or not. At that point, I still thought it was a cramp. And I knew if I walked at all I was not going to be able to finish. I've thought about this a lot - I overfucking think everything - and I believe I was not just letting my ego get the best of me. I do hate the thought of ever not completing a run - but there is more to it than that. I was able to keep the pace I was running, and I actually sped up a little once I ran a little past where it started hurting. The pain lessened somewhat, and I remember thinking if it was really really bad, I would have stopped. Of course, knowing me I would have walked to the finish. I do not quit.
I'm really glad I called the United Healthcare 24 hr nurse hotline Sunday afternoon. After getting home, the pain was significantly worse, and I was not able to put my full weight on that foot and push off without it really hurting. The nurse advised me to stretch and ice it, and to see my Primary Care Dr today asap. I was able to get into see him and he knew instantly it was the Gastrocnemius muscle. He gave me a referral to the Tillman Physical Therapy and Sports Training Center, which was cool because it was only 1/2 mile from my home. My Dr said that they treated many of the local athletes there...
My first impression was not the greatest, it's a smaller clinic and it's all open, meaning you see everyone like you're in a gym. That made me more uncomfortable than my calf. Also, it was Halloween and everyone was dressed as Pirates. I don't know about anyone else, but I had a hard time taking the Dr seriously the first few minutes. He seemed to know what he was doing though. He heated the calf and then put me on a calf stretching machine that basically had two large rollers that went under the knees. The table then moved you back and forth, and the weight of my legs over the rollers as they rolled under the calves did the work. He had me do several other stretches, and told me there was a pretty serious knot in the muscle, which he believes is torn. Not at either end, though which is good. So the prognosis was not the worst, but still bummed me out a bit. If I'm lucky and do the work, I may be able to run the 5K I have on the schedule for Nov 11th, just 10 days away. I won't risk it if he can't give me a green light, as I have the more important 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles!) coming up December 11th. That is the next - 3rd- race in the Distance Challenge, discussed in an earlier blog post and a huge goal of mine to complete.
Ultimately I am going to put my recovery in this Dr's hands and see what happens. Wish me luck!
My first impression was not the greatest, it's a smaller clinic and it's all open, meaning you see everyone like you're in a gym. That made me more uncomfortable than my calf. Also, it was Halloween and everyone was dressed as Pirates. I don't know about anyone else, but I had a hard time taking the Dr seriously the first few minutes. He seemed to know what he was doing though. He heated the calf and then put me on a calf stretching machine that basically had two large rollers that went under the knees. The table then moved you back and forth, and the weight of my legs over the rollers as they rolled under the calves did the work. He had me do several other stretches, and told me there was a pretty serious knot in the muscle, which he believes is torn. Not at either end, though which is good. So the prognosis was not the worst, but still bummed me out a bit. If I'm lucky and do the work, I may be able to run the 5K I have on the schedule for Nov 11th, just 10 days away. I won't risk it if he can't give me a green light, as I have the more important 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles!) coming up December 11th. That is the next - 3rd- race in the Distance Challenge, discussed in an earlier blog post and a huge goal of mine to complete.
Ultimately I am going to put my recovery in this Dr's hands and see what happens. Wish me luck!
