Author: WedgeC

Well I ran my first race yesterday since my right THR on Aug. 28 of this year; a 6-hr. Trail race on a 3.3 mile loop… run as many as you can in 6 hrs…. I made 9 loops in 5 hrs. 39 min. and the most important news to report is no hip pain!  I had my left hip THR’d 5 years ago and as I have posted here before, many good races with no replaced-hip discomfort!

So I post today to reiterate to the group: listen to trusted and sound medical advice but believe in your mind-body perceptions and connections and never underestimate what you are capable of!!!  It is likely far-less than what you currently believe!

 … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Well I’m doing ok 10 days post op… but not as well as I hoped for.

I believe I have pushed too hard on my walking and not focusing as much on the economy of my walking Ands some of the Basic movement and mobility exercises … the US medical system has a knack for getting the procedure (and your money) but not so much for the wellness concept following the procedure.  I have had a decent level of soreness in my IT band and outer quad too… I believe as a compensation for my inner quad that was moved for the anterior approach on the surgery.

So I am a little discouraged but taking it day by day and regrouping, strategically and consulting with a couple different physical therapists as to what I am feeling.  The good news is at this point no significant complications from the procedure and no infection.

I will keep the group apprised as to progress.… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Seventy-Two hours ago I had my right THR via anterior approach and am very, very, happy and thankful that I am doing quite well!  About four years and nine months ago, I had my left THR via lateral approach done with much success… The change in approach was due to different surgeons’ preferences; though they worked in The same orthopedic office (my surgeon retired), and I have heard that the anterior approach is “easier” to recover from.

I am happy to say that the walker has been pretty much put away other than those first 20 steps in the morning as a precaution and no use of a cane.  I walked 1.2 miles yesterday in a blistering 31 minutes 😂 and today went 1.75 miles at a “faster” 26 minutes per mile pace  😂   Humbling isn’t really the word; Thankfulness and optimism for no pain and the ability was to be active the rest of my years is how I see it.  For clarification, I am in pain from the incision and the muscle re-orientation; I am looking forward to No hip joint pain 🙂

Of course I want to make those pie in the sky running goals but for right now, Walking 2 miles in 45 minutes sounds about right!!!  Day by day 🙂
I will keep the group apprised of my progress!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Hello fellow Hipsters and 4 years and 9 months following my left THR, I am having my right THR done.  The pain, stiffness, localized muscular “lock-down” and all associated with arthritis of the hip – and of course with orthopedic approval / directive, have focused my mind that it is time.

As some readers may recall, I had great success following my first THR as I was able to return to sub-20 minute 5K, 2:34-800m and 5:24 1500m times so I am prayerful and have optimism to return to running well again.  I will start with my first goal now: walk un-assisted around my neighborhood (about 3/4 mile) on Day 1.

Note I had a posterior approach on the first one but have been convinced that an anterior approach will be better on the 2nd.  Pray for no complications, namely no femural fractures nor surgical site infections.  I will stay in touch with the group and blog as to my recovery and progress.

I will once again state my thankfulness for this group and to hip brother Tom for creating it. It has given hope to myself to continue our passion of running and all physical pursuits, despite the fake joints 🙂  I have and will continue to pay this optimism forward 👍🏻💪🏽… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

I am 4.5 years THR on my left side and have brought my 5K down to right at 20-minutes and recently ran a “post-high school” PB in the 1500m at 5:24 (note high school was 35 years ago).

Would live to get that down to 5:15-ish and 2:30 in the 800m.

The question is how long I will go before my right hip needs replaced… it is gradually getting to where my left was 4.5 years ago!

Life is journey indeed!… the surgery is real and the recovery is at least a few months… several months to getting back to real fitness!  I’ll keep the forum aware!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Happy holiday season Hipsters – this is a report from The Florida senior games, a Seniors track meet last weekend.  This is a follow-up to my report of last month when I qualified for this track meet.  I posted the following times and the subsequent improvement over last month:

2:32 – 800m (5 sec. improvement)

67 sec – 400m (1 sec. improvement)
5:25 – 1500m (2 second improvement)

I’m thankful to be running well and know that most important is to run joint pain-free.  I’ll likely keep shorter distances as part of my routine, at least for seasons.

This experience is humbling at the same time, as I’m reminded of my genetic lot in life…
The 800 m and 2 mile relay were my events in high school… I’m no fast sprinter, with not enough stride length nor fluidity to be very good at 400m, and I have a stocky build… a classic grinder – and with a replaced hip!!!!

