Back in physical therapy.

Or physiotherapy. Whatever.

Anyway, it's not what you would think... but it's almost what you think. Well, sort of. It's kind of complicated. I went to the sports doc on Friday for something I'd been concerned about for a while, so we'll start with that.

My thumb hurts.

Yep, that's it. My inner knuckle on my right thumb aches when I move it in a certain direction, or put pressure on the outside of my thumb. Oh, and because I've gotten criticised for not having enough photos on my blog, I've included a picture of said thumb.
And can you tell I used to be a photographer? Such artistry! Such expression! Can't you just feel the pain?!?

Actually, it's not much pain at all; annoying at most, and it's not like it's debilitating in any sort of way, like it's keeping me from hitch-hiking across the country or anything.

But the problem is that it's been hurting for over three months! What a pain (really)! Anyway, so I figured it was time to get it checked out, and I called up the Good Doctor, and went in to see him. In the end, he told me what it was (but really I can't remember. It was like some kind of little pellet-type-of-thing in the joint that was injured. He figured that it would take quite some time before it healed completely, but that a couple of physical therapy sessions could encourage blood flow and speed the healing up a bit. Sounded a bit hokey, but insurance covers it, and his office is a two minute walk from the office on Union Square, so I was game. I made an appointment for lunchtime today.

Then yesterday, all hell broke loose. Or so I thought, anyway, which is all that matters.

My best 5K performance is a 20:10, or a 6:30 pace, which I managed to do at a race at the beginning of last May. At yesterday's race, I had no intention of trying to beat that. I meant to take it easy... I just wanted to get in those 3.1 extra miles to hit 50 miles for the week, which I did. However, I still ran a 7:26 pace or something, which is about 15 seconds faster than I wanted to. Being one of the four or whatever guys in our club who actually ran the race, I also managed to score for the team. Being in a race with thousands of runs always makes you want to run faster, though, and I should've expected this. I also should've done some kind of warm-up. And like every other race, nobody stretches afterwards, so neither did I. Needless to say, I pushed myself a bit hard running a race the day after my first 20-miler.

After a bit of runner socializing, I went home, did some work at the computer, and wrote yesterday's blog entry, which, as you recall, was focussed on whether or not I could qualify for Boston. And then I got up.

The pain that I suddenly discovered in my hip was enough to make me walk with a limp. It wasn't the sharp, shooting pain that had made me almost fall while running in Central Park last August, but it was pain, no less. It was a pain a little higher in the hip than the pain I had experienced throughout last spring and summer, but it was still in the hip, and it was the same hip.

Suddenly my perception of the world, my running world, changed instantly. Obviously, the bursitis was back. I had pushed myself too hard this weekend, and the injury flared up again. This was going to be chronic. My marathon days were over. Could I spend the rest of my running days maxing out my training runs at 10 miles, and doing 5 and 10Ks for the rest of my life? Would those distances satisfy me? What if it wasn't even the distance, but the effort? Maybe racing was not in the cards for me anymore at all! Was I sentenced to the life of forever being a casual jogger? Should I start swimming?

And I just bought that stupid $200 NYRR benefactor membership! Plus I have ten more newsletters to put out for the Flyers, and I don't even know if I can race with them anymore!

But lucky for me, I had scheduled that PT appointment. I can ask about it on Monday while they're giving my thumb a good workout. That'll do it. Maybe I could treat this thing and nip it in the bud.

I was still understandably distressed, but I tried to cling to a thread of hope. So I stretched, I took some NSAIDs, and I iced the hip.

By the time I got to work this morning, it was still hurting, but not as bad. And you know what? It really wasn't hurting in the same spot as it did before, so I got hopeful. I called the Good Doctor, explained my new circumstance, and they said he could actually fit me in right before the PT appointment. So off I went at lunch, and the Doc, did all the usual twists and pulls at my leg, and asked all the usual questions (Does it hurt here? Here? How about here?), and came up with just what I wanted to here.. um, I mean, hear: "It seems you pulled your hip abductor (also throwing in a few other muscle-tendon related references that I didn't really understand), but it doesn't appear to be bursitis. When you get your thumb looked at by the PT, you can ask her for ways to stretch this out, but it seems minor and it shouldn't keep you from running."

I kissed him full on the mouth.

Okay, not really, but it would have not been an unreasonable payment for his diagnosis (but thank god for insurance!). I would've rather kissed the PT, who was better looking than him and more, well, female. She was also a runner, training for Nashville's Country Music Marathon, which is the same weekend as New Jersey. She scolded me for not doing my warm-up and stretches properly, but the effect was lost, as she was daintily massaging my thumb as she did it. She then showed me some other stretches to do to strengthen my hip - a few of which I'd already been doing in pilates, gave me a Theraband to use at home, and sent me on my way. Tonight, I'm happy to report that both my hip, and my thumb, are already feeling much better.

So, is there anything to be learned from this little experience? I think so:

1. Don't forget to warm-up properly beforehand, and stretch afterward. We all know it, and it's that one time when we don't do it that we risk injury.
2. If you think you're injured, see an expert quickly, so that you're not jumping to the wrong conclusions. What you think the problem is may be totally off the mark.
3. Sometimes we need brutal reminders in order to take corrective action.
   
4. Getting a hand massage by an attractive PT of the opposite gender is cool.
5. Country music sucks.