Bret

AM - around 4 miles this morning before work.  Never felt good or normal - really struggling with this nuisance tightness/weakness in hip flexors and groin.  Some days its better, some not so much.  It may be fine by the time I run after work.  

PM  - better run after work - just about 7 miles.  Less tightness - but not normal yet. 

AM - Easy 4 miles.  Travel home today.

PM - really bad 8 miles in the evening at home.  Bleah. 

AM - 16 miles on the treadmill at 7:30-7:40 pace. Actually felt fairly solid today. I do not particularly like the 'mill at times - but it seems to provide relief from the heat and doesn't cause me issues with the hip flexor and groin - probably because of the consistency of the belt as opposed to the road which requires more balance and stabilizing. I may stay on it more frequently for a while.

AM - easy 4 before church. At 6 am it was 82 degrees and 76% humidity. Not exactly a crisp morning. Run was a little tight but acceptable.

AM - very early 4 miles before a flight out this morning.  Found some voltarin gel that I had from some prior injury / issue.  Seems to work on the soreness and tightness in the groin/hip flexors. Beginning to be more concerned about a stress fracture (not seriously yet) - the more I try to self diagnose online.  Anyone have an anti-gravity treadmill to let me use for a while?

PM - did 10 miles on the treadmill at the Y just to keep things flat/even to allow for little stabilization/balance adjustments.   Run was ok - not great - felt pretty fatigued in the groin areas afterward, and nearly expect to be fully injured soon or recovered completely - but certainly one of the two.

AM - so I am reasonably certain that I have tendinitis (osteitis pubis) or a sports hernia -because I awoke from sleep last night due to pain in that area. (So I did not run this morning.)  The question is what to do about it.  As with most of my injuries, I am not ready to stop training yet. It is at times painful but not debilitating - It is definitely a nuisance and chronic and at times more limiting than at others.  Thinking a course of more pointed strengthening exercises of the abs and adductors along with stretching active release for a while until it gets better ....or much worse.

 Noon - so of course I went out for an easy run at lunch and though I was a little tight, it was a pretty decent run - though not completely normal or good.  6 miles.  Nice day.

PM - tried to drive to a nearby town to use an Alter-G treadmill - but I left the office late and got stuck in traffic and the place was closed by the time I got there.  Drove back to the hotel and did 7.5 miles on the treadmill there.  First mile or so was tight, but the rest was ok.   

PM - 6 miles on the treadmill at the gym.  Was planning to do more, but I forgot to bring socks - so went sockless until I started getting a blister, and then I stopped.  Felt reasonably ok - but still tight and painful start.

AM - 4  miles this morning before work.  Very tight with pain and weakness - lots of stretching and strengthening exercises afterwards.  

PM - 6 miles on the treadmill at lunch. Oddly - a pretty good run. Started very slowly but by a mile and a half I no longer was tight or felt any constriction or guarding of my gait. Gradually and cautiously increased the pace to feel to where the last two miles were at HM pace. Felt so good to run like that. Will see what the next run brings. It was almost like the muscles in that area which were previously engaged - finally released.

AM - 4 miles easy before work.  Tight again - but not as bad as yesterday morning - but nowhere close to as open as I felt on the treadmill yesterday afternoon.   Did foam roller and strengthening exercises following.  Hoping for a nice treadmill run later today.

PM - 6 more on the treadmill at a late lunch.  Not as good as yesterday, but not as tight as this morning.  Decent pace too.   

PM - family in-town visiting, so I was tied-up much of the day doing local touristy things to entertain them - (went to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium where the dolphin with the missing tail resides - "Winter" from the movie "A Dolphin Tale".  Interestingly, I have lived here most of my life and this was my first ever visit to the facility).  

Anyway, went out around 7 pm.  Started with a slow jog in the vibrams (to keep it slow) - very tight groin/adductors/hip flexors - for 1.5 miles then changed shoes and did about 6 which were reasonably ok miles after the warm-up got the blood flow to the tight muscles. Never completely free gait, but not bad.  

