If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377897#Comment_120377897

The poor kid 🙈. Thank god the shop assistant had warned me or I wouldn’t know what was happening.

Cameroon was an experience to say the least. Plenty wild stories from there.

Lazare

Fair play K, you're a warrior for the work and commitment.

Had a little chuckle at this bit...

After about 20 minutes I couldn’t take any more and hopped into the shower. That did the job luckily. I’m sitting here this evening and I have put one spray on each quad and it’s tingling slightly but nothing like last night

'Sure feck it, I'll have another shot at it' 😁

Fighting spirit 💪

Murph_D

Jaysus, I'm terrified now to take the magnesium tablets I bought to help me sleep. Could be awake all night!

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377992#Comment_120377992

I’ve bought it now so have to use it 😂. Apparently the tingling is because I’m deficient to so I’ll battle on and see if it makes any difference. I tried it well before bed time last night though!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120378102#Comment_120378102

I ‘think’ the tablets should be ok. It’s absorbed much faster topically and it’s to do with the size of the molecules going through the skin that causes the sensation. Every day is a learning day. Magnesium seems to be good for so much.

Kellygirl

Week starting 21st March

Monday: 60’ easy, Upper Body strength

6.11 miles @ 10:06; Can’t remember much about this. Kept it very easy. Later on that day I got a weird sharp pain at the base of my hip / top of my leg. The top of my hip and glute was still perfect after physio the previous week

Tuesday: 15' easy, 2 x 15s strides, 6 x 3' LT off 2' easy-mod, 15' v easy; Lower Body strength 

7.24 miles in total. Like last week I shouldn’t have really done this session with the pain at the top of my leg / hip but I reasoned that I’d do it, rest all week and do Mallow. I was sore throughout but could hack it.

I rested after that session until Mallow though was sore all week. I still had a notion that I could run through it and I’d physio booked for today and the plan was I’d rest then for a couple of weeks and hopefully finally sort the hip out.

Sunday: Mallow 10 mile

Arrived in Mallow nice and early to meet club mates and we did a nice slow 2 mile warm up on the Parkrun route there. Could feel the hip but no bother. Loved the pre race banter and was with one of the girls who does social media for the club so she was trying to get footage for reels which was cracking us up. The race was at 12:30 so a funny time food wise. I’d had my usual baked oats for breakfast and when we lined up I had a gel. The weather was perfect and I was really hoping to at least go sub 1:20. I started with the 1:20 pacers. I was very relaxed really. Started off and was feeling great energy wise. Stayed right behind the pacer until his balloon was hopping off me. We started climbing the hill and I felt really strong and pace wasn’t a problem. My watch said I was doing 7:30 or so at that point. Then out of nowhere it felt like all the muscles at the top of my leg and hip flexor seized up and pains shot down my quad, IT Band and glute. I tried to keep going for a few seconds wondering what to do, would I continue on and see would it ease, would I back off and jog round. The pain was bad so for the first time ever in a race I pulled out to the side and stopped. I stood there not knowing what to do. I tried to run again and that wasn’t going to work. A few volunteers asked if I was ok. I was close to tears but said I was grand and headed back the way I came and felt everybody was looking at me. I considered joining a lady from the club who runs more like 12 min miles and was at the back of the pack but figured that would be daft altogether. I picked another wounded warrior whose calf had gone and we both hobbled back. Was nice to have the company. I went to the car, changed and got my sandwich and coffee I’d left for after and hobbled to the finish line and waited for everybody to come over. It was actually fab to see all the leaders and the speed they came in at. I was a bit gutted looking at the downhill finish line wondering if I’d have gotten a PB. Waited till all the gang came in with some amazing PBs and I left after that as had a removal to go to.

I’d physio today and she’s not too worried. Thinks it was a bit of a perfect storm with all the muscles pulling different directions and she rubbed everything out. I’ll walk tomorrow and take it handy for a few days and she doesn’t see a problem with a few easy short runs next week in Lanzarote.

Hopefully after Easter I’ll be all sorted and hit the ground running and ready to train for Cork half!

Bluesquare

Good to hear it doesn’t sound like a big problem . Very frustrating though especially when feeling so strong . Enjoy your break over Easter - so lucky getting away from this crazy weather !

Sunny Dayz

It must have been a relief that the physio doesn't think it's anything serious. Must have been disappointing nonetheless to have to pull out of the race - a tough decision to make. Enjoy your break away.

Mr. Guappa

That's frustrating K, but at least the outlook is not too bleak at all. Seems like the hip issue has been ligering in the background for a bit, so maybe Mallow was a blessing in disguise by bringing the issue to a head and forcing you to deal with it. Enjoy Lanzarote... not jealous at all.

py

Hope the recovery is coming along well!

Kellygirl

Thanks for the comments. I’m just back from Lanzarote this evening and wasn’t online. First holiday in years that I did no running or gym work. Ate and drank plenty though! I’m not quite sure the rest has worked. Thought it was helping but I was walking up a steep hill the other day and felt a twinge in the hip and I’m just aware of it since though it’s certainly not sore or in any way painful. Will try and run tomorrow and see what happens. Ignition get a second opinion if no difference. I was hoping it would feel totally normal at this point but hopefully it’s on the mend either way.

