I'm either very healthy or very injured...

I really don't do things halfway!

I'm injured.  After 14+ months of high mileage without even a niggle, I managed to screw up my hip when I was barely running.  It went from fine to painful very quickly, and since I stopped running immediately I thought I'd heal with a few days off, but now 2 weeks later I am waiting for an MRI on March 4... (edit: now March 26, long story)...

The whole story:  I ran the Houston marathon sick on January 19.  I took the next 5 days off running - I have never taken 5 days in a row off when uninjured, but I was extremely sick and have finally learned my lesson about running while sick.  I then started back with easy running, but an illness setback caused by work travel resulted in 3 more days off and with my doctor ordering a chest x-ray to rule out pneumonia.  The days I did run during this time frame were short and very easy.

Finally, about 2.5 weeks after Houston my acute bronchitis symptoms abated.  I ran easy for another week and on February 11 I had my first workout back.  It was just a 6 mile progression run, but my body was still so weak that it was much harder than it should have been, and I only got the last mile down to marathon pace +15 seconds.  I also had new drills and a strength workout that day.

On February 12, my hip flexor area felt tight when I began my easy 8 miler in 35 degree rain, but I chalked it up to getting back into training.  It loosened up as I ran, but then began bugging me a little bit in the final mile or so.  Once I stopped running it really got angry, but I stretched really well in the YMCA steam room and it loosened up.  I figured running in cold wet tights didn't help my soreness that I mostly blamed on the new knee drive drills (it turns out my knee drive is really bad!).

However, as the day passed on February 12, the pain became worse and worse until I couldn't walk without holding onto something.  I knew I'd need a few days off, and I also did whatever I could think of to help the situation - stretching, foam rolling, icing, elevating, anti-inflammatories, etc.

I saw my awesome chiropractor who does ART and Graston, and he found some tenderness in my tensor fascia latae (TFL) muscle and treated it and surrounding areas.  The treatments helped, but as days passed I became increasingly worried that someone else besides a TFL strain was wrong, especially because I fail the single leg "jump test" abysmally.  I ran on the AlterG treadmill twice, but even at 70-75% weight I could feel an issue and was only able to run for 20-30 minutes, so I saw a sports doctor on February 20.

The AlterG life

The doctor did several movement tests, talked to me about my symptoms and history, took x-rays (no abnormalities), scheduled me for an MRI, prescribed crutches, and recommended no activity until we get the MRI results.

So, that escalated quickly.

The last time I was injured I cross-trained like a maniac, and it didn't seem to translate to running fitness, so even before I saw the sports doctor I wasn't doing much.  If I felt confident it would help my running or if I found joy in cross-training, I'd workout like a madwoman, but neither of those is the case.  I've been mainly focusing on rehab work and some 30 minute swims.   Side note: I could sure tell I hadn't swam since 2018!

In hindsight, I should have run only easy until I regained full strength from my illness.  I have now been injured 3 times since 2014, and each time has come when I trained when pretty sick.  I thought that taking 8 days off was enough, but I was super sick and obviously running a marathon didn't help the predicament.  So what I have learned is that in addition to taking time off when sick, when I return to running and am still weak, I need to hold off on any intensity until my strength is back.  I was anxious to get back to it because I love to run and because I have big goals for 2020 and beyond.

But, it also could have just been bad luck - especially since my mileage was so low when it happened.  We always want something to blame, especially when others are injured ("that won't happen to me because I don't _____ like she does").  It is difficult to completely avoid injuries in this sport, especially when you're trying to get the most out of yourself - if you follow any professional runner you've seen this.  Recently I've also noticed that many Trials qualifiers have to sit out the Trials due to injuries.

So, in sum I was very healthy and now I'm very injured.  I was also very sick in late January to early February - I also don't get sick halfway!

I'll post an update once I have my MRI results - possibilities include a stress fracture and torn labrum, but it could just be a TFL issue (a friend of mine who had TFL issues had to take 12 weeks off running!).  I will be happy to know for sure so I can treat it appropriately and know whether to cross-train or not, to stretch or not, to walk or use the crutches, etc.  And I will also be thankful for this opportunity to appreciate my health more.