Before I get to the injury report and the rest of the week’s happenings, here’s how the week in workouts went:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Yoga
Wednesday: Run 6 miles
Thursday: Bike 10 miles swim 850 yards
Friday: Strength
Saturday: Bike 20 miles
Sunday: Strength and Swim
I’ll cut to the chase. My hip decided to be a brat again. In the second to last mile of my run last Wednesday, my hip suddenly seemed like it wasn’t tracking correctly, resulting in acute pain. A few more strides and it seemed to correct itself so I finished the run. But the next morning it hurt to just walk. The pain is subsiding, but nowhere near gone.
If you’re a longtime reader, you know this is exactly the issue that caused me to DNS the Twin Cities and Philly marathons back in 2011. I’m pretty sure it was my left hip that acted up then. This time it’s my right although the symptoms are the same. I had all the X-rays, MRI and medical mumbo jumbo last time and there was no sign of arthritis, stress fracture, torn labrum or anything else. It was deemed a “strain” and I was sent to PT where we strengthened the tissue surrounding the hips. I’ll be doing that very same thing this time around.
Why I’m not alarmed…much
Of course I’d rather this not be happening but I have faith I can heal it before marathon training starts. The key will be to rest it enough. That means to not run for awhile. What a coincidence I just finished Matt Fitzgerald’s book “How Bad Do You Want It?” and posted about resilience. I have lots of others ways to workout. Swimming just recently clicked and the miracle in the pool continues. Biking feels great. I love strength training. I can focus on all of those now while I heal my hip.
My tri is in less than a month. Worst case I can walk the 5k if need be. That leaves RnRChi in July and RnR Dublin in August. I’ve got time. Ok that is my pep talk to myself.
In other news:
There are only 7 school days left!
The outdoor lap lanes open this weekend!
The plank challenge is going strong. So are the pushups.
Faves
Loving these Bounce Bars at Trader Joe’s. The Peanut Cacao Protein Blast is my go-to post workout because it packs a 13g protein punch. The Superberry Vitality Burst is a blend of coconut, berries and seeds perfect for pre-workout fuel.
How was your week? How do you make the best of being on the injured reserve list?
Tomorrow’s Tuesdays on the Run topic is Your running/racing window of comfort. What temps/conditions are ideal for you? Join us!
May is already drawing to a close. That means Runfession Friday is this week! Spill your run- gym- tri- , heck any confessions are fair game and link them up right here.
Hope your hip feels better soon!!! My knee decided to act up last week too, maybe it’s in the air! Have a great week!
🙁 Sorry about your hip, but it’s good that you know what strengthening to do in the meantime. You plank well. 🙂 I hope that the swimming continues to go well. I think you have the right idea in keeping an adjusted goal in mind…and maybe in a month things will be better.
Bugger.
So you’re doing the same exercises that the PT gave you before to get better this time?? Does that mean that the injury happened because you stopped doing the exercises?
I guess I should probably start doing the exercises the PT gave me last time too then.?
I’m sure that just a few weeks of those and you’ll be right again and able to run the running portion of your tri!
I’m sorry about your hip! 🙁 It seems like I am always getting injured so I feel your pain. But you are absolutely right, there are a million other ways to workout than just to run. It sucks laying off but sometimes that’s the best thing and I ADMIRE you for realizing that. I know runners that run through injuries and I just don’t understand them… I want to run forever, I don’t want to beat my body up until it can’t handle it anymore. You’re smart. You got this.
I hope you feel better soon and don’t have to be on sidelines long. As you know I have been out for months and it gets old trying to innovate while you can’t run….well for me, it does.
Isn’t it crazy how stuff just pops out of nowhere. I think that is the hardest part, you are cruising along feeling good and boom!
Damn those hips! I is for irritating! You’ve talked me through an injury cycle, so I know you will be smart about it. You’ll get that hip under control while keeping in great shape by swimming and cycling. You got this! Gosh this school year flew by. But, I’m glad I’ll have a couple of servants around this house this summer to do my bidding. LOL. Thanks for linking with us Marcia!
Nooooooo! This is not at all what I wanted to hear. Are you going to Dr Miracle?
We need to do lunch. Clearly.
Ack! I hope your hip heals quickly. Glad that swimming is a good option now! For me, having other activities I enjoy is key and it sounds like you’ve got that covered.
