I went running again along a loop around Greenlake this weekend. It took me 40 minutes to run the 4.7 miles and my average pace was an 8:17 mile. What's joyful about it is that this is the first time I have done that loop in a year and am about at the same strength that I left off last time. (This weekend: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/invitation/email/accept.mb?senderPk.pkValue=13403&unitSystemPkValue=2&episodePk.pkValue=6655848

Last Year: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/invitation/email/accept.mb?senderPk.pkValue=13403&unitSystemPkValue=2&episodePk.pkValue=4022108

Last year, in the process of training for my first triathalon, I began noticing a lot of shooting pain in my left leg.  It first was distinguished mostly when I was running, but eventually got bad enough that it hurt just to walk around town or extend my left leg by more then 1/2 a stride length ahead of me. I thought it was just a muscle ache and resolved to stretch more, but as the pain became more persistent it eventually led me to go to a PT (physical therapist) to determine the cause.

The PT identified that I was actually suffering from a pinched nerve in my my lumbar vertebrae, confirmed by a CT-scan, and that I should stop running immediately.  I insisted I couldn't stop running as I had a triathalon to compete in! After some insistence/negotiation we agreed I should stop running, run just the 3 mile leg of the triathalon, and stop running until therapy was over. The race was fine, but the recovery from the pain took about 8 months of daily core exercises, stretching and NO RUNNING! I was fortunate that I was able to continue biking and spinning on a trainer as it caused no lower back strain, but its hard to explain the frustration when I had to tell my kids: I can't run, I can't pick you up, I can't go skiing or snowboarding this season, and I can't even walk quickly.)

The value of the therapy was mostly teaching my head to distnguish the difference between muscle strain (a general ache) and nerve damage (a sharp defined pain).  The past 4 months have included occasional interval runs, however each run required that I a) Take a rest day or two afterward to figure out if my spine was still health and b) Was over no more then 1-2 miles of mixed walking/jogging/running. 

This past weekend I realized I was suffering no pain, needed an alternative to all the biking I was doing, and it was a gorgeous day for a run. I ran the loop, rested and have noticed no lower back pain. My legs ache from not having run so much in months, but there is none of the lower back pain that defined my life in the past year.  I am happy to close that chapter of training, and am looking forward to: a) Skiing/Snowboarding this season, b) Adding running back into my workout regimen, and c) figuring out if I can compete in a 1/2 or full ironman without any reoccurence of this type of pain.