Experiment with racing and training and listen to your body – and especially those hips!!!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

So while I have done fairly limited speed training since my THR in December, 2020, over the last couple months, I focused on the 5K distance and I’ve started throwing in some more fartlek and shorter stride type intervals on flat grass surfaces.

A good triathlon buddy of mine, one of those ultra competitive types 😉 talked me into doing the golden age games, a Seniors track meet last weekend.  Without formalized speed training workouts and as it was the first time I had raced on a track since my senior year of high school, 1989, I posted the following times

2:37 – 800m
68 sec – 400m
5:27 – 1500m

This qualified me for the Florida senior games and as long as my right hip pain (my non-replaced side) stays relatively pain-free, I’m going to compete and continue racing the shorter distances.  Note that my replaced side has no pain and interestingly, I feel like I am in lesser pain when running the speedwork on both the grass and rubberized – polyurethane track surfaces.  Perhaps this is due to the stride and gait change with faster running???  or maybe the softer services? Or maybe a combination of both?

As always feedback and comment is appreciated in this great forum!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Well 3 – 3-1/2 years ago I knew my left THR was inevitable when “normal life” was being seriously impacted: not able to sleep in my left side, could barely swing my leg up over the saddle get up on a horse, and of course in a ton of pain after hard runs, namely the next day.  Well, I think I’m there now on my right hip.  I’ve been feeling it coming on over the last 6 months.  I’ll be making an orthopedic appointment soon but I’m confident I already know my fate… would have loved to postpone it for 6 more months…. We will see and I will update.  COURAGE!!!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

So for those of you who remembered my last post, my question posed was “can an aging, experienced, 52-year-old, post THR runner get faster?”  And the trial is essentially eight 5K‘s over a four month period to prove it … well here is how it’s going:

May 27, 2023 – ParkRun 5k: 21:17 (good weather for Central Florida; only in the mid-60s)

June 10 – Clermont triathlon series 5K: 21:36 (very hot weather, typical central Florida)

June 12, 2023 – NACDA 5k: 22:06; (not sure if the course was accurately measured, very hot weather,course runner on golf course cart paths too; summary: not a fast course, and only two days rest from last 5K)

July 4 – Tuesday – Freedom 5k – Clermont: 20:54 (hottest day of the year thus far and a hilly course; but a big race, and “home town pride on the line“

July 8 – Clermont triathlon series 5k: heavy rain from about 3/4 of a mile till the end of the race making my Feet definitely heavier, but ran 21:08.

So like many things in life, not a total linear progression, but as of right now I’m about 30 seconds faster at 5K than I was back in May.

Knock on wood I am feeling healthy so I will keep training appropriately, which means most of all safely and second and third of all more mileage with a bit more of speed work.  I’ll keep you posted on the progress!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

So I’ll take you on my journey… summed up in the Post’s title.

4 months after my left THR (2 yrs., 7 months ago – age 49) I was shuffling/running again and in about 1.5 years… I reached my pre-THR replacement fitness at 5K.  And then a plateau… and because of the THR and wanting to be conservative, I’ve been very cautious and “smart” I suppose about trying to improve.  So while I intent to be be smart, I’m going to push my limits once more to try and improve at this distance.

It’s a simple formula… Eight (8) 5K’s over the next 5 months.  It started yesterday, 21:17 on a mostly flat course in “great” weather for central FL in May (63 degrees and relatively low humidity).  I’ll report in monthly with the trials, tribulations, and actions that produce better results (God willing!)… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

I will also add I completed a 34 mile a trail race in just over six hours last Saturday and my 50th Parkrun this morning 👍… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Well, I am now two years and four months removed from my THR in my left hip and content with where I am at, mainly in that I am running and truly just enjoying running well and placing atop my age group in local races. I am almost 52 and the prospect of actually getting much faster seems to be fading. Living in Florida, the time to chase PR’s is really through our winter and frankly, my times are not much better this year than last. I would attribute this to really not improving the quality of my training… My running economy has never gone back to my pre-osteoarthritic days. I have also been careful to really not increase my running volume and incorporating more crosstraining, though I am contemplating building it over the next year to see if it helps me improve. In the last month or so I also have a more arthritic type of pain in my right hip so the inevitability of my other hip getting replaced maybe creeping up on me. now this being said, I am very thankful and truly running pretty well; life, aging, and realities are simply that… finding contentment… That is the key 👍… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Continuing to offer hope to those “hipsters” out there!

