I injured my back helping the Red Cross when I was a teenager and it acts up every now and then. About 2 and a half years ago I was walking across the parking lot at Trinity church in Old Town. I was headed towards my office (which is 2 houses down) and, all of a sudden, I felt as though someone had stabbed me in the back with a spear. I’m not stretching either. It was so painful I fell to one knee and wasn’t at all sure I would be either able to get back up or make it to the office. If you’ve ever thrown your back out you’ll recognize that point I’m describing: your back is killing you but you’re afraid to try to stand up or do anything other than perhaps fall to the ground and hope for the best.
After this episode, I was diagnosed with a ruptured disk which was probably the root cause all along. It also explained why heat or muscle relaxers never provided any relief. It wasn’t a muscle problem and heat only aggravates the nerve that is pinched by the disk. In any event, I haven’t run very much since that trip through the MRI machine. The up and down pounding is not compatible with the disk problem. I have, since that day, ridden bikes or used the eliptical machine. I also tried swimming laps at the Freedom Center but that was so boring that I couldn’t stand it.
I got up this morning and had an itch to go for a run. I know that this is not a very good idea: if my back were to go out whilst I was running, I could end up looking like so much road kill in the ditch. I’d also be out of work for a week but I did it anyways. I went about 2 miles with a couple of walking breaks to ease up on the back.
About that run I have an observation, some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I can still run a couple of miles without too much trouble. The bad news is that my back, predictably, isn’t very happy but it hasn’t gone on strike either. The observation is that bicycles are a very efficient mode of travel. I was suckin’ a little wind towards the end of the run and was sweating pretty good too. I’m pretty sure I could ride that distance in a coat and tie and not muss my outfit. My quads, despite all the bike training, are achin’ a little…I really need to cross train more.