Tuesday 13 April 2010

Out of order

I’m unable to run at the moment. It’s been a month since the Atacama Crossing. I forgot to mention that in the last couple of days of the event I had some stomach pain when I was running. Especially on the last 10k stage. I think had the race continued for another day afterwards I could have been in real trouble. Every time I swung my right leg forward I would get a sharp pain in my very low right abdomen. Even walking around after the event for a couple of days was uncomfortable. I took two weeks off running completely when I got back. Then a friend asked if I wanted to go take part in an event in the Peak District exactly two weeks after I got back. I figured whatever strain I had would have healed by then. The first 10 miles of the event went fine, but the pain came back and got progressively worse for the next 10 miles, to the point where I would have to drag my right leg well behind to get some pain relief. Even walking eventually hurt just as much. We still finished the event in a respectable 4:15, even with 3000ft of ascent. However, had the race been any longer and I would have had to walk the rest and with gritted teeth. I had some sports massage a day or so after, but it made no difference to be honest. A few days later and the pain eased off when walking, but I still get a twinge sometimes; perhaps turning over in bed or bringing myself up to a seated position from lying down. Basically when some muscle is activated in a certain way I get pain. It’s now two weeks after the event and I still can’t run. I think I broke into a jog for half a dozen steps for some reason or another the other day and felt the pain straight away. So, whatever it is, it hasn’t gone away. I had to go to the doctor anyway last week with a bad case of food poisoning. I lost 10lbs over 4 days and just wanted to check I hadn’t picked up anything nasty in Chile. I’ve since recovered from the food poisoning, but I did take the opportunity to ask the doctor about my injury. As soon as I told him it was through sport, he didn’t even bother to examine me. He just said that I would have to pay to go to a sports injury clinic, but it was probably just a strain. It amazes me that If I was 25 stone, obese and smoking myself to death, then the NHS would be more than happy to pay to have my stomach stapled or for an expensive course of anti-smoking treatment, but as soon as you mention you’ve done something through being healthy then it’s your own fault and we’re not interested.


The doctor’s guess of a strain may well be correct, but it’s taking a long time to heal. I have no idea if it is indeed a strain or something worse, but right now I still can’t run and have no idea when I will be able to.

4 comments:

  1. Hi Rich, sounds as though it would be best to get it checked out, hopefully noting serious but I guess we push our bodies perhaps more than we realise doing these events!

    I know what you mean regarding the doctor though- I have felt that those of us who take care of our health should get a rebate on our National Insurance!

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  2. Get it checked out.

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  3. Hi Richard
    I got your link of Nick Ham - great blog by the way.
    I have been having the same trouble as you re groin injury - in despair - for the last 6 months.
    Like you the NHS don't want to know and it looks like if I want to carry on doing something I love I will have to pay a small fortune.
    My groin has bothered me for 18 months but like you I felt a tear/ pain in my stomach whilst doing speed reps. Hurts when I cough/ sneeze/ sit up or exert myself. I sort of googled Gilmore groin up but was hoping it wasn't it but after reading your experiences it sounds identical.
    Glad to see your running again.

    stu.

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  4. Stuart, if you read through you'll get the whole story. I paid for a lot of physio and scans, all for nothing. A surgeon diagnosed me in 30 seconds. I had a private op, costs £2k and spent 6 months strengthening. It's pretty good these days, but I have to stay on top of the core strength work. COnsidering I couldn't run 8 miles when I wrote this, and I recentley ran 250km in Nepal its a good outcome. Good luck with it. Any advice let me know.

    Rich

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