OK time for some (more) sad injury news.
A couple of weeks ago, I aggravated my achilles on my right leg. My right leg used to be my GOOD leg, with the patellar injury on my left leg. Now I was probably not walking properly and I probably walked too far, and my right leg wanted to compensate for my left leg - but nonetheless I have micro-tears in my achilles. According to the physio it is not TOO bad, but it is worse than being minor. BUT it is not getting better. And the fault is all mine - cycling. Unless I cycle with my heel on the pedal I am aggravating the achilles - and I cycle every day so I haven't let the achilles heal. I try and cycle with my heels, I really do, but going up hill is too hard unless you stand up.
The physio threatened to plaster my leg to force me to stop using it - but I think he was joking!!
The GOOD news is that my gym has finally opened!! I am heading off this afternoon to see what I can do. They have a pool so I might borrow the wisdom of Em and Runjanerun and do some deep water running. At least I should get some more variety now, to take my mind off MORE time not goddam running.
I'm glad the gym has opened, because I was starting to struggle with the frustration of this injury. I've been toying with the idea of just ditching the whole "runner" thing, because clearly it does not suit me. Then I thought - it's not running's fault; I have to make myself suitable to running! There's a runner inside me that is just itching to get out!! You just can't see it at the moment, that's all.
About Me
- Celeste
- Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- I have two important pasttimes in my life - study and running. I started studying my PhD in 2005 because I want to become an academic. There is something appealing about being educated and something liberating about being an expert in a field. Running is just fun. It clears the mind and makes you feel like you can acheive anything. Like a PhD...
10 comments:
Great news that the gym has opened up finally- it will give you a whole new range of options to get your body ready for running again.
Yes, Celeste
That sounds like the right idea. Get in the right shape and/or at least fix those injuries and get back into running again.
I don't know your situation exactly but you could ask someone from a running club or a personal trainer like this:
"I want to be in this shape ....... fill in the blanks, to be able to do this ......... by this time........."
Then go about doing what they advise you to do.
All the best with it.
Hi Celeste,
I look forward to seeing you at the gym. I have been dying for it to open as well. Really keen to try out the pilates and spin classes, purely to help out my running of course.
I also hurt myself cycling when i was resting from a running injury so don't think you are alone.
Vanessa (from WAMC)
Oh no - you can't give up the idea of being a runner, you're one of us now ;-)
the achilles news really sucks. But it is great news that the gym has opened - I hope your visit this afternoon was a good one and they're ready to help you get that inner runner out of you! :)
sorry to hear about the injury :( get into the water running..its not the most interesting thing but Em has a program on her blog for it which is well worth using..i get my HR right up so i know i am maintaining fitness
Celeste .. here's a big virtual hug. You must be feeling so frustrated.
You'll be able to do a lot of things at the gym to help your running. I worked on strengthening the patella tendon in my left leg, as my knee used to ache after running. The leg extensions made a huge difference. Talk to the people there. They are bound to be able to point you in the direction of exercises that will help you.
Strengthening your core will help your running too. Running is great for your abs, but you can work on your abs even when you're not running.
You'll be amazed at how good you feel about yourself as you get stronger. While you don't get the best calorie burn during a weights session, those muscles keep working for you long after you've stopped exercising.
I hope all your injuries heal super fast. Enjoy the gym. I'm looking forward to hearing all about it.
Heya Celeste. The achilles injury is similar to one I have had over the last two weeks though not as severe. I have found that doing an exercise on stairs where you:
a) lift up with your good foot
b) let go of your good foot and drop the bad foot below the stairs
c) put the good foot back on the stairs to raise both back up and repeat to lower the bad one
... has helped considerably, but I'm sure your physio probably has you on some sort of recovery techniques.
I ride to work most days and when my achilles has been flaring have had to resort to a really really low gear so that I don't have to stand up as I certainly start to feel the pain when I do so. Have a meeting with my podiatrist next week and orthotics may be on the cards. Have you talked to your practitioner about getting orthotics yet? as it seems like it helps a lot of us. Hope you are back on your feet soon!
Hi Celeste, sorry to hear about your achilles. You must be so frustrated, but I can still hear the runner in you talking. Have fun at the gym in the meantime.
Sometimes I think that there could be two or three runners inside me somewhere - that would explain a lot.
Hope the gym goes well - you can use the pool to work on your swimming for the whole tri experiment. Plus I always feel much more change when i am doing weights regularly - it burns so much energy and there is such instant feedback on improvement.
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