PM - 13 miles on the treadmill indoors on a hot day outside.  Took it very slowly for the first mile to get the muscles warm - then worked into a decent pace for the time that I had to get in. Seems like every strengthening exercise or massage release fails to fix anything with this groin issue.  Just don't know if I am making things worse by running on it.  Once I get warm it is generally ok - just slightly tight or slight pain here and there - but I can get my runs in.  Doesn't seem to be improving though.  

No running this morning.  Really painful night sleeping.  Think it is time for a break with the groin issues not improving and at times getting worse.  I may take a few days or more.  Have an appointment this afternoon to use an Alter-G treadmill - which may be an option going forward to maintain some fitness while I try to heal - assuming it doesn't cause any exacerbation of the groin issues.

 PM -  6 miles on the Alter-G anti-gravity treadmill.  First time I have used one.  A bit awkward initially getting adjusted to the contraption around your waist and upper legs.  Ran generally at 80% of my body weight.  No pain to speak of with my groin - though it was tight at the start in particular. Couldn't tell if that was the contraption or if it was tight muscles.

 Anyway - we'll see if there is any discomfort or stiffness following the run later this evening.  I really liked how I felt afterwards - which was almost as if I had not really run.  No heaviness or fatigue in the legs or groin area.  Wish I had one of these to use at home.  The deal for using it at the facility isn't bad.  $100 for 12 uses at 45 mins each.  Problem is the facility has limited hours of operation. They really need to put a bunch of these out on the gym floor and schedule use according to normal gym hours.  

No running planned for today.  Good news however.  Significant improvement in how things have been feeling (e.g. marked decrease pain with squeeze test, better night's sleep etc) following the Anti-G treadmill run yesterday.  My wife asked how running on the Anti-G treadmill could have improved how my injury feels - since I was actually running (which previously seemed to be exacerbating my condition).  Answer as best I can figure - It was as though I was running without impact or at least without normal impact - and so I would say, it is almost like I had the day off - except I got blood flow to the muscles and good cardio as well with a run-specific cross training exercise.  Really can't beat that.

Am scheduled for a session tomorrow and Friday at a different facility in the same network and will plan to schedule some sessions next week in Atlanta while there for business.   Hoping to see continued improvement whilst maintaining my fitness (or at least not losing too much of it).  

AM - got in about 6.5 miles on the Alter-G treadmill.  I was on the stationary bike for about 2 miles prior to my turn on the Alter-G - so I will count this as 7 miles total.  The tech assisting me on this machine which is at a different location/facility, insisted that I should not exceed 65% of my body weight given the description of the injury - So I was zipping/floating along at 6:30 pace. A little tight but no discomfort or pain when I started - but again the shorts and the machine harness thing is a bit constricting.  Very pleased that I can do this type of cross training.  

AM - 7 miles - same as yesterday on the Alter-G treadmill.  This morning a physical therapist in the facility was asked by the tech from yesterday to evaluate me.  He came over while I was on the machine and got a brief history and then after run he took me through a number of tests on physical examination.  He and his facility treat a number of local runners and the local professional soccer team players (the Rowdies) - so he is familiar with these types of injuries and complaints.  This was all spontaneously done...I did not make an appointment with them or request advice or anything.  Very cool.

Anyway - he concluded with a differential diagnosis of either an e-centric transverse lower abdominal strain (not sure if I got that right - as it was from memory); or a left-sided sports hernia.  He wanted to refer me to a local expert physician in St. Pete for an MRI and further evaluation to nail down the diagnosis.

He said that if it is the sports hernia - he would recommend a doctor up in Philly.  That's when I told him I had an appointment with Dr. Meyers in Philly in two weeks.  He was impressed and said Meyers was the guy he was talking about.  Good to hear confirmation in the medical community unprompted.   

