Training a new body to run again

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Running. It’s the one thing I can do that clears my mind, no matter what is going on. Whether I’m happy or sad, going for a 5km or a 21km run can put me on cloud nine.

I’ve always been an average runner. I used to hit the road four or five times a week – three or four days I’d do 8kms and once a week I’d aim for 14km. I have five Two Oceans Half Marathon medals on our mantle piece that I achieved between 2008 and 2012. In 2011 I got a decent time of 2h12, but 2010 is still my personal best – just under 2 hours. It bothers me to this day that the official time is just over the 2 hour mark because of the starting line chaos.

During the 2012 run, I knew something was not right with my body. I constantly felt excruciating pain starting around my groin and hips, shooting up into the pit of my stomach and down into my knees. A few months after Oceans we went up to Knysna to run their half marathon. I had been training my mate to run a half marathon for the past few years so we went up together.

The hills in that marathon absolutely killed me inside – and if it wasn’t for my mate being just that, I wouldn’t have finished. I kept muttering – “My body’s stuffed” and “Something’s wrong, mate” – only to be shot down with a casual “Man up, pussy” or “Stop being a knob”.

Once I got back to Cape Town I went to a local doctor who did a bit of pushing, prodding and stretching. Then he simply said: “you can never play sport again in your life”. I was too shocked to hear the explanation.

I went for a second opinion with the man who was to become my hero. Dr Brendon Dower is a hip and knee specialist who’s apparently worked on a few Stormers rugby players and Cobras cricketers. Within an hour of meeting him I’d had x-rays done and been informed that I have a bone disease called Perthes. It’s a mission to explain but if you’re interested, here’s a breakdown: http://www.perthes.org.uk/what-is-perthes-disease/

The two options I was given were simple: continue to do what I was doing, carry on crushing the bones against each other and deal with the pain, or check myself in to have a bi-lateral hip replacement. Both hips were stuffed – I needed two new ones.

Dr Dower is such a positive bloke, and the moment I met him I trusted him. He suggested I have the operation, so that was that – I was doing it. I was wheeled in to theatre on 19 September, 2013; the week after the hockey season had ended and almost two weeks after my 29th birthday. The op was supposed to be like a good game of football – 45 minutes a side. My hips were so stuffed that it took five hours.

You don’t quite appreciate the wonder that is morphine until you need it most. That beautiful liquid helped me for the next week or so, until I was sent home. I’m a huge Foo Fighters fan, and I can’t explain how many tears were almost spilt to their song “Walk”. I must have listened to it on repeat over 1000 times over the next year.

I was bedridden for a month or so but was determined to get back on the sports field  as soon as possible. I was walking within a few weeks against family’s advice and Doctor’s orders, and after three months I made myself available for an Action Cricket match. My team constantly asked”what the hell are you doing?” while I tried to convince myself I was OK to play.

After six months, I attempted to play hockey on the opening day of the new season. I tried my hand at cricket and golf too, but quickly realised that I was not OK at all and it was still hurting.

It’s now been 14 months since the op and all I want to do is try and complete a sixth Two Oceans Half Marathon.

Today I am going to try and hit the road for a 3km run. I know it may hurt,  I’ll be utterly exhausted and it will be demoralising to be tired after such a small run. But according to the Two Oceans site, there are over 100 days until race day. I may fail to be fit and “race ready” but I’m bloody well going to give it my all. The time to dust off my old running shoes is now.

I’ll post updates here every now and then about my training and how it’s going. If anyone wants to join me, ideally novice/slow runners, I’ll send you my training schedule and we can run together on race day. For those who think 21kms is too far and out of reach, I can legitimately say: if I can do it – so can you.

Shoes up close

21 comments:

  1. Since “walk” is your song of motivation then i can only say “my hero” is fitting.
    Coz thats what you are!
    Legendary!
    Stories for the generations to come.
    No more “in my days we used to walk through snow to work” but “a mate of mine ran half marathons with perthes disease” So get of all your ass’ and lets smash some records.

    Sign me up for running schedule…

  2. Hi Bruce, Did you have actual Hip replacements ie: removal of the Femoral head etc with a ” nasty metal spike” inserted, or did you have the BHR treatment? I ask because I went through the same pain – ouch- in both hips too, but Thank The Lord I was introduced to a wonderful 74+ year old surgeon who advised me to go the BHR route. I was playing Golf within 3 weeks, and although NOT a runner, was able to jog and sprint within reason easily and without pain within 8 weeks. ALL at the ripe old age of 54. Go well my comrade and run till you decide to hang up your shoes, and NOT the other way round!

    1. Hey Pete – thanks for the reply and the kind words. Yip – and had the full bang shoot – removal of both femoral heads and a “nasty metal spike” inserted into both sides to marry up to the heads. If I need to do it again in the future, I’d never do both at the same time again. It was far to mentally draining not being able to walk at all.

  3. Got my entry and ready to run with you mate….I just think you might need to purchase some new Asics running shoes. Those mighty blue trainers you put up have seen better days….maybe we can try organise a lovely sponsor from Asics for us all!!

  4. Bruce

    Awesome Blog and great to see you’re up and about and pushing hard to do what you want to do. Me and Gretchen have our entry are and good to go for a run with you for the Two Oceans if you’re happy for us to join. Also, I’m less likely to make up any squirrel type stories when swerving for something on the road run 😛

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