So... I've had my fair share of running injuries. Maybe, a tad more than my fair share :)
I'm not an athlete. I'm not even athletic by nature. I'm not agile, not flexible. I couldn't bend down and touch my toes to save my life. Don't have a sturdy frame. Just tall and lanky...with a bit of a bulge thrown in the tummy area :)
Of course, when i was a kid, i used to play myriad sports...namely cricket ! It was only later on (during 9th) that i developed an interest in Basketball. Practiced it on my own, in my spare time, even made the house team. It probably coincided with my growth spurt and it helped me grow tall. Guess Dad and Mom were surprised when i came home for some vacations and not a single cloth at home fit me. Had to go and buy some clothing the very next day. But that was the extent of my sports excursion. Never really did anything sporty after 10th. Very limited, if any.
Nothing has come easy to me. I've always have had to work hard to achieve anything. Have had to compromise on a number of things over a period of time. Running is no exception.
I can't bend down and touch my toes. Never have been able to. Even when we did PT in school. Just used to hang my arms down....reached somewhere near the middle of my shins and that was that :) I never cared that i couldn't touch my toes. Never thought too much about it. I'm like a tree trunk - inflexible :) I was chatting with a friend about this...and my friend bent forward to touch toes. Said, it comes easy to me ! I'm very flexible. I mean - Yeah ! Just coz it's easy for you doesn't mean its anywhere near possible for me :( Another C25K batch mate - she teaches Yoga and is a mother of twins, said - keep trying - in a couple of years you'll get to within a few inches of your toes. She's right, of course. Even though our body is designed to be flexible - to a degree, our complacent lifestyle ensure that we let this go to hell.
A colleague of mine gave me a simple plan a few years ago (around 2014, i think) to start running. She'd gifted herself a running coach and she was helpful enough to share the same plan with me... just to get me started on my running endeavour. Some simple runs, some exercises. One of them, was about activating the glutes. Now, i knew that the glute is the biggest muscle in the body. Bookish knowledge, right ? Well, it turns out that trying to move your glute is NOT easy. Hell - i couldn't even feel anything around the glute area :) (The computer keeps autocorrecting to flute !!!) I remember actually asking her...are these exercises correct ? Is something supposed to happen when i try to contract my glutes ? She said - Yes, but it takes time. She was pretty matter of fact, given that it probably worked out for her over a few weeks. For me - nada ! For years, i haven't felt anything move in my glute area :) Even now, after running for two years, i'm not really sure that i actually use my glutes effectively or effeciently :) She said - I need to be healthy for my daughter and You need to be healthy for yours. So, go run. Amen.
Wanting to be a runner does not simply mean getting up, lacing on a pair of decent shoes and heading out the door. Its a lot of complimentary things that need to be streamlined, strengthened, sorted out etc. Sandeep and Raghu helped in this...
When i started C25K (in 2016), I developed shin splints. They hurt when i walked and even more so when i ran. Asked Raghu and Sandeep for advise...both said - Strengthen ! Take some time off from running and work on strengthening. It's a classic mistake which every newbie makes. Take some time off - pain subsides and then start running again...pain returns. Problem is that we don't address the root cause of the pain. We need to rest, let the pain subside and then work on strengthening the afflicted area. That is what will keep us going on and on.
Our muscles rebel against the strenuous activity that we put them through after decades of being in limbo. It's unfair to say the least. Isn't it ?
About a year later, i had ITB issues...put me out of action for the better part of the year. My friend said - Stretching and Strengthening ! Auto correct always made it Scratching :)
December of 2017, i again had ITB issues, leading to a ton of physiotherapy - Stretching and Strengthening !! My physiotherapist made a list of exercises for me to do, did dry needling, even did Kineso taping. I think that combination really helped me to get back on track to running regularly. I'd just told her one thing - I want to be able to compete in these couple of races and you need to tell me what do i need to do to make it happen. I will invest the time needed. She, i think, invested an equal amount of time for me to get back out on the track. She made these small diagrammatic pictures showing the various poses i needed to hold for the exercises and stretches. They were very helpful, especially for a forgetful person like me.
She did tests. Made me contort into a few poses. And diagnosed. Apparently, our body has a kinetic chain...if the quads or hams aren't working properly, they will lead to stress in the knees as well as the glutes. If the glutes aren't activated, they will overwork the quads and hams. If the lower back is not strong enough to hold me upright on long runs, it will start to affect my lower limbs. One thing connects to another and if one fails, to starts a domino affect. So, i needed to strengthen a few muscle groups as well as needed to be flexible in others.
She's followed up consistently on whats'app about my progress even after my races. Gave advice on complimentary things to do to support my longevity.
My physiotherapist is a lifesaver. God bless her soul.
The first year, i always had some niggle or the other... it hurt me most of the waking hours. Mostly shin. Then the subsequent year - ITB. That hurt much more, bearable, but much more than before. There was barely any time in 2016 or 2017 which was really pain/discomfort free.
2018 started on a low note but with plenty of exercise sessions. There were a few weeks wherein i felt very good. Weeks where there was no niggle. Where there was zero pain. I even joined a training program and was pretty consistent in it too. But, after a couple of months, i realized that it was just too much for my body. See, i tried to have 4 runs in a week - Tue, The, Sat and Sun (TTSS). Wed and Fri were strength sessions and Monday was Yoga. My body gave up ! It started with shin pain again. Went back to my physiotherapist - she said : two weeks complete rest. No running, no exercise, no nothing. Damn !
I retained the Yoga day and dropped the strength sessions. It meant that i saved my muscles from some amount of abuse but at the same time did not compromise on building endurance to do a 21K. Essentially, i think i gave up speed and a faster time in favor of actually completing a Half Marathon. I think my body thanked me for it.
The two months before theHyderabad marathon, were relatively pain free and it gave me a feeling of - Oh really, this is how i can survive my training and lead a healthy lifestyle while pushing my body to a limit !
The future awaits...lets see if pain will be a part of it or it will be pain free.
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