St. Pat's Dash Race Report (Mostly)

Good gravy!  It has been over two weeks since I last posted.  There has been so much going on:  finalizing and FINALLY mailing the wedding invitations, insane work on the wedding website, new kitten integration, a redonkulous amount of time spent trying to find appropriate undergarments to wear under my wedding dress, a new round of dance classes, and an actual race in there too.  There is also a big design/name change coming around these parts but I just haven't had the time or the energy to implement it yet.  But before I get to all that I will do a quick St. Pat's Dash recap because it is my race-iversary race and the unofficial start of the "racing season."

When I logged on tonight to do my St. Pat's recap, I noticed Amber had just written her St. Pat's recap (great minds!) so if you want to read the before and after part of the race and see wet and cold pictures of us go here.  I am so glad she agreed to get up early and go run with me because having someone to go to races with is pretty great.   Sadly, my part of the run was nothing like hers. Can't wait to read about her half-marathon PR though!

Since I haven't been running much and actually wasn't cleared by my PT to run/walk more than a half mile I was entering the race with no expectations.  I just wanted to have fun and run my eighth consecutive Dash.  Luckily my calf strain has healed and there were no problems at all.  My leg pain was absent until about 4/10 of a mile into the race and then bothered me throughout the rest of the run.  I just kept trying to focus on maintaining good form and not letting the discomfort alter my gait.  I actually ended up finishing in 38:53 which is a 10:14 pace.  So sad to be off last year's pace of 9:44 but there have been extenuating circumstances.

As for the leg?  Well, I went for a three miler a few days after the race and it hurt quite a bit the whole way.  Saturday, I ran to the gym for some upper body work and ran back and it bothered me and it bothered me on my three miler last night.  The funny thing is, it isn't bothering me unless I am running or after I have ran.  The running seems to exacerbate it which it never used to do.  I am contemplating my next move but there is a good chance I might just shut myself down for a few weeks to see if I can really fully heal.  If that is the case then even the half in Eugene is off the table. 

Injury Update

Turns out I don't have something as cool and runner-y as piriformis syndrome.  Instead I have......sciatica.  Other than arthritis I don't think there is an older people sounding diagnosis.  Between sciatica and my bunions can gout be far behind?  Will I need to start wearing comfortable shoes and handing out sticky purse-fuzz laden hard candies to people?  Will I need to wear a babushka?  Can I get a more old lady diagnosis?  Well, frankly yes but it is still embarrassing. 

Actually sciatica is a symptom and not a diagnosis.  It means that I somehow tweaked my back in early January without knowing it and that is causing impingement on my sciatic nerve that causes pain and weakness down my right buttock, thigh and behind my knee.  The physical therapist thinks that the sciatica and right side weakness probably exacerbated my already ridiculously tight left calf muscle.  It was fascinating to do the strength tests and to realize my left side could resist all of her pushing and effort and the right side could be easily moved.  In one move there was zero resistance on the right side.  This is definitely nerve and not muscular because she had me do a few stretches and then retested and the right side was stronger than 10 minutes before. .

So how do we treat this old lady symptom?  Well, I start by purchasing a foam wedge so I can change the position in my car while I drive.  And I get a desk chair at work that actually has lumbar support.  Then I do a series of back stretches and strengthening moves to "un-impinge" the nerve.  For my calf, I rest and do stretches, lots and lots of stretches.  Once the pain is completely gone I can work on strengthening it too.

As for running, the therapist would like me to wait until I am completely symptom free on both sides but she must work with runners a fair amount because she said "but you are going to run before I think you are ready to aren't you" and I said "yup."  That marathon won't run itself, lady.  If the calf feels OK tomorrow I am heading out for an easy, flat four-miler to test it.  I'm not sure what to do about my 15 mile long-run on Sunday but I will let my body dictate that decision.  Wish me luck.

And Now For Something Completely Different

Apparently there is a part of your body called a pubis symphysis.  I was completely unaware of this until today.  You usually only find out about new body parts you have when something goes haywire with them and my new found knowledge of the pubis symphysis is no exception.

Starting last Friday I was having fairly strong abdominal/pelvic achiness and discomfort.  I went for a really crappy run Friday after work ( seriously, like two miles) and then spent the rest of the evening bent over every time I tried to stand up.  It was still pretty uncomfortable on Saturday but by Sunday I was feeling better if I didn't press on the area so I figured I was good.  I went for a really fabulous run on Sunday night and then it hit me again when I got back and tried to stand up from a sitting position. Other than a vague discomfort a good portion of the time it is really only painful when I go from sitting to standing. 

So I went to the doctor today and she said it was a strain or inflammation of this piece of strong cartilage, the pubis symphysis, that holds your pubic bones together.  She has no idea how this happened but between what she said and the magic of internet self-diagnosis I am guessing running played a part.  It can be considered an overuse injury in runners, albeit a fairly rare one.  Now I would hardly call a peak mileage week of 26 miles overuse but maybe I weakened it in Eugene and the runs I went on last week (my first since the race) were enough to send it over the edge.  Either that or the speed work I did Wednesday night did it and I should take it as a sign from the running gods to banish speed work from my training regimen.  Apparently, the ligaments and whatsits attached to this thing can get pulled and tight and can cause the problems with this cartilage.

The upshot of this is I am sidelined for a week.  No running.  No training for Rock 'N Roll.  I just have to sit around and atrophy.  If it doesn't hurt when I run next Tuesday I am clear to go forward; if it does hurt I don't know what the next step is.  I am not pleased with this in the slightest but I also know that it hurts enough that I don't want to continue to mess with it.  I will take my rest week and cross my fingers that I am all better so I can start training again.  If I have to take any serious time off and I lose all the fitness I have gained over these last few months I will be one pissed off woman.