I am just over two years post THR in my left and my training continues to go well as does my ability to run well. Today I completed the LAST 30K – a gravel road and “Easier trail” run that traverses  the northern shore of Lake Apopka in central Florida. Very little pain other than the expected discomfort in the quads and hip girdle from the exertion… 18.6 miles in 2 hours 33 minutes; an 8:13 pace that I stayed consistent with for the most part. It felt great and brought me much fulfillment… first in my 50–54 age group and eighth place overall

To all of you out there wondering “can I run with quality again?”  BELIEVE!!!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

48 hrs prior to my left thr I ran a local festive but competitive 5 k in 20:38.  It was a good race though the inevitability of my thr loomed and I was in pain post-race.

well fast forward 2 years to the same weekend with the various ups and downs of my journey and I ran the same race and course in 20:29!!!  The greater mission of being healthy and not in pain was accomplished and the possibility of being and getting faster still lives 👍

my thoughts and hopes for others is they your thr journey is a success!!!  Onward and upward for me!!! God willing!

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Fellow Hipsters this forum has lots to do about the advice you won’t get other places… so here’s a bit I’ve heard nowhere else but from my own experience… once you’re past your 60 or 90-day doc clearance… find Pilates… yes that’s correct – even those out there that suffer from toxic masculinity 😉 – TRY PILATES.  It is all about core strength, movement, stability and flexibility, especially in the hips, core, and glutes.  First time I did it 4 months ago the light bulb came on as I declared this should be “mandatory” post THR activity 👍… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

There is hope…

to not have pain in the affected hip

to be able to run again (for me 45 days post-op)

to race again (60-days post-op)

to run a marathon (11 months post-op)

to run an ultramarathon (13 months post-op)

to better my pre-op 5k (ran 20:07 16 months post-op)

to better my pre-op 10k (ran 42:46 17 months post-op)

Now I’m not expecting lifetime PR’s at age 50… but most docs say I should not be running 😉

LIVE IN HOPE HIPSTERS!!!!!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of my left THR.  A big, huge thank you to the hip runner blog for the best advice to be found in the universe for advice! I chose a trusted surgeon with a great reputation and a trusted, respected PT.  That said, it was the journey and applying their advice, along with hiprunner and my personal experience that has led to a great year.

I waited about 60 days to run and then only began with a shuffle.  I started feeling More capable over the next couple months and ran a few 5K’s and within 45 seconds of my previous, pre-surgery 5K pace.  To my surprise, and without adding much in the way of effort or mileage, I started to have hamstring strain issues over the next couple months, through the summer. I still am not sure exactly what caused this, likely just trying to run faster then I was ready for. So from seven months post op to present I have focused on going longer and slower.  eight months postop I ran a 21 mile trail race and 11 months postop ran a 4:04 trail marathon. I have lowered my 5K time to 20:50 and I am tackling a trail 50 K on New Year’s Day! I am happy to report I am feeling well with no hip pain, only what I would call a slight stiffness. In addition to the hamstring setbacks, I do feel still a little odd in my stride… My operated side is sort of a “Peg-leg”, I just ran a bit stiffer on that side and not as fluid.  That all said, I will take it and I’m glad I made the decision and hope to run successfully, I’ll be at a little slower, for another 40 years!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Well I am happy to report that I was able to run in America’s most popular running a holiday, Thanksgiving, this past weekend! I would say it “felt like old times“! I am 11 months post op, left THR, posterior approach and 50 years old.  I ran 20:50 on a hilly road 5K on Thanksgiving Thursday followed by a 4:04 Trail marathon on Sunday (yesterday).  Very well fatigued as of yesterday afternoon and some muscle soreness but no hip pain to speak of and this morning feeling fairly well! My message to all of you out there is that there is hope in returning to successful running following hip replacement! Thank you for this hip runner forum as it has been tremendously helpful! I will continue to update on both my positive and negative experiences!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

8 months to the day of my left THR, I ran-hiked 21+ trail miles at  95 and partly sunny conditions at the Moon over Croom event near Brooksville, FL.
It was a major ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ME!
3 hrs 56 min
Those who’ve read my story on this forum know of my ups and downs.  Hopefully I’m getting it figured out…. Major lesson: I’ve not been able to run fast (for me) since THR… need to be Slow and steady… and maybe just to see how long I can build to…???

Best news today: No THR hip pain AND total body fatigue! THE GOOD KIND ! 😉… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Well hipsters – would love to hear some July 4 running plans / results!!!… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)