Current Pain vs. Future Races

My 18 mile long run in prep for the Disney Marathon (next weekend) was tough due to the snow and ice on the ground. I ran most of it outside with my newly screwed shoes and did the final 3 and change on my treadmill. Felt pretty sore the next day, figured it was normal and rested and iced, then on Tuesday went out for a 5 mile run. Didn't feel awful but didn't feel quite right either. Tuesday night couldn't sleep. Tossed and turned with pain in my right hip and down through my knee. Wednesday I was not only tired, but any abductive movement (like moving my foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal as I was running Christmas errands) was excruciatingly painful. It got to the point where I would use my hand to lift my leg to assist in the gas to brake movement. I got an appointment for the next day with my doctor who also specializes in sports med. Thursday there was almost no pain, but I went anyway to see the doctor. Based on my description of the pain locations, and a description of a misstep in the snow less than a mile into my long run that prbably was the cause of the pain, he suggested that I pulled my sartorius muscle. Told me to stay off of it the entire weekend, gave me a heavy duty anti-inflammatory (Meloxicam) and said to be cautious when resuming running.

Well, it's been two weeks later and I have only gotten in 24 miles, most on the tread because the roads and trails have been dodgy and I don't want to risk a spill with an already weakend leg. Ran 5 on the tread yesterday and I am in pretty big pain today, inner hip/outer knee being the pain points. My plan is no more running until race day. I'll hit the gym tomorrow and spin on a bike for a bit and see how that feels, but I think it's stretching and resting for now.

Muscle in red is the sartorius.





For spring 2014, races that I hope to participate in depending on what is actually going on with my leg include:

March 29: Clinton Lake Ultra (already registered)
April 5: Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon (will register when I get back from Disney....)
May 18: Run River City Marathon Relay (I run this with my husband and two kids...)

I'm still working on some races for the fall. There is a 50K in Michigan and the Hokie Half Marathon that I am thinking about, but I'm waiting until my son makes a decision about which college he is going to go to and when his start date is before actually committing to anything.