The Mission 10 Miler - San Juan Bautista

Jan 28, 2012

This one wasn't really on my schedule, but Dave Delucchi mentioned it to me several days before and I did do this race once, long ago. Now that my hip problems are behind me (sic!), I figured - yeah, let's have some fun in SJB! Diane and Joyce and Carmen were going to start on their bikes at the crack of dawn and bike to SJB, then do the San Juan Grade a couple of times (recall we're doing the Death Ride, so cycling and climbing are on the menu this winter and spring) and then meet me and Dave as we were running the course. I have been doing long runs each weekend in January; 12-13 mile road and trail runs, and then just some ~2 - 4 mile runs during the week. I do love trail running and find it's hard to turn around until - maybe too late.... So I've been hurting but just a bit. Still, asking my hips and legs how they felt about doing a 10 mile race on pavement the answer was luke-warm or stone cold. But, it would just be so much FUN after a week of working on my courses and etc, to get out San Juan Bautista, always a fun spot to poke around, and do this... I told Dave the afternoon before, at a movie ("The Grey" - shoulda been titled "The Pitch Black" - boy, it's grim grim GRIM), that I was iffy, but probably give it a try.

The body doesn't lie. My left hip didn't feel recovered, and it didn't waste any time telling me so. After just 2 miles, I was really hurting. Same old weak spot as I had hoped I'd finally rehab'd completely - my left psoas/bursa. By mile 2.8 it was obvious I was going to really be in trouble if I continued - so I stopped at the water station there, commisserated with a veteran marathoner who also pulled up lame, and we hung around long enough to watch the leaders come back on this out-back course and keep them from veering off-course. Stefano Profumo, SCTC's new star and UCSC Astro's new star too, blazed in less than 10 minutes behind the leader (an Olympic Trials competitor). Dave was a few minutes behind him, and I jogged in behind him on the return 2.8 miles, hurting. so, bummer - this is the first race ever I can remember where I actually pulled up and dropped out. But it was the right thing to do. In 2 weeks we're all going to Death Valley to trail run for 3 days and I need to be healthy again by then.

Happy kids, running out to accompany Mom for the final 50 yards

Smile, Rick.... oh well, it's all good

Joyce and Diane strike a pose

Dave and Javier did well. Dave was at 1:08, just what he predicted.

Here's the complete race results.

Did some more web research and found these good sites on diagnosis and treatment of iliopsoas tendinitis/bursitis. I pulled this from my medical website recovery page, latest entry...

The pain is least if I use my right leg and right glute to do most of the work of running, and just pull my left leg forward as little as possible; to about the neutral position. A definite limp. If I stand on my left leg alone, it does not increase the pain. I can tonight even stand on my right leg and then forcefully slam my left heel into the hardwood floor and thus sending a shock up my leg through my hip and into my hip girdle, and not feel any particular pain. That's reassuring - it says to me it's not got anything to do with the bone or bone/metal interface. So what is it? My DC thought it was probably psoas bursitis. On this diagram, the psoas bursa, however, looks to be a few inches below the hip socket. My pain seems to be right at the hip socket but "above" it (if lying down). I don't see a bursa at this location. OK, wait. On this page, it describes the pain pattern for iliopsoas bursitis/tendinitis, and it fits me very well. Not iliopsoas syndrome; I don't have those symptoms. Here are images: how to stretch the iliopsoas and, more confirmation, I just tried the "best one" - and it was far too painful to even get a start on. Ice, wait, try later...