I've had a range of injuries over the past five years--hamstrings, tibial strain, knees--but I've fought back every time. The latest injury, a right hamstring strain, came back in late March. This one has just about broken me.
Back in March, I was in good shape. In my last 5K, run a couple of days after the tweak but before it had hobbled me, I ran 6:45 pace. As late as April 12, I ran a 14-miler in 1:57, an average of 8:25 pace with an average heart rate of 151 (79% of max). When you can run a solid 14 miler at age 57, you don't feel old. You're just a little slower than the younger guys.
I tried to hang on through April and May, even as the hamstring problem began to dig in; my monthly miles went from 180 in March to 141 in April and 112 in May. In early June I reinjured the right hamstring very badly. This time it wasn't a question of trying to keep hope alive. I needed to stop running. And so, from mid-June through mid-August, roughly 8 weeks, I didn't run.
I did some 3-5 mile walks. That's about it. I put on 3-4 pounds.
On August 11 I started jogging again--3 to 5 miles, very slowly. The hamstring still isn't right. I've only missed two days since August 11. But to call what I'm doing "running" is a lie. It's barely even jogging.
In the last few days I've started wearing the HR monitor for the first time in months, just to get a sense of where I am. The news is pretty horrible.
My easy pace has fallen way off. I have a hard time jogging slowly enough to keep my HR below 75% of max. I'm a guy who has no ego problems when it comes to taking it easy, but this is way beyond that. This is about being forced to slow to paces I literally don't know how to run. 11:30 pace? WTF is that.
This morning I ran 6 miles--the longest run in more than two months. I averaged 10:15 pace at an average HR of 149 (78% of max HR). I finally stopped trying to hold myself down to EZ pace.
Back in March, I ran almost 9 miles at 9:06 pace at a HR of 148.
What does it feel like to be fully deconditioned? It sucks.