Health issues

I have not run for the last few days, and don't know when I'll be able to resume, frankly. As the picture from my recent post shows, I was afflicted with back problems during the 5K I ran on December 3. Reflecting on it, this is precisely the same situation that occurred in the summer of 2009 when I had to take several weeks off, and visited a physical therapist (Probility) for numerous sessions in which they finally determined that, though "no one can say why" this happened, for some reason the QL (quadratus laborum) muscle in my back had tightened up, hiking one hip up considerably higher than the other, thus altering my stride and causing the back problems. The difference between the two times is that then, I was working my half-time position at Firestone, so I was able to go to the therapy sessions in the afternoon. Now, however, with a full-time job, it's hard to say just how or when the situation will improve. At present it is extremely difficult for me to arise from a seated position, or from bed ... but once I'm up I'm able to move without tremendous difficulty. I'm wary, though, of trying to run, and perhaps worsening the situation.

Holiday Hustle photo

This photo very clearly shows the severe problems with the QL muscle (quadratus laborum) in my back that hampered me in the race I ran Saturday. Throughout the second half of the 5K I had to work very hard to keep from falling.

Holiday Hustle

I ran a 5K race this afternoon ... the Holiday Hustle, in the little town of Dexter 10 miles or so west of us, which I ran also in 2008, 2009, and 2010. According to what I emailed my son and daughter yesterday ("When I ran the Holiday Hustle in 2008, my time was 29:31; in 2009 I did it in 31:38; and last year 33:01. Extrapolating from that dismal pattern, I'd expect to be 34-something this year! That Turkey Trot 5K I did on Thanksgiving was 32:55. Factoring all that in, I'd very much like to break 31 minutes. I'd be satisfied with breaking 32 ... and I'd darn well better break 33, or I'll consider it a failure.") today was a 'failure,' as I finished in 34:27. But really, a portion of me knows that just for me to get out there and do it at all was an achievement, and since I am not and have never claimed to be athletic, I can't hold myself to an overly rigorous standard. Plus, today's time was largely attributable to the problematic QL muscle (quadratus laborum) in my back which has caused me difficulty the last two years. It gave me a pretty pronounced starboard list (lean to the right) throughout the second half of the race, and I had to concentrate very hard to keep from falling. Michelle said it was quite noticeable as I came in to the finish (but then grinned and added, "Sadly, I've seen you worse.") I think that absent that problem, I could very well have met my time goals. But next year, at age 55, I'll have an additional year of strength and maturity to employ!
The online results later showed that I finished #762 out of 1076 participants ... but, even more dismally, in my age group (men 50-54) I was 28th of 31. The winner in my age group had a time of 20:03; and the overall winner sparkled in 16:05.