The FastDay Forum

Well, I went and overdid it - in the frosty conditions we had lately I walked on three consecutive days, 5.8 miles cross country, 4 miles around the park then 6.4 miles flat out on quiet roads. Managed to hit 4mph for the distance but got back to the car with some pain in the new hip and am now back to using one crutch to help support me. I reckon I am back where I was nearly three weeks ago and I am really annoyed with myself a - I had expected to get back to the climbing wall this week, now I have to explain to my surgeon that I ignored his good advice not to do too much too soon ...

Sorry to hear this, but as a life-long "overdoer" I understand how tempting it was. Hope the damage does not take long to undo.

So sorry to hear about your setback @CreakyPete. I know it must be hard but try and take things easy so that you can fully recover properly. I'm the same as you and never listen to doctors as I always thing they are over cautious, especially regarding exercise. It is really hard not to exercise when you are so used to it!
Look after yourself.
Happy New Year to all you runners. What goals do you have for 2015 (if any?)
Mine is just to complete a marathon, if I can do a time of under 3h45 I'll be over the moon, but to finish with no injuries is the main objective.

[carieoates]

Half marathon ballot entered. Great north run. Fingers crossed.
Hope you recover well creaky Pete

Hope you recover quickly Pete. What a shame, but its the kind of thing a lot of us do, me included.
My exercise goal for 2015 is to complete the Queenstown half marathon in November. In any time will do, as its going to be my first so as long as I finish, it has to be a personal best. (And thanks - you just gave me the motivation I need to say I'm entering it out loud @Carieoates ).

Sorry to hear of your troubles, Pete. I hope you recover quickly.
Congrats to all the half-marathoners! I hope I can join you again soon. In the meantime, I've gone to the dark side and bought a fancy bike which my cycling guru friend says is much too good for me.

I extended my repertoire from 10k, half marathons and trail racing by doing a cross country race today.
Very intense and violent! But I didn't disgrace myself for an oldie (I'm 50 this year) and came in 74/144, doing the 5.7kms in 27 mins which wasn't too bad. The sad thing is I qualified for the Bretagne regional finals (today was the départemental, the county equivalent of the UK) so I'll have to run for my club again and do another cross country in a fortnight. Still overweight from where I want to be by a couple of kgs, but with cross country it doesn't seem to matter. Brute strength is more important!

Just popping in to say a belated Happy New Year to you all. I have been away to the US of A ( NYC and DC) and managed to tick a bucket list item and go for a run in Central Park. I will need to do some crazy work hours over the next few weeks to get back on track.
Sorry to hear about your setback Pete.

Happy New Year to you as well, Simon! The setback has not proved to be as bad as it initially felt - pretty much back to where I was a fortnight ago. I have walked 5k in 46 minutes and static biked 10 miles in 32 minutes today, and carried my trekking pole rather than used it. I get to see my surgeon in two days, I must admit to be more relieved to not have to face his wrath than to actually feel OK again!

Surgeon seen, X-rays taken and all OK - came clean about overdoing things a bit and he was not surprised. Basically the message is to carry on pushing the envelope but be careful to stop when it hurts too much, the bone should be getting stronger as the tissue injuries heal and range of movement will return in the fullness of time.
Next check-up will be in three months. I would post the x-ray picture but I never found out how to...

Good news, CreakyPete. Enjoy the rest of your convalescence.

All quiet here in Michigan, it's been cold, too cold for me to run, I'm satisfied with playing around on tread mills and eliptical machines for the next month or two. I think the relative rest has been good for both spirit as well as my physical body.

Pete, glad to hear your recovery is back on track, hope things continue to progress, I bet your working hard toward the best recovery. Did you have an initial hip injury or has it been a slow developing wear & tear situation ? What were the early symptoms and how long since the onset ? I am going to be 61 this year and have some arthritis in my lower back so I'm interested ....

Hi brougham. Slowly developing over a period of six years, I think. Symptoms were chronic aching/stiffness that resting did not seem to cure. Had a resurgence in activity about five years ago, running several half-marathons and 10 mile races but recovery was taking longer and eventually my last half was so uncomfortable that I decided it would indeed be my last, at age 59. It was when I tried climbing and specifically bouldering that I found just how inflexible my hips had become. A physio diagnosed osteoarthritis and told me to get a bike and stop running, and wait until I could not get upstairs before pursuing the hip replacement option. I carried on doing the weekly 5k run/race that is parkrun but no other running. 2013 was good, 2014 was just getting slower and slower with more pain, at which point I found a surgeon who would do a resurfacing operation on the worse hip. Very pleased so far! The other hip might last another couple of years, and my back is showing signs of arthritis also, but I am currently walking much better than I was.
I got into 5:2 in the hope that being lighter would help the joints to last longer, and I think it helps the operation and recuperation being at minimum weight. I don't know how much diet was to blame for my arthritis but I shy away from grains now where possible. I also cannot tell if glucosamine helps but many swear it does so sometimes I take it just in case...

Thanks Pete, I appreciate your sharing the details. I think I can benefit from your experience. It affirms what I'm thinking about my future running goals which I see winding down but hopefully not coming to a total halt anytime soon. My arthritis comes and goes dependent on how hard I push and mostly in my lower back but sometimes I think the hip is also involved. The hip is an amazing joint when you think about the stress it takes over a lifetime and I guess we should give it the respect it's due. I have started taking glucosamine just recently proactively and do a lot of icing post workouts. Continued good luck, and thanks again.

Hip seems good now so did parkrun officially instead of just lurking - jogged the majority of it, walked where sensible. Hoped to get under 40 minutes and not be last, did 33:25! Very happy, and can still walk OK.

MrsPete was only three minutes in front so she had better watch out!