So, anyway, he will refer me to a St. Pete doc who may confirm and suggest that it makes sense for me to see Meyers or direct me otherwise.

No running today.  Very tight hammies and a conflict with the scheduled Alter G appointment this morning.  

AM - no options for Alter-G running today as all of the local facilities that have the machine are closed on the weekends.  So I made an attempt to see if cycling was a option that would not exacerbate the injury - Did 36 miles and maintained a HR of right around 140 for most of the ride - very warm day (Garmin on my bike said 97) -  That took me around 2:15 mins - including stopping times. Rode down the Pinellas Trail to the beaches and over the three bridges and back up the trail until I hit Drew Street - at which point I turned and rode through my old neighborhood where I grew up.  (Not holding up so well...).  

Anyway - cycling equivalency to a run of that duration of time and at the avg HR would equate for me to be around 16 or 17 miles more or less.  Seems to have not resulted in any discomfort, though I was careful not to really push it either.  

Going to try some swimming too, next. 

PM - tested out swimming today as a cross-training alternative to see if it was passive or if it would aggravate the injury. Immediately felt discomfort in the left side where I think the "tear" may be located. Opted for a pull buoy to keep the legs from kicking - which was a decent solution - but not an enjoyable swim - pulling the whole time. Was in the water for about 40 mins - so I will equate that to about 4 - 5 miles of running effort. Disappointed that swimming is not much of an option for me right now.

PM - 3 miles of walking - Rob inspires me to walk.  Was tempted a couple of time to try to run - but I resisted except when I had to hurry to cross a road to beat the traffic.  No pain with walking in the injured area.  Lots of stretching and strength exercises before and after.  

Have an appoint me for an Alter-G session tomorrow. 

PM - 7 Alter-G miles at lunchtime.  Actually, unfortunately felt some discomfort during the run towards the end in the injury area.  Disappointing.  Good run otherwise.

PM - 8 Alter-G treadmill miles.  Had some tightness and discomfort following yesterday's workout and had thought about skipping today, but went anyway.  Decent run - no additional discomfort - though it really plays with the hamstrings.  

AM - 2 miles - first mile walking, second mile walk / jog.  Still injured - but a light jog for a little bit just made my morning.  

AM - 6 Alter-G miles with 2 miles on the stationary bike to warm up.  

AM - cycling equivalent of about 10 miles of running. 

Had the MRI and saw the doctor today.  Bilateral tears - severe - surgery tomorrow...

AM - 2 miles of walking this morning before surgery.  

PM - surgery went well - bilateral pelvic floor repair - abdominis rectus, adductor longus and adductor pectinius tears were repaired - adductor releases and steroidal injections were done.  According to my wife the doctor said he expected the left side to be bad - and it was - but evidently the right side was actually worse than expected.   

Recovering at the hotel now and will travel back tomorrow.  

Walking - Rehab/Recovery Day 1.   Per doctor's orders I went for a walk after returning home from Philly today.  Was supposed to walk 1 mile, but was a little long.   

Lots of discomfort and downright pain at times during the last 24 hours, but I actually felt pretty good for most of this walk.  Hopefully the post-op pain / trauma will pass in the next several days while I follow the PT and walking recommendations to limit scar tissue formation.

AM - walking - just about 2 miles.  Little stiff to start, but rather enjoyed the walk and so did a slightly more today than yesterday.  

Day 3 post-op - feeling stronger.  Walked 2.5 miles and really wanted to see if I could jog - but resisted the urge.  Lots of tightness/discomfort around the surgery site but legs and muscles etc. feel good.  No pain meds since late yesterday too.  

PM - 3 miles of walking at a soccer tournament in Cocoa Beach with my youngest.   Was here last year at this time - sort of disappointed that this year I am not running.  Hot conditions - think I got a little dehydrated - so when I was doing some PT exercises in the hotel room and the left side groin seized up with a spasm/cramp.  Was concerned that the spasm may have caused damage to the surgery repair - but it was fine.  Really painful.