I think I've figured out the shin injury... or at least, the catalyst.
I've not taken any down time since the marathon - I've run harder. I've added a lot of biking. I added a lot of leg lifting to my routines.
And there was the straw that broke the camel's back.
I think I could have gotten away with almost all of the rest of the stuff, but the lifting was just one more thing too much. It fits the injury description as well. I was running on a treadmill, hopped off and went straight into the leg lift routine. Spasm and that was that.
This week I decided to skip the leg workouts and just run and ride. Runs are limited to 3 miles, rides whatever I feel like. And things are quickly getting better. So what have I learned?
Probably nothing. I seem to have to learn lessons over and over, but what I think I learned (again) is that I'm getting older, and thumbing my nose at risk has consequences. Of all the things to hurt me, the thing I expected least was lifting on my legs, but there it is. On top of that, it didn't even happen in the obvious way. I think I curled my toes up hard enough on leg extensions to cramp my shin muscles because of isometric contraction. In short, I got a cramp. As we know, cramps often lead to pulls and swelling, and since the muscles in this region are located in a sheath, the ensuing swelling caused pretty severe pain. On top of that, since it was a lower extremity, anytime I was on my feet, I got more swelling.
I've kept my leg elevated as much as I can at night, but I've been able to train. It is getting better, and that's the most important part of it all. I'm off Advil, have been for a week. At this point, everything is manageable.
Tomorrow is a ride and swim. That's all!
I've not taken any down time since the marathon - I've run harder. I've added a lot of biking. I added a lot of leg lifting to my routines.
And there was the straw that broke the camel's back.
I think I could have gotten away with almost all of the rest of the stuff, but the lifting was just one more thing too much. It fits the injury description as well. I was running on a treadmill, hopped off and went straight into the leg lift routine. Spasm and that was that.
This week I decided to skip the leg workouts and just run and ride. Runs are limited to 3 miles, rides whatever I feel like. And things are quickly getting better. So what have I learned?
Probably nothing. I seem to have to learn lessons over and over, but what I think I learned (again) is that I'm getting older, and thumbing my nose at risk has consequences. Of all the things to hurt me, the thing I expected least was lifting on my legs, but there it is. On top of that, it didn't even happen in the obvious way. I think I curled my toes up hard enough on leg extensions to cramp my shin muscles because of isometric contraction. In short, I got a cramp. As we know, cramps often lead to pulls and swelling, and since the muscles in this region are located in a sheath, the ensuing swelling caused pretty severe pain. On top of that, since it was a lower extremity, anytime I was on my feet, I got more swelling.
I've kept my leg elevated as much as I can at night, but I've been able to train. It is getting better, and that's the most important part of it all. I'm off Advil, have been for a week. At this point, everything is manageable.
Tomorrow is a ride and swim. That's all!
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