Getting back to running… So I’ve not been doing a lot of running lately and I was talking to a buddy a couple of days ago and said I was “starting back at running”. When the words had left my mouth I thought about them…
I had to take a break in mid-October due to hamstring pain. No end of physio visits seemed to get to grips with the why and how of it. Then I did a few short runs of 2-5k in January, but developed a Morton’s Neuroma on my left foot. Rest is usually the best for that, and it’s cleared up now.
One early morning (pre 7am) I was chatting to a mate in the gym along with one of the Personal Trainers. He asked how my hamstring was. I said it was still giving trouble. He then asked if I had lower back pain – which I did. "Aha" he said, "have you thought of sciatica?" I really hadn’t, so I when I got home, I googled for sciatica exercises and found lots. I picked one that looked like it would be pretty effective and did 10 reps on each leg, 3 sets twice that day.
The next morning I woke in NO PAIN for the first time in 3 months! The following day I went back to see the physio and when I told him that I had found an exercise to do and that I was in no pain he said "Really? I was about to refer you for an MRI!"…
Anyway, he took a look and now it seems that my glute on the right is somehow weaker and this is causing my hamstring on that side to do more of the work…and get strained….tada!
Now that I know exactly what the issue was/is (weak glute, not sciatica) and an exercise to fix it, I have a lot more confidence about getting out running again.
With that newfound confidence, I did a lunchtime run on Tuesday of about 5.6k. I just wanted to be back on the roads again and feel the endorphin buzz that I missed. The run went really well and I was buzzing afterwards. The next day my son somehow managed to sit on a chair while I was moving it and it went down on my big toe, with him still on it. How I managed to not swear and curse to bring the house down was amazing!! Then again, my Mum and my two kids were in the room at the time, so it wouldn’t have been appreciated…
Last night I did another 1 hour Kettlebells class. It’s a real arm/shoulder/leg killer, so I’m assuming it’s good for me in the long run.
I was hoping to get a run in during lunchtime today, but I’ll have to wait until my toe has healed. On the plus side, I managed to get a new tube for the bike, so I’ll be getting a bike ride early on Sunday. Unless I somehow amass another injury between now and then!! Anyhow, I’ll be running again either by the end of this week or the start of the next, great news 🙂
Keep running,
Eoin
One early morning (pre 7am) I was chatting to a mate in the gym along with one of the Personal Trainers. He asked how my hamstring was. I said it was still giving trouble. He then asked if I had lower back pain – which I did. "Aha" he said, "have you thought of sciatica?" I really hadn’t, so I when I got home, I googled for sciatica exercises and found lots. I picked one that looked like it would be pretty effective and did 10 reps on each leg, 3 sets twice that day.
The next morning I woke in NO PAIN for the first time in 3 months! The following day I went back to see the physio and when I told him that I had found an exercise to do and that I was in no pain he said "Really? I was about to refer you for an MRI!"…
Anyway, he took a look and now it seems that my glute on the right is somehow weaker and this is causing my hamstring on that side to do more of the work…and get strained….tada!
Now that I know exactly what the issue was/is (weak glute, not sciatica) and an exercise to fix it, I have a lot more confidence about getting out running again.
With that newfound confidence, I did a lunchtime run on Tuesday of about 5.6k. I just wanted to be back on the roads again and feel the endorphin buzz that I missed. The run went really well and I was buzzing afterwards. The next day my son somehow managed to sit on a chair while I was moving it and it went down on my big toe, with him still on it. How I managed to not swear and curse to bring the house down was amazing!! Then again, my Mum and my two kids were in the room at the time, so it wouldn’t have been appreciated…
Last night I did another 1 hour Kettlebells class. It’s a real arm/shoulder/leg killer, so I’m assuming it’s good for me in the long run.
I was hoping to get a run in during lunchtime today, but I’ll have to wait until my toe has healed. On the plus side, I managed to get a new tube for the bike, so I’ll be getting a bike ride early on Sunday. Unless I somehow amass another injury between now and then!! Anyhow, I’ll be running again either by the end of this week or the start of the next, great news 🙂
Keep running,
Eoin
