Longing For The Long Run

I stopped running back mid-January of this year, 2021, after Lookout Mountain 50 Miler I began to develop a nagging hamstring pain that had gotten to the point where I was crouching to run with any speed and standing straight to run had a burning pain. This would persist even after a run especially if I sat for a prolonged period of time, like over an hour or longer. I finally decided that I didn’t want another chronic injury so I stopped running.

I had been working with a PT on other issues and I finally told him that I’ll do whatever it takes not to develop another chronic injury, my heal still shoots pain every now and then. First words out of his mouth where ‘No more running until you can walk pain free.’ From there I embarked on a long road of gym workouts to a focus on stretching, flexibility while moving towards figuring out what the next steps might entail. It has become very frustrating not being able to spend time in the woods doing what I enjoy.

Eventually the PT fell by the wayside as I was eventually given a series of gym and home workouts to do and an app so that my PT could track that I was doing them. By April I had stopped communicating with the PT. There was not a way on the app to track progress like an increase in the amount of weight being used nor was there a way for me to change the exercises. My PT had said there was no need to do anything different until my walking was pain free. By mid-April the pain had become a dull semi-constant while walking.

My walking had been with my Dirtbags. My PT had said to walk on flat surfaces, staying away from hills. I’m thinking ‘How long have you been here?’ Anyone who’s been in Tennessee for longer than 5 minutes knows there’s nothing flat about this place. Eventually a friend pointed out that he was probably wanting me on a treadmill, but just didn’t say so.

Continuing to be with the Dirtbags on our Tuesday and Thursday runs, which for me had become walks, was one of the things that had kept me going. Having some sense of ‘normalcy’ with them made not running semi-bearable. While they were out speeding along the trails I’d walk the black top at the park. Even on smooth surfaces I still had to manage hills, walking up slowly or figuring out how to flatten the slope so that it wasn’t as steep helped to take pressure off my hamstring. Downhills and flat areas I just had to be sure I wasn’t walking too fast otherwise that would cause pain as well.

Three months in I had plateaued, I wasn’t making any progress. My PT informed me that this could take a year or more to heal up the hamstring. When I injured it I never noticed any physical swelling nor did I have any bruising, there were a few times in which I felt that area might be a bit swollen. So I wasn’t really understanding the rational for taking a year to heal.

I had given up on the idea of being able to do a 100 miler in the spring, but I thought I’d be able to make it for another later in the year. I’ve always got 3 or more races I’d like to do in any given time frame. I was quickly seeing summer adventures of running all over eastern Tennessee was quite possibly going to be out of the question.

One of the late March early April questions with the PT was about the benefit of a chiropractor. He thought that it was a very good idea. So I tried to get in via my company, which has very good benefits so long as you use their people, it’s all in house. But after waiting for nearly 3 months to get an appointment; it’s only to folks working parting as they are semi-retired, I headed back to my chiropractor. It was during this time that I stopped talking with the PT as I wasn’t getting anywhere and they stopped setting appoints with me saying to just email them until I was walking pain free.

The looming question, would I ever be pain free again??

Well after learning about the need to be flexible and to be working on mobility coupled with a chiropractor who insists on x-rays before starting a treatment plan. I started working that plan. I’m happy to report that I see a light at the end of the tunnel. I’m not sure how big the light is going to be, so I don’t know how far I’ll be able to run nor if I’ll ever be pain free in my hamstring while running. I’m making a go of it. If it wasn’t for a loving God who put a joy in me while running trails and hanging out with trail runners, an understanding and support of my wife and the faithfulness of a great trail running community, those Dirtbags are truly awesome, I’d be a mess in some ways right now. I’m truly grateful for companies like Fleet Feet Nashville and Spring Energy who have continued to be a support and encouragement to me while not being able to run.

I’m 8 months into this healing up of the hamstring, realizing how much endurance I’ve lost and how much muscle tone has left, but I’m running again.Not far, like 8 to 10 miles a week, but it’s a start.Only being able to run these distances has really made me miss not being able to cover 20 or more miles in one push.I really do miss cruising through the woods for hours on end dogging owls as they try to take my scalp.I think, hope, those runs are not far away.One thing I’ve been reminded of during this time is that relationships are key to getting through anything hard.You may go through the thing alone but your relationships keep you moving through the tough times.