It has been about a month since I was an injury scratch at Red Hot Moab. I often find other runners’ injury diaries interesting and enlightening, so I thought I’d share mine.

Where does it hurt?

I have two long-standing problems. The older of the two, going all the way back to high school, is lumbar muscle spasms, which re-occur on a semi-regular basis. When a flare-up happens, I fold like a cheap lawn chair. Typically, I remain fetal for a few days or longer. Then, eventually and gradually, I return to the land of the fully upright. I’ve been unable to divine a rhyme or reason for the onset of each episode.

The second nagging injury — about eight years old — is a badly damaged left hamstring. I can usually — usually — keep the worst at bay with a lot of stretching, which is fine, and by avoiding up-tempo running, running on pavement, and, especially, up-tempo running on pavement. This is decidedly not fine.

My Past Approach, aka The Definition of Insanity

In a phrase: extend and pretend. The nature of my back problems has meant that I basically walk around with constant low-grade fear of the next crippling episode. I know with certainty I will be sucker-punched eventually, and I know the precise nature of the sucker punch, but I do not know the day or the hour it will occur.

When it happens, I shut it down for a few days (as if there’s a choice in the matter). If no relief seems to be on the horizon, I get a prescription for muscle relaxants. This usually begins to resolve things. Over the years, I’ve consulted at least a 1/2 dozen MDs for the condition without a breakthrough.

I have a bit better grip on what aggravates the crummy hamstring and how to manage it, but the “solution” is (obviously) unsatisfactory.

I’m Fed Up and Not Going to Take Anymore

I resolved to take a different approach to a few aspects of my running in 2010. Broadly speaking, my current attitude is more “serious” than in the past. (On this topic, there is a lot behind what was a very difficult decision for me — you would probably be surprised to know how repellent it is to me to even type the word “serious” in relation to my running — but a full explanation of my thought process is beyond the scope of this post. Maybe another time.) Anyway, when Red Hot didn’t happen, my new mindset led me to say “Enough!” and to entertain new methods of managing my running health. This, in turn, became a consult with my friendly neighborhood holistic physician.

As he quizzed me about my symptoms, Dr. Hardy took me through a series of strength and flexibility tests. Within a few minutes he was confident my back spasms were being caused by a tight psoas muscle:

About now, you may well be saying “duh,” but, for me, this was an incredible revelation. I mean, now that I know what I’m looking for, I know that psoas issues are roughly the back problem equivalent of the common cold. But that’s just it: before now, I didn’t know what I was looking for. Certainly stretching “the front” to give relief to “the back” is at least a little counterintuitive.  And I’m still not quite sure who should feel more sheepish that my quality of life has been diminished for years by a very manageable problem: me or the parade of MDs who have seen me over the years.

In Treatment

In a perfect world, I’d probably be going to the same clinic Devon Crosby-Helms does. I mean, a clinic actually named for my new little friend sounds wonderful! Thankfully, Dr. Hardy has done fine by me.

The bulk of our sessions have consisted of ART-type work. It brings tears to my eyes when we’re in the middle of it — though not nearly as many now as in the beginning — and noticeable relief 24 hours later. He also threw some acupuncture at me in the first couple of sessions, one minor chiropractic adjustment, plus a variety of homework for between sessions. Probably the best “independent-study” has been a variation of this stretch:

After 6-8 sessions over the course of the past month, I feel great. More importantly, I’m confident I now have the tools to manage the problem (especially if I finally mix in some yoga). If I have trouble on my own, I’ll go in for an ART “booster.” I probably will anyway, on a semi-regular basis. I am no longer just waiting around for the next sucker-punch.

The focus is now turning to the hamstring. It’s too soon to say for sure how that will go, and I suspect it will be a more stubborn problem, but, for the first time in a long time, I’m cautiously optimistic.

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We’re in the middle of another minor transitional moment. Our supply of cold weather gear is running out about when it should; our supply of warm weather gear is arriving bit by bit. We are also finalizing our pre-season orders for next fall. A few specific notes and previews:

• We have shuffled the navigational structure of the store slightly in the hope of it fitting a bit better with the evolving product mix.
• We have so far received three terrific, all-new shoe models: La Sportiva Raptor, Vasque Transistor and Oboz Hardscrabble. Our supply of Vasque Mindbenders should arrive within the next week.
• This year, our warm weather apparel will consist primarily of Icebreaker, Salomon, and Sugoi, all of which we expect to receive over about the next two weeks.
• We’re pleased to be putting a bit of support behind another great wilderness running event. This one is the Damn Wakely Dam Ultra. The where is the Adirondack Park Wilderness. The when is July 24. The what is a bit over 50k of rugged trail, unassisted. Sounds like true wilderness running to me.
• The DA rides again. As always, check our Twitter feed for the most recent offer.

Right on.

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