I know this will come as a surprise- but, sometimes, running HURTS. I know, I know, it's crazy... Sigh.
I have goals for this year. My big ones are to run a BQ at Revel Rockies in early June, and then to run the Burning River 100 in late July. Along the way I have a few small side goals that will likely need to be accomplished in training, like going close-to-1:45 in the half marathon. Because I'm working on being a responsible human being, I went to the doctor. My hip has been low-key bothering me for a few years. Don't laugh, I just assumed it was always sore because, well, running. It has gotten progressively worse over the last year, and knowing the crazy that is 100 miler training, I thought it best to just get it checked out before beginning. I wanted to go into training healthy and in tip-top shape, knowing I have two pretty ambitious goals. What happened instead was this. My GP says, "So nice to see you, I'm sending you to the orthopedist because I think you tore your labrum." Uh oh. So I go to the orthopedist who says, "I don't think you tore your labrum, but I do think you have a stress fracture or ruptured tendon. Let's do an MRI." Uhh ohh. Enter slightly uncomfortable diagnostic imaging tube of noise. Email from orthopedist follows shortly thereafter. "Good news, no fracture or rupture, but you do have a full thickness tear of your labrum." Great. Haven't we been here already? "Let's do one more test to make sure before we schedule you for surgery." WAIT, WHAT? One long needle full of lidocaine and cortisone later, the diagnosis is confirmed. (That stuff is magic, by the way.) Okay, not so bad. I figured, I could have surgery pretty close to now, which would be a royal pain in the butt as far as teaching, but then I'd be recovered in plenty of time to start training in January. WRONG. The orthopedist says, first, "They'll never let you run again." I can sometimes be reactionary, and I'm very proud that I did not break down in tears at that exact moment. It's just not an option. Second, it's a surgery that carries a 4-6 month recovery period. Well, this day just keeps getting better. I went home from that appointment trying to maintain objectivity. Well, objectivity that would allow me to run, so... that! Over the past few weeks, I've researched how others have done, talked to a few physicians whose opinions I value as both friends and doctors, and really tried to piece this puzzle together in a way that best works for me. What I know about myself is that I have an extremely hard time walking away from goals. Determined/Stubborn is definitely a defining characteristic of mine. I also know that this is a procedure that likely has to be done, or I risk the whole hip if I continue running. I have to go back and see the orthopedist early next month, so what I'm hoping is this- we can agree to exist on cortisone, PT, and Advil for the next 9 months, at which point I will go through with the procedure. Then we all win! I get to run my races for the year, and a qualified medical professional gets to make my joints healthy. I know a lot has to go right for this to happen, starting with convincing my doctor to prioritize my dreams. Fingers crossed!
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