MRS’ one year post-op update

Another four months have passed since my last update in which I described running for the first time after my THR. Since that time I haven’t indulged in any further running, other than the occasional sprint across the street to avoid oncoming traffic or playing tag with my kids, but I did finally start training for my walking marathon. I found a 20-week training plan with a sub-6-hour time goal back in the fall when I entered the event. Then I promptly blew off the first 6 weeks…because who needs to train to walk? Um, yeah.

The Avenue of the Giants Marathon is fast approaching, like, this Sunday. While I’m definitely ready to take on the distance, I’m not so sure about hitting that initial time goal. I didn’t follow the training plan to the letter (once I finally started paying attention to it), but I did complete 2 hilly hikes that were half-marathon distance, 1 hilly hike of 17 miles, a timed 10-miler, and three crazy hilly hikes that were over 20 miles long. Just so you know, it takes all damn day to hike over 20 miles! Well, 5 hours anyway.

It has gone the same way with the walking as it ever did for me with running. By the time that third 20-miler rolls around, I am just OVER it and ready to move on. About 2/3 of the way through this hike I thought to myself (because I don’t use music or have any company because NO ONE really wants to briskly walk up and down a bunch of hilly cow pastures ALL DAY) “Soooooo…this kinda sucks. It’s not really all that fun. I’m bored out of my mind. Blahblahblah…” All that stuff you start thinking on those long ones when you’re tired and at the end of a training cycle. Then I reminded myself how goddamned LUCKY I was to be out there walking at all. Without a cane. Without a limp. Without pain. I reminded myself that the sun was shining and it was a glorious spring day and my kids were being cared for while I strolled through the beautiful hills of the San Francisco Bay Area with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge popping up every now and again. Even though I wanted a ride home somewhere around Mile 15 (impossible because there is no road access where I was hiking), I managed to finish more slowly than I would have liked but with a smile on my face.

As a part of my training, I did a weekly speed session, a weekly “hills” session, and a couple of short hikes. Thrice weekly strength training and 2 to 3 rows usually happened, too.

A couple of months ago, my other hip started acting cranky in a similar way to how the operated hip began its downward spiral. I’m guessing there’s a torn labrum. At my one year post-op appointment, I asked about this most recent set of x-rays. The doc went on and on about how GREAT the surgery and recovery look…just fantastic/perfect/amazing. “What about the other side?” I asked. Not so fantastic/perfect/amazing 🙁 Not horrible, but there is a noticeable decline since the images from 2 years ago…more joint space narrowing. He did say that the cartilage is still there and there aren’t bone changes or spurs that he could see. “Live your life,” he said.

And so here I go, living my life. I’ll be walking through the incredible redwoods for about 6 hours this Sunday because I CAN.

As always, it’s awesome to follow those of you who are returning to running…and even those of you who aren’t. This is such a great site! Thanks so much, Tom, for creating it 🙂