Since completely botching NYC, I've been in limbo with my running. I'm now finally ready to get moving again.
Ultimately I want to do another marathon and piggy back off of New York. I feel like I completely short changed myself after months of solid training. But, I need to get my calf sorted out first.
Ever since coming back from last year's stress fracture, I've been hindered on and off by shin splints that have lead to other material tightness/knots. Call it residual growing pains, rolling up too fast, whatever... it's frustrating that I've been running consistently for 6 years now and I still get shin splints after taking any down time... and the tightness stubbornly refuses to go away once it's started.
I've officially clocked 2,420 miles this year, and I'm willing to say that probably 50% of those miles were run under some sort of lingering shin or calf pain! Without these issues, I would've easily run 200-300 more miles... at least... and that's before considering that I was barely running at the beginning of the year due to the SFX.
SO, acknowledging that it needs to be addressed before I can train for another marathon, I've taken a different course of treatment. I started seeing a Chiropractor about 6 weeks ago. 2-3 treatments a week are not cheap by any means, but I feel that I've had significant progress.
His findings have been pretty cool: Basically, my hips have been out of alignment and slightly rotated so that my left hip was tracking behind and lower than my right hip. I've probably been like this for years. Being out of alignment has caused some muscles to be shut off while other muscles have been getting over worked and increasing imbalances. The result has ultimately lead to my left foot striking too far in front of my left hip, in spite of striking under my body. This undoubtedly causes shin splints and IT-band problems.... which have been consistently happening under my left hip for years. (It certainly explains a lot!!)
If nothing else, his adjustments have me standing much taller and more upright, and my hips feel much more aligned. My running form has improved somewhat. And the hope is that I will be less prone to shin splints. ...The troubles on the outside of my left calf (which ultimately shut down my training for NYC) are the result of overly tight IT-Bands and uneven muscle strength in my upper quads (a result of being out of alignment). I'm PT'ing myself to correct this.
SO, all of that said, I'm starting to feel more normal again with my running. I do feel out of shape - but that'll come back soon enough. I can finally start running again.
Today is 12/31/10. With the New Year and a resolution, I move on to better and more healthy running.
I have officially cherry picked my next goal race:
Ultimately I want to do another marathon and piggy back off of New York. I feel like I completely short changed myself after months of solid training. But, I need to get my calf sorted out first.
Ever since coming back from last year's stress fracture, I've been hindered on and off by shin splints that have lead to other material tightness/knots. Call it residual growing pains, rolling up too fast, whatever... it's frustrating that I've been running consistently for 6 years now and I still get shin splints after taking any down time... and the tightness stubbornly refuses to go away once it's started.
I've officially clocked 2,420 miles this year, and I'm willing to say that probably 50% of those miles were run under some sort of lingering shin or calf pain! Without these issues, I would've easily run 200-300 more miles... at least... and that's before considering that I was barely running at the beginning of the year due to the SFX.
SO, acknowledging that it needs to be addressed before I can train for another marathon, I've taken a different course of treatment. I started seeing a Chiropractor about 6 weeks ago. 2-3 treatments a week are not cheap by any means, but I feel that I've had significant progress.
His findings have been pretty cool: Basically, my hips have been out of alignment and slightly rotated so that my left hip was tracking behind and lower than my right hip. I've probably been like this for years. Being out of alignment has caused some muscles to be shut off while other muscles have been getting over worked and increasing imbalances. The result has ultimately lead to my left foot striking too far in front of my left hip, in spite of striking under my body. This undoubtedly causes shin splints and IT-band problems.... which have been consistently happening under my left hip for years. (It certainly explains a lot!!)
If nothing else, his adjustments have me standing much taller and more upright, and my hips feel much more aligned. My running form has improved somewhat. And the hope is that I will be less prone to shin splints. ...The troubles on the outside of my left calf (which ultimately shut down my training for NYC) are the result of overly tight IT-Bands and uneven muscle strength in my upper quads (a result of being out of alignment). I'm PT'ing myself to correct this.
SO, all of that said, I'm starting to feel more normal again with my running. I do feel out of shape - but that'll come back soon enough. I can finally start running again.
Today is 12/31/10. With the New Year and a resolution, I move on to better and more healthy running.
I have officially cherry picked my next goal race:
The flat, fast, and infamous Rotterdam Marathon, on April 10.
I start rolling back up tomorrow.... hang over or not.
I start rolling back up tomorrow.... hang over or not.
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