Monday, October 13, 2008

Un-Remarkable

The doctors appointment scheduled for the middle of the morning allowed me to get in my run first thing. I got up at my normal time and headed over to Bonelli for 5 miles over the dam onto Cottontail Trail. I did feel a little guilty taking a parking space in the Park&Ride lot during the morning rush, but felt better when I got back and there were still empty spaces.

The sun wasn't quite up when I got started. The weather has definitely taken a turn towards cooler. It was interesting to feel the different areas of cool and warm air that collected in the valleys and rose up from the lake. During the run I actually saw two other runners at different times going in the opposite direction. I came across both of them during a walk break. I hate when that happens. I did see the one guy on the return trip and this time I was running - redeemed.

I went to the appointment with the orthopedist. I described the pain and my history of diagnosis, treatment, physical therapy and release, mileage build up and return of the pain. He had a look at my orthotics and my old x-rays. They took new ones for comparison.

Thankfully I liked what he had to say and what he didn't say. He didn't tell me to stop running. He did pronounce my case to be unremarkable - classic shin splints. Treatment includes doing the things I'm already doing, albeit on a more regular basis. Stretching, ice, OTC anti inflammatory meds and the shin support. He suggested a source of OTC inserts when my current expensive prescription ones wear out. He also gave me his email and told me to use it if I had any questions in the future. He answers all his own email.

I was impressed with him and relieved that my "condition" is not more serious. Shin splints are annoying but ultimately dealt with. I will stay the course and keep to the plan for Memphis and then try to ramp things up ever so slowly to the levels of 2007 and see where I go from there.

I've got to plan a marathon someday in Idaho to meet up with Eric, Michelle, Rob and whoever else wants to join us. And there's always the fourth annual blogger reunion to plan sometime at the end of 2009. [Note to Joe - we are running out of choices the first week or two of December, what do you think about OBX in North Carolina on Veterans Day weekend in 2009? Just a thought. ] Anybody else have a good ideas.

Movin' forward and lookin' ahead - Remarkable!

14 comments:

Anne said...

Glad it's just shin splints, though they can be tough to heal.

I used to live and work on the Outer Banks and am familiar with that relatively new marathon. Very flat...possibly very windy. Good size crowds and a great place to vacation, though it's a little nippy that time of year.

Unknown said...

I have always wanted to run the OBX marathon.
What a cool doctor to answer emails. Now, that going above and beyond.

I once had shin splints, and I took a 5 gallon bucket of ice water, put one leg at a time in for 2-10 minute rounds each. The water was up to my knee. It was a week before my first marathon (Columbus) -5 years ago.
Never had them since.

Truly hope it gets better.

Anonymous said...

Glad you got a good report from the Dr and that you are still on for Memphis. If you are looking for a race in North Carolina, you might want to consider Charlotte. It is in December and would be a lot easier to get to than OBX.

Wes said...

When you do the run walk thing, there is solace in sticking to the plan :-) Great news on the shin splints. Those are entirely "fixable"! NC sounds good to me :-)

Jessica DeLine said...

yay for the good news!

Anonymous said...

Glad the diagnosis was unremarkable!

I know what you mean about walking for a few seconds and having someone run past you - you know what they're thinking!

Unknown said...

Happy that your unremarkable diagnosis was, well, underwhelming.

Pat said...

unremarkable is good. I was just at OBX. It's beautiful.

Ryan said...

Shin splints are a real nuisance but it’s good to have a diagnosis and a doctor to help you along…what a resurrection, the past few weeks have been filled with some great runs and great race too congratulations. I admire your dedication and perseverance. I wish you continued success…

Joe said...

Confirmed shin splints...good...you can deal with that and are. Ice on, brother.

OBX??? Wow, cool idea. Yeah, I'm game. Nice to start thinking, even now, about the 2009 Blogger Marathon. Nippy is no problem for me.

David said...

Sounds like you're free of debillitating fear for now. Keep up the good efffort. Shin splints stink but they're a symptom of peculiar training patterns I find.

Scott McMurtrey said...

I'd join you for an Idaho marathon!

Unknown said...

Glad to hear that the diagnosis is shin splints. I haven't had to deal with those since my first year of running. I'll be happy to join you in Idaho.

Anonymous said...

Sorry about the shin splints. Hope they are improving!

Keep us posted about a possible ID run - I might be up for that! :)