Just thought I'd give a quick update on how things are going as far as my efforts to get healed up and recover after SGM and all the high mileage and hard training over this last "year of running dangerously".
The heavy duty soreness after SGM, particularly in the calves is pretty much gone. I've didn't do much the week right after SGM, just a little xtraining on the elliptical. I've tried a couple of test runs last week and one this week that didn't go all that great. The lower abdominal, groin and glute pains are still there in all there glory. Pretty much exactly what Cal is dealing with except I haven't had the back troubles that he seen.
Finally broke down and went to a Sports Doc - Dr. Brent Rich over at the IHC Sports Clinic in Provo. He seems like a great doctor and a great guy, very personable and easy to work with. We talked for a while, he did some simple tests, took an x-ray of my pelvis. I had already suspected what Cal also suspects, that what we are dealing with is what is commonly referred to as as "Sports hernia" or "Sportsmans hernia", or sometimes called "Gilmore's Groin". This injury is not well understand and there is plenty of debate in the medical community currently how best to deal with it.
Turns out it isn't really a hernia in the traditional sense as there is not a "bulge" and it isn't always necessary or even helpful to operate. The latest "official" name that all the cool sports doctors are using to describe the problem is "Athletes Pubalgia". How's THAT for a fancy sounding injury!
These type lower-ab/groin problems can be really tough to treat without an MRI so my next step is to go in Thursday and get the MRI done. Dr. Rich seemed pretty excited about dealing with this particular injury, he said some Doc from Pennsylvania who is considered the guru on Athletes pubalgia had recently come out to Utah to educate the local sports docs on dealing with this exact thing. Sounds like the Penn dude might be available for some consultation so I guess that's good. I said I would happy to play the guinea pig role.
In the mean time Dr. Rich said I could keep doing what I've been doing as far as exercise. The crosstraining should be fine and he doesn't think I'll make anything worse by running. I'll try and update my blog occasionally with any updates that I think might be helpful to Cal and others out there who have been dealing with the lower-ab and groin issues.
Late afternoon: Did elliptical workout - about 60 minutes with a simulated 5-mile tempo run in the middle. Legs always feel super during/after elliptical workouts, no aches and pains even with pushing it to the max toward the end where I was able to get my HR up to what it probably about the max at 195. Ave/max HR: 165/195
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