Pushing yourself to an injury for a status update

Guest blog by Pete from Brixton

It was a high point in my running career. London marathon second time round. Eyeing up a fast time. Training had been... well, good until the last few weeks when my 'gentletaper' was replaced in my schedule with 'abrupt taper' (2 weeks, no running) as a shin issue bit. But I got to the start line feeling good. I went out hard. Too hard it turns out (think half marathon PB hard) and I paid the price in the latter part of the race. But as I hit the final three miles the crowd started going wild. Really wild. Wow, I thought. I mustlook good. Then Paula Radcliffe's camera motorbike nearly ran me over from behind and all became clear, but as Paula passed me I kicked.

I'd escaped near death under a cambikes wheels; I owed it to myself to push on. And besides, 'I just beat the women's world record holder in the marathon' makes a far better status update than 'I almost got run down by the world record holders entourage and came in behind her'. And I did it. Crossed the line for a new PB.

And then... I couldn't walk. I stopped and couldn't start again in anything other than a lopsided hobble. And for the next month I continued to hobble. Stubbornly refusing to seek help (shell out my hard earned cash). Finally sense overcame frugality and I went to my local physio. The treatment was long overdue. There was something wrong with my glute, my hip flexors were tight, and I needed to strengthen my abductors. The 'manipulation' was painful, but delivered what I needed. I did the exercises, they helped; I had more manipulation, it helped. And slowly my slanty walking became a natural stroll and I could run for a bus rather than doddering towards one.

Then thephysio I had been with left the practice and I couldn't really face trying to either try another person with no knowledge of what they'd be like or spend the time doing the research to dig out another practice nearby that truly understood marathon running injuries and start all over again. So I left it. And of course I relapsed. My recovery has been a lot slower as a result, though I'm finally getting back to it. But this is 12 months after crossing the line. The physio was a good thing (and hindsight is even better); but I should have gone sooner. I should have gone back. I wish SportsInjuryFix.com was around then as the convenience together with the tailored approach to a specific injury at the very earliest stage makes it far more likely I'll get help the next time I push too hard in the name of a good status update!

Many thanks to Pete from Brixton for sharing his story.

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