A little run

5 weeks and a day post-op. The doc said I could start running at 6 weeks. I just got back from the gym. I was going to do a 4 minute walk/1 minute slow run a couple times on the treadmill, for a total of 2 minutes of running. I just wanted to see what it felt like....and if it caused any significant soreness the day after (stay tuned...) This will ultimately give me a feel for how the recovery this time will progress...always curious...

After running for a minute, I felt good, so I ran another minute, and I still felt good, so contemplated running another minute......but thought better of it. And after 3 minutes of walking, I ran for another couple minutes, for a total of 4 minutes of running, close to .5 mile. I felt some pulling in the front of my hip, but it went away. No soreness right now, but the real question is what it feels like tomorrow. For comparison, at 10 weeks out from my previous surgery I ran for 6 minutes and felt issues. I could have run for 6 minutes today, but I'm trying to be good.

Update: the day after, no soreness that I can tell. Note, I've had a low-level soreness since the surgery that hasn't changed much....

I forgot to mention that I've been doing the elliptical at the gym and biking on the roads for the last couple weeks. Neither one makes the hip sore. I've been more motivated by trying to work off the junk that I've been eating over the holidays, esp this white chocolate covered stuff our neighbor brought over...

Feelin lazy

Things seem to be going well as far as how the hip feels. I guess that's blog worthy. I took my stitches out on Tuesday. I've been to the gym quite a bit. I've done core work, biking, and lately, walking on the treadmill. I can walk a mile up an incline without issues-- maybe more, I don't know. I'm walking pretty slow. Everyone in the gym walks faster-- I spy on their treadmill speed. I had forgotten how long it takes to go from "walking" as in "getting around" to "walking briskly" or even "walking well". It takes time. And I'm not as motivated as last time, unfortunately. A long recovery takes lots of patience, and I feel like I've largely depleted the reserves. I'm not going to do anything stupid that might delay my recovery, but I'm feeling lazy when it comes to doing the work. I need to change my ipod mix, literally, metaphorically.....

I like the gym

I finally made it to the gym. I think the last time I went there was in March. I went for a 40ish minute affair during lunch--- no biggee. Not much has changed, but they have better smelling soap these days-- less Drakkar Noir and more cool cucumber, natural essence.

I focused on core exercises and did a 20 minute bike. I feel good now. I'll be back thursday.

I also talked to my doc yesterday to ask him what my recovery should look like. I'm no longer using any crutches. My hip feels better now than it did the day before surgery. He was happy to hear this of course, but he wants me to take it easy for 6 weeks while my femur rebuilds it's strength. There is a risk of stress fracture in the femoral neck because of the bone material he removed. But at 6 weeks I can start my tentative running sched--- starting with walk/runs, etc.