Time: 31:20
Pace: 7:50/mi
Comments: The first run of the new year and it was... well, it wasn't an optimum experience.
I started out very very very sore. My upper quads rebelled every footfall for the first half mile - that damned left psoas in particular. By the mile-and-a-half point the left hip and lower left back were quite unhappy and the unpleasantness in the right knee began to make itself known.
I pretty much had to fend off the aches the whole way. The run itself wasn't too bad, I got the strength and the form just lack in the execution department due to the pains.
Conditions
Hour: 3:30 p.m.
Surface: concrete/asphalt/dirt
Weather: sunny
Temperature: 64 degrees
Humidity: 50 percent
Wind: 6 mph
Location: Chandler, Arizona
Shoes: Brooks
Con Musica
Injury update: I am REALLY getting nervous about this. And I've got one week and a half to get healed up and 100 percent. I'm one more bad run from completely flipping out.
The continual stress on the quads had simply abused my psoas muscle where it crosses the pelvis. (labeled as the 'lliopsoas' on this handy interactive diagram of the leg muscles).
This was why I had difficulty lifting my leg to change gears in the truck. It is also why my lower back hurt like hell the week of Christmas. This muscle sort of anchors the quads when they get into the job of lifting. And it didn't want to take part in the work.
Now let me tell you, this bad boy is a serious bitch to get worked on. It's sensitive and, when inflamed like mine is, it has little compunction letting you know it. The nearest I can describe the sensation is it felt like having being stabbed in the hip with a knife honer.
So the knee soreness and this monster both seem to be the result of mechanics issues that originate in the pelvis. Not a surprise since this is where a lot of my problems were identified coming from a year ago and, putting the miles in I was last month, was getting me back to basics.
I already feel a bit better and I am set up for a series of pre-race massages and alignments to put me at the starting line in tip-top shape.