Just under two years ago, I put one of my friends on notice.  Last spring, I felt a bit renewed and gave running another try.  I actually felt good and made some decent progress through the summer.  But, in the fall, running started to be much more painful than it was rewarding.  The pain in my legs seemed to go all the way to the bone.  So, I took a month off around Thanksgiving.  I tried again.  The pain returned.  My doctor advised me to take more time off.  So, I focused on my strength training and doing cardio on the elliptical machine.

This week, I decided to try, try again.  I hadn’t run in more than a month and a half.  If there were some type of injury to my bones, surely they’d have healed by now.  My first run was on Wednesday.  It was slow, horrible, painful, and nothing I hoped it would be.  I thought that it might have just been some rust in my system, so I tried again on Saturday.  Slower, more painful, and even less than before.

What’s the cause?  Here are some options:

  • I am getting old.  If this turns out to be the case, boy did old age strike fast.  This would explain why all the music I hear is too loud and why I have started to use the phrase “Wipper Snapper.”

    leg

    This is not my leg. I don't shave mine.

  • Too much pressure on my legs.  I have put on some weight in the past year.  I’d love to think that I’m nothing but solid muscle now, but even if that were true, my legs still have to absorb 30 additional pounds each step.  Maybe my legs just aren’t built to carry these big guns that are attached to my shoulder.  (The ever-growing bomb on my belly doesn’t help, either.)
  • There is some type of injury.  Well, obviously, it’s an injury because the dang thing hurts.  But you know what I mean.  Maybe it’s something deeper than just muscle soreness.  Even after a long time off, this came back pretty fast.  And, it’s happening in both legs.  So, I’m inclined to think that it’s not a bone issue, but a muscle thing.  Because I have my MD, you know.

But what do I do?  More options:

  • Ask everyone I know about this and see if they offer some magical advice.  I should probably start by bugging people who run because they have to know exactly what’s going on with me.  Right?
  • Go back to the elliptical for a couple of months and then try it all again.  Just because this didn’t work the first two times doesn’t mean that it won’t help again.
  • Forget cardio.  Forget the legs.  Just workout the upper body.  There’s no downside to this, is there?
  • Seek medical attention.  No no no.  I don’t mean go see a doctor.  I mean that I should get some medicine to help.  Maybe some steroids or some of that HGH that has worked so well in baseball and football.  The roids will not only help me heal, they will also help me meet my goal of being huge.  The only problem is finding a dealer.

So, there you have it.  If you have any guidance on any of these options, please feel free to let me know.  Especially if your dealer offers first time buyer discounts.