Good news, people! My sports doctor – yes, I have a sports doctor – ahem. As I was saying: My Sports Doctor says he doesn’t think I have compartmental issues (at least in my legs – I probably have them mentally, but no sports doctor is going to fix that). As you may recall, I was referred based on shin pain while and from running. The doctor listened to my symptoms and asked me a whole bunch of questions. I got nervous and sweaty – I really don’t know why – and tried to answer them to be best of my ability.
I felt foolish – who doesn’t experience pain while running? – if we didn’t, we probably wouldn’t have invented cars. And it’s wasn’t an obvious traumatic incident with bones sticking out, or crutches required. And with the Olympics wrapping up, I felt a little silly. I mean Clara Hughes broke her back and placed 5th in the cycling time trials! Paula Findley refused surgery on her hip and cried through an entire triathlon! Tory Nyhaug has his spleen removed to make it to the Olympics! Oh Poor Little Me. My shin twinges a little sometimes. Sally. Wuss. No Olympics will I be attending with my lack of grit and fortitude (And I had such a chance at the age of 38).
Apparently, you can’t just go out and start running. Did you know that? You can run wrong? Wha!? How can I run wrong? It’s it like eating, sleeping, or any other normal body function that you do? Well, after reviewing the soles of my shoes and my awkward hallway jogging, it appears that I run too much on the front of my foot. Which apparently is better than running too much on my heels. And good news, I am an efficient walker!
All this front foot running is causing my gastrocnemius muscle (the one on the inside of my lower leg) to try to contract and expand at the same time. Hence micro tearing, pain after extended use and couple days recovery.
I’m like a sprinter – not enough like an endurance athlete. Unless I want to reduce my daily workout to 10 seconds a day – and I do really, but that would defeat the purpose of exercise – I need to fix my running.
Now, I have to find myself a running coach to watch and assist me with running mechanics.
August 14th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary: Focusing on putting my foot down more in the centre. This is seriously jeopardizing my ability to chew gum and walk at the same time.
The Daily EO 