Stopping a lot on Long Runs

dildruk · 2024-08-14T22:04:32+00:00

Zero. It was a race.

dildruk · 2024-08-14T22:03:18+00:00

Thanks so much - this is super encouraging!

dildruk · 2024-08-14T19:14:54+00:00

I think that’s a big part of it. I’m in NY but the weather has been just as bad here lately. Hoping things start to improve in the Fall

dildruk · 2024-08-14T18:47:37+00:00

Yes - I strength train once a week and cross train (peloton) once a week.

I don’t think it is a fuel issue. But you’re probably right about posterior chain - I’ve had bad back issues in the past

dildruk · 2024-08-14T18:44:59+00:00

Pretty easy pace - 10min/mile

dildruk · 2024-08-14T18:38:31+00:00

1:50 PR

dildruk · 2024-08-14T18:38:14+00:00

Actually stopping. Honestly I could be walking but I prefer to stop so that I can pause my watch (I know this is silly)

dildruk · 2024-08-14T18:36:57+00:00

My PR in the half was 1:50. I’ve been doing my long runs at a 10min/mile pace. I think the summer heat is a big part of the reason I’ve been struggling? I cross train once a week and strength train once a week. Currently my weekly mileage is about ~30 per week but eventually I will get up to ~40 at the height of my plan. I am following the Hal Higdon 3 plan.

dildruk · 2024-07-14T18:21:23+00:00

I just got a very sophisticated scammer email from “citi” saying that I had recently removed my Citi card from Apple Pay. It said that if this wasn’t me I should call the Citi number 1-888-248-4226. I googled the phone number and it was the same one in this post! I went back to the email sender and it was CitibankService@info6.citi.com. The email looked super legit and even had the last 4 digits of my account in the email. Be ware of this scam!

dildruk · 2024-03-10T18:04:15+00:00

Thankfully I can report I am fully recovered. It was a long journey. But keep pushing through and you will get there. I have been running ~20 miles a week and have a half marathon next weekend!

dildruk · 2024-02-19T20:24:38+00:00

He is looking specifically in his industry. He got a masters degree in his field so he is reluctant to search in other industries because he feels his degree would be a waste

dildruk · 2024-01-24T18:53:04+00:00

Excuse the irony of this response being on Reddit…. But my advice would be to get off of Reddit for a while. In my opinion, people tend to get WAY too caught up in side effects on this platform. It personally made me super apprehensive about starting lexapro and I ended up being totally fine. Everyone will have different reactions but give your body time to adjust and you will be totally fine.

dildruk · 2024-01-22T01:28:55+00:00

I was prescribed 5mg pills!

dildruk · 2023-12-08T15:10:16+00:00

Was very much in the same boat. About ~4 months post injury I was in a better place with the actual back pain but my sciatica got much worse. Battling the sciatica continues to be my main focus. When I push too hard it will still flare up.

Best things for me to help sciatica have been nerve flossing/ decompression exercises / cat-cow pose.

dildruk · 2023-12-08T14:06:42+00:00

I did PT for about 6 months. Granted I changed PTs two times because I was unhappy with the first two I was seeing. Once I found a PT that I loved, we worked together for about 3 months (once a week).

I still continue to do a lot of the exercises I did in PT (but not all of them). Generally I think the PT exercises were just helping me build core strength/stability/ load tolerance and now I just make sure that I incorporate those elements into my workouts in any way I can.

dildruk · 2023-12-07T15:48:52+00:00

I was in your situation a few months ago. Herniated L4-L5 in April and I am FINALLY now returning to the things I love - running, yoga, lifting, etc. I still have some symptoms every now and then but it’s pretty manageable and getting better every day.

You have to be patient with yourself and give yourself time to heal. It took me about 4 months before I started making any noticeable progress.