Kellygirl

No point going into too much detail this week. Struggled through 3 shorts runs during the week before a 1 hour run yesterday. Monday’s run was with the club and too fast considering I’d no running done for 2 weeks or so. Straight away my hip was at me so I pulled right back and ran back to Costa and waited for the gang for coffee. The next day I went out by myself and hip was fine at a really slow pace. Energy levels were atrocious most likely after all the food and drink on hols and being sick on holidays too. I was really fatigued and sleeping for Ireland since I got home so very sluggish. Saturday I went out to do an hour, half an hour before Parkrun and then meet up with 2 friends who were doing Parkrun at a very slow pace. Energy levels were back to normal and all was good. Slowed right down when I met my friends and found it difficult to go that slow initially. 45 mins or so into the run the pain at the top of my leg / base of my hip returned. Finished out the run but very sore for the rest of the day. Was supposed to do the 25km Railway Run today but obviously couldn’t. Went down to support the club and enjoyed another morning cheering everybody over the finish line.

I went to the gp last Wednesday and he’s referred me for an MRI. He thinks the pain at the top of the leg is bursitis and Google would indicate he’s right. Very disappointed that the 2 weeks rest did nothing for me there though. Hopefully the MRI will be soon and give me an answer. I pulled my bike out of the garage earlier and pumped up my tires. Ordered a number plate for the bike rack as forgot to do that when I changed my car and I guess I’m back on the bike for a while. Very hilly around here and would prefer to bring the bike somewhere flat to get used to it again.

My coach had written out a plan for me for this week before the hip flared up again yesterday. Tomorrow was just 5Km and 5 strides. I’ll see how I feel in the morning. Google says I can run if no pain but sure who knows. Probably shouldn’t but I’ll walk if any twinge at all. I’m hoping to target Cork Half but that’s probably slipping away now … but got added to a Dublin group within the club this eve so excited about that at least.

Annie get your Run

Hopefully you get to the bottom of it sooner rather than later. Are you still doing the strength? Would you consider a short daily yoga practice while you're recovering?

ariana`

Frustrating K. Fingers crossed the MRI apt comes through quickly and you get some answers.

In the meantime hopefully you can take some inspo from the likes of @skyblue46 and @Mr. Guappa who've had super comebacks this year after injury woes. Hang in there.

Bluesquare

Very frustrating K - hopefully you get it sorted soon.

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120486484#Comment_120486484

Still doing as much strength as I can but I’m limited as can’t do anything that aggravates the hip which takes out so much lower body. Tennis elbow is preventing Push type upper exercises too. I’m a complete crock. I actually think yoga is probably exactly what I need and don’t know where to start! I should probably see can I find a handy class and get used to it.

Laineyfrecks

Really hope you get it sorted soon K🤗

Annie get your Run

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120487298#Comment_120487298

Start online! Yoga with Adrienne has tons of free, short stuff, she has yoga for runners too. Just be gentle in the beginning if you've never done it before, easy in, easy out and focus more on the breathing until you know what you body will let you do/not do.

lulublue22

Sorry to hear that K. I second yoga with Adrienne or hearts and bones is good. I also use fiton app (the free version) it has a wide range of pilates yoga cardio strength meditation etc of various lengths and intensities.

Kellygirl

Thanks for that. I’ll actually browse around now. I think the mobility work is what I’m missing over all really.

Kellygirl

Update!

I’ve been slow to update here as not much to report. Kept my runs to 40-45 mins as hip seems to flare after that so mileage fairly low. I had my MRI on Friday night. Results came in yesterday. Grade 1 tear to the Iliotibial Tract (ITB I think), thinning of cartilage and a couple of other things mentioned. My physio and coach both hopped on the thinning of the cartilage saying I need to watch that or I’ll be hanging up my runners. The GP recommends Dona Glucosamine powder for a start. In terms of the tear the physio said on one hand she’d recommend total rest but she feels it’s ok for me to run for 20 mins every 2nd day assuming pain free. Go to 25 mins in week 2. No lower body strength work for the foreseeable but I do have to do clams daily and hip bridges etc.

I’ve pulled out of the Cork Half and switched to the 10Km and hope to jog round that with a friend. I’ve always wanted to support at Cork City Marathon anyway. Goal now is to make Dublin even if I jog round for fun this year and next year I can target everything I wanted to target this year … or maybe I’ll be ready to race it. Who knows!

skyblue46

Jeez, that's tough! What's the story with the thinning cartilage? Is it a natural process or something caused by running and/or other exercise? Best of luck in dealing with it.

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120556611#Comment_120556611

Well the doc said wear and tear from running but it’s an age thing too and family history I’d say is a massive factor and likely to lead to osteoarthritis.It’s one of the reasons I’ve been so adamant about strength work in the last couple of years. That will be a major help. I also have started on HRT in the last few months which will help slow it down too. They are going to refer me for a dexa scan next to see what my bone density is like. The doctor doesn’t advise stopping running or anything. He said the benefits more than outweigh the risks.

Sunny Dayz

It's good that you've found answers and your healthcare professionals seem positive. That's good that the running and strength work will stand to you.

Annie get your Run

Best of luck with the recovery K. It goes to show how important strength is for us, hopefully the HRT will help too.

Laineyfrecks

Very best of luck with it K, our bodies go through so much that we really have no clue about. Good that everyone seems so positive & you know what's needed going forward. I'm on HRT a few months now so hopefully that helps yoy! I really need to get back into strength work after reading this!

Mr. Guappa

It's good to have some answers and at least now you can move forward with a plan. Nothing worse than waiting for answers, or not being able to get to the bottom of something. Best of luck with the comeback and next steps.

Kellygirl

Thanks all. Did a bit more research today and have decided to go to a consultant to try get a better picture of what’s going on. My gut feeling is that the ITB tear is a result of whatever else is going on in the hip as I’m convinced that just happened in or just before Mallow at the end of March whereas the hip is giving trouble since November. I feel the program I’ve been given is to let the tear heel but I think I’ll still be in trouble and that’s no good so I’m not going to hang around now and wait to see. Hopefully the referral will go in next week and I’ll start chasing for a cancellation.