St. Paddy’s Marathon, Des Moines, IA, 3/18/2023

I joined “HipRunner” about 3 months ago, right after my orthopedic surgeon allowed me to consider a return running after a 15-year lay-off given concerns related to my previous spinal cord injury/surgery, and problems which led to my right knee surgery, and bi-lateral total hip replacements.  Yesterday, after following a 16-week marathon and 9-week core exercise program I ran the Des Moines, IA, St. Paddy’s Marathon during an 18-mph headwind, with negative 8-degree windchill, and received a 2nd place medal in the 65 to 70-year age group for men (only 3 of us old men survived the weather to even finish the course).  I ran/shuffled pretty slow (12 min, 3 sec/mile pace), and figure if I can develop my quads a bit more (there is still not much there; think I need a lot more strength training and running than the 16-weeks I put in afforded) I could run much faster (and better weather might not hurt my times either).  Just figured I add this 1st follow-up.  Really happy to be running again after the 15-year lay-off, as they now have documented that my type of total hip replacements weather time, and in some patients, ill-effects of running pretty well.