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Feeling very low but off running due to sore foot tendons and sore leg (hamstring?)
somapop
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Hi all.
I've posted on here a few times late last year just as I stepped up my running (it took nearly a year to get under my skin properly).
Unfortunately due to family issues I had a nervous breakdown in the new year leaving me severely depressed and on medication (I've never required it before and I'm generally a happy, positive person...one of those lightbulb moments when you realise it can happen to anybody - just turned 45 btw).
Wasn't sure I'd pull through physically and mentally to be honest (I didn't initially sleep for a couple of weeks and dropped a lot of weight due as I was off food). To counteract this I stepped up the running. The weight loss was also down to more exercise and (lack of sleep and mental daze aside) and I actually (physically) felt really good - being lighter made my body feel better and helped my thoughts calm down somewhat too.
I actually started running as I had a couple of years of being low (probably depressed but in denial) so never thought I needed medication to lift me and running alone would (it helped enormously but not enough unfortunately). I've made contact with an old friend and we've bounced somewhat recently over all this (and running together). I've been so mentally low (and I honestly thought I'd have to be sectioned at one stage) that the running was like pure oxygen for me. No physical pain came close to that intangible mental anguish I've been through. This meant the running felt like gliding and I've never felt physically better. I went out for a 6k a couple of weeks back one cold, wet evening and ended up doing a half marathon (previously only ever running 12k max).
Around Christmas I had a long journey to make...due to traffic it ended up taking nearly 7 hours. With the leg sat on/off the pedal I felt a a twang when I eventually got out and at times could barely walk such was the pain. This pain came and went and I still have it. Sometimes in the evening it feels like my leg is throbbing (whatever position it's in). It feels tight at the back of the thigh which is why I thought it might be hamstring related. I also have had issues with my foot tendons (possibly extensor tendinitis) since the 'spontaneous' half marathon - not helped by having some royal hills and a pair of trainers on their last legs. This has been really sore so I've spent the past week icing, taking ibuprofen tablets and used the gel (have tight laces caused it some pain - seemed to start at the big toe and travel up the tendons).
I haven't run for around 9 days (last run was a park run with a new PR of 21:18) but my foot (and leg to some degree) is easing up quite a bit.
I really need to run again now and some advice suggests (for the foot issue) that it might be a good idea to go out for a gentle trot. I've noticed my mood is dipping again (lack of physical exercise, dog walking aside) and although in a far better state than I was at the start of the year, I have very low moments (the medication is clearly a helpful crutch however).
I guess I'm asking whether I should go ahead and start gentle running again...any physical pain is pretty insignificant to me now (having gone through a lot of mental anguish) but I don't want to further damage myself. Also weary of going to the doctors as the last few times I went I was put off running all together ('really bad for you back and knees' despite both of them thoroughly regenerated from running) and physio is totally out at the moment.
As of today, my foot (gelled up as usual) is much, much better and my leg only occasionally aches, and usually in the evening.
Many thanks.
I've posted on here a few times late last year just as I stepped up my running (it took nearly a year to get under my skin properly).
Unfortunately due to family issues I had a nervous breakdown in the new year leaving me severely depressed and on medication (I've never required it before and I'm generally a happy, positive person...one of those lightbulb moments when you realise it can happen to anybody - just turned 45 btw).
Wasn't sure I'd pull through physically and mentally to be honest (I didn't initially sleep for a couple of weeks and dropped a lot of weight due as I was off food). To counteract this I stepped up the running. The weight loss was also down to more exercise and (lack of sleep and mental daze aside) and I actually (physically) felt really good - being lighter made my body feel better and helped my thoughts calm down somewhat too.
I actually started running as I had a couple of years of being low (probably depressed but in denial) so never thought I needed medication to lift me and running alone would (it helped enormously but not enough unfortunately). I've made contact with an old friend and we've bounced somewhat recently over all this (and running together). I've been so mentally low (and I honestly thought I'd have to be sectioned at one stage) that the running was like pure oxygen for me. No physical pain came close to that intangible mental anguish I've been through. This meant the running felt like gliding and I've never felt physically better. I went out for a 6k a couple of weeks back one cold, wet evening and ended up doing a half marathon (previously only ever running 12k max).
Around Christmas I had a long journey to make...due to traffic it ended up taking nearly 7 hours. With the leg sat on/off the pedal I felt a a twang when I eventually got out and at times could barely walk such was the pain. This pain came and went and I still have it. Sometimes in the evening it feels like my leg is throbbing (whatever position it's in). It feels tight at the back of the thigh which is why I thought it might be hamstring related. I also have had issues with my foot tendons (possibly extensor tendinitis) since the 'spontaneous' half marathon - not helped by having some royal hills and a pair of trainers on their last legs. This has been really sore so I've spent the past week icing, taking ibuprofen tablets and used the gel (have tight laces caused it some pain - seemed to start at the big toe and travel up the tendons).
I haven't run for around 9 days (last run was a park run with a new PR of 21:18) but my foot (and leg to some degree) is easing up quite a bit.
I really need to run again now and some advice suggests (for the foot issue) that it might be a good idea to go out for a gentle trot. I've noticed my mood is dipping again (lack of physical exercise, dog walking aside) and although in a far better state than I was at the start of the year, I have very low moments (the medication is clearly a helpful crutch however).
I guess I'm asking whether I should go ahead and start gentle running again...any physical pain is pretty insignificant to me now (having gone through a lot of mental anguish) but I don't want to further damage myself. Also weary of going to the doctors as the last few times I went I was put off running all together ('really bad for you back and knees' despite both of them thoroughly regenerated from running) and physio is totally out at the moment.
As of today, my foot (gelled up as usual) is much, much better and my leg only occasionally aches, and usually in the evening.
Many thanks.
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Comments
As for the depression, well I'm sure there are many here that have visited that stifling other world at one time or other. It's like a very shit Disneyland, and equally as busy. I hope it passes. It so often does. I know at the point of being cognitively and emotionally squeezed in a vice bland optimistic statements are hard to embrace. Nevertheless, it is going to be okay. And a very fine 5k parkrun time by the way. Just don't go as quick as that for a while.
I have moments when I'm really positive, but I do slip deeply down again. The earlier lower level depression could have been nipped in the bud if I'd simply taken the meds to rebalance (we're awash with chemicals anyway). Running helped massively, but clearly not enough. But the events at the start of the year were very traumatic for me (I'm still raw on occasions). All new to me...this depression is partly environmental (the initial lower level) but then pure heartbreak (I won't go into details).
Thank you for those comments...I'm hoping I'm over the worse (and it was a pure nervous breakdown that, to reiterate, I'm surprised I made it out of).
I went for the run in the end: leg felt fine (the weird hamstring/aching leg) and the toe tendons weren't too bad (I gelled them when I got back in). Glad I went out and might try again tomorrow. I picked the trainers up some time ago (just in case I ever went running) but they're way over 1000k (Brooks Pure Flow) so perhaps not doing me a lot of favours.
I'll take it easy for a while and judge it on feel.
Many thanks again.