No! Say it isn’t so! I hope your hip “issue” (sounds better than “injury,” right?) isn’t anything major. My right heel has been a little wonky (which is how the PF started on my left heel a year ago). Like you, I’m not alarmed yet, and I’m proceeding with caution. That said, it certainly has gotten my attention. You have so many options for fitness stuff, I’m sure you’ll manage. #fingerscrossed
Ugh, hip issues suck. Mine were less than thrilled with me running so many races. Fingers crossed everything feels better quickly!
Aw man I’m sorry your hip’s giving you trouble. You do have so many other options and it’s especially great that the swimming continues to click. Hope it heals quickly!
Sorry you are dealing with this pain again. Ironically it seems like out of the handful of blogs I read today, everyone is dealing with some sort of injury! Hopefully the rest an PT will o the trick!
Oh no, so sorry to read about your hip pain. What did you mean by tracking ? It is about alignment ?
Sorry about your hip! I guess the good news is you know what it is and how to heal it, and you know its nothing serious. And you can work on your swimming while it heals! (Silver lining, right?) Hopping it gets better quickly!
AHHHHHHHH
Im so bummed to see this about your hip but SO SO GLAD to see you’re so flipping wise as usual and CAN get through this and past this before marathon day.
Happy swimming <3
Oh no – feel better!
It’s good to know it wasn’t any of those things last time. You have a good outlook, and I hope you’re able to strengthen everything in time for your half marathons this summer.
I’m sorry you are dealing with hip pain again. It’s funny how injuries move from one side of our body to the other. The same thing happened to me after my left leg IT band injury last January. Now my right hip/glute muscles are always tight yet the left leg is fine. Cross training is a great option and now that the weather is nicer, outdoor biking and swimming are really fun.
So sorry to hear about your hip! Love your attitude and perspective though – you will be just fine! I keep meaning to try those Trader Joe’s Bounce Balls. Glad you like them!
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear about your hip pain! Ugh, that has to be so frustrating, but it’s great that you have so many other options of fitness that you enjoy doing, especially swimming! I hope you recover before your triathlon!
Hope you’re feeling better! I love the image that says you pretend the injury isn’t there ha
So sorry to hear about your hip. I hope it heals fast and you recover quickly. Sounds like you have a great plan with swimming and strength training. I will have to look for those Bounce energy balls the next time I’m at Trader Joe’s.
Thank God my fabulous coach has kept me off the injury list! She is the best! 🙂 I have to admit I did not feel guilty about missing my long run on Saturday- the people watching at the pool was the best! I hope you forgive me!
The IR suck – sorry! 🙁 I tried to really focus on my own strength and fitness journey rather than getting caught up in everyone else’s running. But that’s hard. Hips are hard for runners (and most people in modern society due to lack of lateral movement). Hope you are feeling better soon! Swimming is awesome cross training though…so there’s that. Have a good week, Marcia!
Hoping for the best for you Marcia!!!!! xoxoxo
Sorry about your hip pain! I hope it’s nothing too serious and you feel better soon!
It helps when you have a good idea what you’re dealing with. You’ve been here before. You know what to do. I hope you get on top of it really quickly.
So sorry to hear about your hip. But I loved reading your approach to it.
I do believe the mind is a powerful tool. I also think when we know and understand out bodies it really helps with recover, and you’ve got them both down it sounds.
I have no doubt your experience and attitude and the different things you’ll be doing to heal the strain quick will happen, and you’ll be lining up at the start of that race for sure!!!
Oh Marcia, that really sucks. How can something that’s so good for us be so bad for us? I know you’ll kill your cross training though.
I bought a bounce bar at TJs, but I haven’t tried it yet. It packs a whole lot of nutritional punch for such a little ball. And I’m not running long anymore. I guess I gotta try it one of these days!
Ugh, I hope your hip heals ASAP!!!
So sorry about your hip. I hope it heals up quickly.
boo hiss!!!
I hope it heals up fast and you are back at it in no time!
I’m glad they didn’t find anything serious, but it does sound frustrating. I’ll bet we are doing some of the same exercises (for different reasons). I’m not good at all about being on the sidelines or about being restricted to a few types of exercise like an exercise bike (the horror) or swimming with a kickboard (lame). So I can’t offer you any good advice there, but I hope you can get back to your preferred activities soon.