STRAVA Summary

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Another Hurdle on the Way to Western States

To say I am frustrated is an understatement. Depressed too, may be a good description. Injuries are putting a damper on my running life right now and I’m not happy. I have less than 10 weeks until toeing the line at Western States and I can’t put in any distance. I have run long since TJ100k which was a wash out and the start of my injury problems. Although it might have been just the camel the broke the straws back!!

I’ve been having piriformis issues for years, but all of a sudden this year they are way worse than they’ve been since I started running. Nothing worse than your butt screaming at you when you’re running and nothing can be done to relive the pain. But I have learned that I can run through the piriformis pain, although I wonder if one day it will just go snap and I’m completely screwed. But as much as this is a pain, the other issues are the ones that worry me; calf strain on the right side and a tight Achilles on the left. The Achilles issue is new, from last week and is only a dull ache, but I’m sure it has potential. The calf is where this whole mess started. Running TJ100k, 50k in and bang it went. No running for a week and a half and then out on a trail run, bang it went again, although not as bad, it still didn’t feel the best. So another week or so off and I tried it again at OTF on the tread mill and low and behold, not problem. Awesome! The following night I tried a run outside. That is when the Achilles started up. Late in the run the piriformis got worse again, but still no calf problem. Seemed to be around the corner on that. Another treadmill run the next night at OTF and the calf was good.
Last Saturday I ventured back into the trails to try it once more and other than the Achilles and PF, the calf was good… until the couple of k when it started to tighten up again. It’s been that way ever since, just tight not sore.
I’ve been going steadily to a range of specialists to get work done. Trish (PT) has been working diligently on the calf with Ultrasound and some massage, and giving me some exercises to work on. Dr. Burghardt had given me some exercises too, looked at my PF and suggested “needling” for it. I’ll have to follow up with Dr. Frank on that. Dr. Frank has been doing the usually painful ART. Went for a massage last night, and Trish has me booked in to see an Osteopath next week. Weekly visits to most of them.
This morning I go to Dr. Burghardt and she doesn’t have much positive to say and recommends pool running to keep the cardio up rather than putting more pressure on the calf and Achilles. I came out of the appointment feeling completely defeated. I’m losing control of my options and ability to do WS.
Joan has already made plans for us to go pool running, starting tomorrow night. I might end up going twice a day, so 2 hours a day. Fingers crossed there will be some improvement. 10 days until O24, 5 ½ weeks to WS training run and 9 ½ weeks until the big show.

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