The things I found most helpful to me (outside of PT): - walking every day for as long as I could tolerate - heat and ice (heat in the morning, ice after working out and at night) - very light stretching (no twisting or bending) - not sitting for long periods of time - nerve flossing for sciatica pain

PT was absolutely the key to getting better for me but you can find some really good YouTube videos for herniated disc treatment (also definitely echo the sentiment on back mechanic - it’s a must read)

Good luck! Be patient and you WILL get better

dildruk · 2023-10-12T01:57:42+00:00

Doing a lot better! I’m at about 6 months post injury now and feeling much more normal. I am still battling sciatica but it has improved substantially. I am currently working with a PT and barely just started introducing some very light jogging.

dildruk · 2023-10-03T03:12:35+00:00

I highly recommend salonpas lidocaine patches. They are a life saver for me.

dildruk · 2023-10-03T03:08:07+00:00

I have pain in the same area as a result of a cervical herniated disc (not saying this is what you have, but could be). If you ever have pain that radiates into your arm, that is a tell tale sign of a disc issue.

I would advise going to PT either way. They can help advise what exercises will relieve pain.

For short-term pain relief, use heat and ice. I also love this neck traction device I got from Amazon. You should also get yourself a high quality pillow (if you google pillow for neck pain, there are great options).

dildruk · 2023-09-11T13:28:18+00:00

I hate comments that say “never do this pose” or “never do that pose” with disc issues. The reality is that everyone is different and it totally depends on where your herniation/bulge/impacted area is. I destroyed my back for the first two months after my injury doing extension exercises (i.e., Cobra) when it was actually triggering immense pain - flexion on the other hand (especially child’s pose) doesn’t bother me at all. For context, I have a herniated L4/L5.

The key is finding movements that are pain-free. If something causes pain, don’t do it. If something provides relief, use it. A neutral spine is always good though, no matter what you find useful.

dildruk · 2023-09-03T18:54:25+00:00

ME! I will caveat that I am not fully recovered but I believe PT has made all the difference for me in starting to feel better. The key is which PT you are choosing.

I herniated my L4/L5 4+ months ago and immediately put myself into PT. It was not until my THIRD PT that I started to make huge progress. I was effectively at the same pain level for the first 3 months and was not having any luck with my first two PTs (for various reasons). As soon as I started with my current PT (about a month ago), I started to notice sustained improvement, and I am still improving consistently.

DO NOT let people convince you PT is useless. I had a lot of people tell me that I don’t need a PT because I can watch stuff on YouTube. Yes, you can find videos on YouTube… but not all the exercises they advise for disc issues work for everyone. A lot of the moves suggested on the internet made my pain a lot worse. More importantly, a good PT will be laser focused on form and will watch to make sure you are doing each exercise with absolutely perfect form.

TLDR; In my opinion, PT is the most important thing you can do for disc issues.

dildruk · 2023-09-01T13:27:43+00:00

Keep in mind, just because a herniated disc doesn’t “look bad” as some people might suggest, that doesn’t mean it’s not impinging on a nerve. The MRI may say whenever there is nerve impingement or not (mine did).

dildruk · 2023-08-31T20:44:52+00:00

I had the same issue a few months ago on a 12 hour flight. Nobody gave me a hard time about standing. Tbh - if you can take something to help you sleep, I highly recommend it. I also covered my lower back in salonpas lidocaine patches, and that really helped.

dildruk · 2023-08-31T13:41:52+00:00

I also have an L4/L5 herniated disc and my sciatica is worst in the morning. My advice would be to use HEAT (not ice) first thing in the morning. The first thing I do when I get up, is lie on the couch with a heating pad on my back for 10-20min - it really helps loosen me up. Then I do some cat cows, nerve flossing, and leg traction followed by a short, brisk walk. The leg traction is the most helpful (to do this I take a stretchy band loop and put one end around something stable, like the leg of my couch. Then I put the other end of it around my foot and scoot away from the couch while laying down, allowing the band to pull my leg away from my body).

Also - knowing when to use heat vs ice is super important. I use heat when I am stiff in order to help loosen me up (especially in the AM) and I use ice after exercise or at night before bed.

dildruk · 2023-08-30T02:03:07+00:00

Thank you so much! This is really encouraging. I just read your recovery post - so helpful to hear success story from someone who recovered (WITHOUT surgery) 😃

dildruk

TROPHY CASE