Wednesday, March 29, 2017

The 3 Week Boston Training Plan for those Foolish and Fifty

The radiologist used an X-ray to inject the right spot on my hip with dye and with it a lumpy and numb sensation slowly spread into my side.  My feet were firmly bound together with thick white tape to give the radiologist a more open angle on the hip.  My headphones were muffling the industrial noises with loud hip hop (for my hip op lol...) and I found myself descending slowly down that long and clanking tunnel of magnet trying to find out why oh why I had been in so much pain for the past 6 weeks.  My only goal as an older runner had been to do enough training to get to the start line healthy, and my Boston training was derailed just as it should have been starting; I hadn't been able to run since 23rd December.  My back and hip pain had worsened to the point that I couldn't even put on socks, let alone running shoes.   In her white coat the radiologist briskly and cheerfully ordered me to 'hop on down' off the table.   I just looked at her quizzically - this was the perfect metaphor for trying to run over the age of 50 as far as I was concerned.  She laughed and realized I was still firmly bound around the ankles, untaped me and we tried again.

The results showed a labral tear, bulging disc on L1 pressing on a nerve and a hamstring that resembled corn beef hash from so much scar tissue.  Nothing that was operable or could really receive treatment, but certainly no running.   Nothing in particular had caused it....just too much of everything.  Friends and family were sympathetic to my plight but agreed that maybe my running days were over and it was time to find more gentle pursuits, 'I had spent too long in the playground and now it was time to hit the library'.  Without any exercise sleeping was harder, I couldn't eat very much as I was burning no calories and was limited to around 30 mins of walking with the crazy energetic pup.  Poppy barked at me every time we hit the trail with the 'why don't you run', kind of unhelpful yap she specializes in.  It was a hard wet winter to be immobile.

Of course the tincture of time eventually lessened the pain, and trying to find some spot to watch Rose's swim meet in an overcrowded leisure center, I found that 20 mins on an upright exercise bike wasn't too painful.  By the start of March I could cross train at least...cross training then merged into 10 X 1 minute of easy running two weeks ago with only minor pain.

For many of us running is a big question mark that hangs over your head on a daily basis.  Can I run, should I run, how hard, how far, did I do enough, did I do too much?????  The Boston Marathon had been on my calendar all year, and sadly I was committed, non-refundable flights and special friends travelling from the UK just to meet us there and cheer me on.  So whilst I told myself I would be happy if I could only just jog 3-5 miles on Marathon Monday, there was a nagging question, could I do enough to show up on the start line having spent 10 weeks resting, and 3 weeks starting to run.

Torturing myself with this decision the clearest way was to triage my goals and set minimum standards.  So the first week I had to build to ten miles.  After five miles I had a pain in my side that wouldn't go away - so I left the flat canal path and grabbed Poppy and found that after another 4.5 on the trail it had gone away.  Still 9.5 isn't 10, and isn't enough to jog a marathon so I said 'you really have to hit 14 next time'.  A weekend away in Portland saw me manage a slow 14 on the Spring Water Corridor, my legs hurt a day later and I once again shelved any hope of running the race.  Two days later with the legs improving, I am planning an attempt on 18 this weekend.  2 miles warm up then a double loop of 8.  If the first loop sees me still in one piece I will try the second.  So whilst everyone else is in taper mode, I am on an aggressive build up!

The questions are all still there, but I am giving myself answers every day.  If I can't pass the 18 test I am not lining up in Hopkinton, if I do manage 18 I will have to assess how much it hurt and if it rendered me useless for a week later.....am I prepared to DNF and take the bus of shame if injuries start to flare up.

The Runner Passport sits on my desk, a bright and obnxious jolt of blue and gold, and I can't bring myself to open it.  I see friends posting there's on social media and chattering about their corrals and I don't want to join the fun. I am so happy just to be running again, but that crazy obsessive runner inside also needs the day to day reality check.  I am sure my chiropractor thinks I am deranged but come marathon morning I need to know I made the right choice.  So for all those beginning taper - enjoy, bask in all of your hard months of training, but I have a few more tests to take before I know how to make myself happy on Patriot's Day.