Cautious return after back problems

[iain-strachan]

It seems I'm prone to back problems - when I first did C25K in 2017 I just got to graduate and do my first Parkrun and put my back out. I think a combination of doing a too-ambitious yoga class the day before, and almost running into the finishing post at the Parkrun (so elated to get round that I didn't notice the post that starts the finishers corridor!

I was living on ibuprofen for several weeks after that, and had to have physiotherapy. Then unfortunately family circumstances intervened - we had to move my mother to a care home, sell the house and clear it out. Bending over sorting 52 years worth of stuff didn't help my back, and the numerous meals out as we were too knackered to cook put the kibosh on fitness and running, and all the good I'd done was undone! By the time my back had recovered, I'd lost a lot of fitness.

So I tried again this year, starting at 17 st 9 lbs and blood sugar just into diabetes range. I re-did C25K and followed with several Parkruns and Bridge to 10, completing my first 10k run on 10th December. I lost about 4 stone during the year, and Diabetes was completely reversed and back in the normal range.

However a couple of weeks before I again did something to my back - nothing like so severe as the first time - and I think it was down to raking the leaves too energetically. I'd done the Didcot Parkrun in my best time so far (35:00) and was feeling on top of the world so went and did the leaves. Next day it's like I've slept badly on it, and my left arm hurts as well. Two weeks gap and I managed the 10k (74:35) and took Paracetamol before it. But two days later a hellish 5k followed where my back hurt and forced me to go slow.

So this is the first run since about December 13th. I decided to play it safe to see if the back is holding up, so only 3.3 km at a gentle pace of just over 8m/km.

Felt really good to be doing it again, and no back niggles so far (touch wood!) I was also concerned at losing fitness having indulged in food and drink over the break probably too much. I daren't look at the scales yet! A couple of weeks cycling to work, and a few more runs and I may dare to look at them again.

My short term aim is to do another 10k before the end of January. Also to get under 13 stone. I am registered for the Town and Gown 10k in Oxford on May 3rd. My son is too. He's quicker than me, though he won't listen to advice about pacing himself - regularly goes off at an insane pace then has to walk. He came back looking absolutely knackered after a 5k last Wednesday, and his Strava graph showed he'd walked about 9 times. So, if I can do the tortoise and hare thing in Oxford in May, well, you never know ...

Also am going to a highly recommended osteopath on 14th Jan to see if he can figure out what's the weakness in my back. I've been doing all sorts of exercises to strengthen core muscles etc, but it would appear there is some weakness.

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

You have my sympathy! Having just replied to the post above, this is another area I have had problems with ( and have been prone to since my mid twenties when I used to muck out stables!) I hope you get some answers when you see your osteopath - it sounds as though you have been working on your core too, and easing back in sensibly. Fingers crossed it settles soon. Good luck.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Sorry about your back problems Iain, that's a good time for your 10K, 74.35, sub 1 hour 15, but you seem to have paid for it by running that 5K two days later, Paracetamol does not heal a bad back, it only eases the pain away for a short while. Perhaps you should take a few weeks off running until your back problems ease after you see that osteopath on 14th January.

[iain-strachan Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

It seems (touch wood) to have been OK today! The reason for the Paracetamol was to ease the pain for the run as I reasoned if I could feel the pain it might well affect the running form and set up more injury. But I have indeed taken a few weeks off - last run before today was 12th December.

I considered Ibuprofen, which is more effective as pain relief, but had heard a few tales about how it's bad for you if you get dehydrated. Then I asked my GP about it, and said I'd heard Ibuprofen was a bad idea. He looked a bit sheepish and confessed that in the past he'd taken Ibuprofen before a Marathon (before they knew it could cause kidney problems). But he said before a 10k shouldn't matter. My GP is a very fast runner - Parkrun in around 22 minutes, and did the London Marathon 2019 in 3hr 17mins (I looked it up on the results).

For a few weeks my local Parkrun has been cancelled due to the state of the course. My GP also is a volunteer there, and posted the cancellation on the Abingdon Parkrun Facebook page - saying they discovered a heron trying to do fishing in the finishing field! Didcot did a Parkrun on Christmas Day, but then cancelled the following Saturday because the field got so churned up. (It got pretty churned up when I ran it, as Abingdon again cancelled - you had to aim for the green bits on the third lap of the field and avoid the brown bits like the plague!)

However, I did today with no pain relief, so fingers crossed I should be set to get going. I'll attempt a 5 next an if that goes OK, perhaps a 7 and aim to get to 10 by end of January.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to iain-strachan]

I just hope you manage that 5K then onto 10K as well, I am wondering if your doctor is the same one as one of the administrators, that doctor or physio ran the London in around that time, there again there are hundreds of doctors and physios who run the London Marathon.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

Ouch sorry you keep getting back problems. Core strengthening will hopefully do the trick. Young ones never listen, we should save our breath

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

Sorry to hear your back has given you trouble again Iain. I expect it was raking up the leaves...

Glad you got a gentle run in, and hope your back is still ok. Good luck with the osteopath, hopefully he will sort out your problem. Your doctor sounds great by the way!

That next 10k won't be too long...it's waiting patiently.😊xx