I went to my first physical therapy session yesterday. The therapist watched me walk and noticed that I am bowlegged. There's a medical word for it but I don't remember what it is. My lower legs curve outward slightly more than normal.
What this means to me as a runner is that when I start to run my feet start out in a pronation position, instead of a supination position. Then my feet continue to pronate, and essentially overpronate, causing the posterior tibialis muscle, a thin muscle along the inside of the shin bone to do all the work that should be shared by the other muscles in my leg. At least that's what I think the therapist said. It's essentially the same as having flat feet, but I don't have flat feet, just bowed legs.
Running more than a moderate amount every week puts additional strain on the posterior tibialis muscle, and recovery takes longer than usual. Because I'm training for the half marathon I've been running a lot of miles and haven't given my legs much time to recover. So my posterior tibialis muscles are constantly sore and tired. My new shoes should help compensate for the overpronating, but the bottom line is my muscles are not strong enough for the work I am asking them to do.
The therapist said I could choose to stop training for three weeks, skip the July half marathon, work on strengthening and stretching and then gradually build up to training for the Columbus half marathon in October. Or we could work on pain management for the July race.
If it will help diminish the pain, I will forgo the upcoming race and focus on getting better. I told him this. Then I asked if I could run at all and he said I could cut down on my miles, especially my long run on Saturday, and then the next Saturday if I feel good I can do the race.
In the meantime I have stretches and strengthening I have to do and then I'll have another therapy session next week.
I am pretty sure I will not run the race at this point. Why bother? Why put my legs through such pain just so I can run the race? If it weren't for the pain I know I can do it. I could have done ten miles last week without walking if it weren't for the pain. Doing the race would only seem to make my recovery longer, and I don't have anything to gain from doing it. I might have to give up my entry fee but it goes to a good cause anyway.
As long as the therapist thinks I can run moderately, that's what I think I will do. I will only run 5 miles this Saturday with the training group. It will be hard, because running the longer runs is where I can really feel the endorphins and have the incredible sense of accomplishment at the end. And I can eat more since I've burned so many calories!
I am determined to run the Columbus half marathon. My husband is running the marathon and it will be inspiring to be sort of running a race together. It's the last big race in town before winter comes and a whole new world of training starts for the races coming up in the spring.
It's time to do my PT now. I'll take it day by day and see how it goes. I'll run to enjoy the run and not worry so much about getting all my miles in or how fast I am going. I will triumph over my shin splints. I am a penguin. I waddle but I don't fall down.
Daily Running Log: 3 miles on the treadmill. No walking.
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