WEEK ONE: PART II – “TREND ON THE BERG”
It’s Friday afternoon and I’m gutted after my appointment with SSI podiatrist Chris Delpierre (as part of the OptiFit programme, you can either opt for a session with the dietitian or the podiatrist). Initially our appointment was going rather well. While I ran on the treadmill so that my gait could get filmed for analysis, Chris generously told me I was “athletic” and should manage to complete the Two Oceans.
He then commented on the fact that my calves were incredibly tight and instructed me to be careful of picking up calf injuries (this explains the Achilles’ pain I’ve been experiencing the past three weeks).
But then we started viewing the footage and suddenly he looked a bit perturbed. Matter-of-factly, he pointed out how my hips were oddly misaligned while I shuffled, causing my knees – specifically my right knee – to collapse in on each other. His verdict? I suffer from an abnormal gait pattern called the Trendelenburg.
While I was choking over the pronunciation of the ungainly word, he explained that it would eventually cause serious knee injuries. He recommended that if I wanted to “invest in long-term running” then I needed to get it sorted by seeing a biokineticist who would work out exercises for me to strengthen my core, etc.
It felt like he’d delivered a fatal blow to my mountain-goat aspirations (BOOM!). Granted, I’m a former drama student so I’m prone to rare bouts of melodrama… but, seriously, it felt like he’d just told me I wasn’t born to run (trails). Yes, on the odd occasion, I’m also prone to delusions of grandeur – but who isn’t in the first heady months of a new passion?
Clearly I’ve been immersing myself a little too deeply in the latest trail-runner obsession, Christopher McDougall’s popular book Born To Run. In fact, I’ve even decided that rather than channeling the subject of his book – the Native American endurance runners, the Tarahumaras – I’m going to channel the wily ultra-marathon freak, Ann Trason, whenever I run a race.
But I diverge. Suffice it to say, Chris’s sound advice just meant that my fat lip kicked in and I spent the rest of the eve at my own Pity Party.
Legen...wait for it...DARY Ann Trason
SATURDAY: KLIPSPRINGER’S 1st LOOOOONG RUN
It was raining on Sea Point Promenade as we lined up to kick-off our first long run together as a group – 12km on the flat, beautiful coastal boulevard. I paired up with Christiaan “Metronome” Scheepers (as dubbed by SSI group leader, Tori Hirst) – and I’m relieved I did because, unlike me, he’s a steady, measured, patient runner.
He soon had me laughing about my gait diagnosis. Chris had also delivered rather sobering news about his running style. In fact, Chris had told him that if he’d been a racehorse, he’d have put him down/out of his misery already. My Dad is a former racehorse trainer so this was particularly funny to me.
Christiaan and I swapped various anecdotes along the route to keep our spirits up – yes, there was a bit of gritting of teeth and digging deep but the kms flew by. We both felt proud of our 12km accomplishment as group leader Jonny Gardner pushed us harder in the last 2km. (I’m happy to report that Jonny’s legs were broken the next morning too.)
Chatting to Tori afterwards while stretching, she mentioned that she’d noticed that I ran rather like a springbokkie and promptly dubbed me Klipspringer. (I’m currently considering nicknaming her “Bobblehead” as she’s known for not engaging in natter on runs and just politely nodding her head instead.) She also related that she wiggled her hips a bit too much while running and she was also having to work on it.
It’s really amazing how when you genuinely need support attaining a new goal, there always seem to be people who are willing to help you out (that is, if you’re willing to share your sincere woes and not indulge in too much sulking!). Tori hasn’t been the only support. One of my dear friends (and one of my running inspirations), Keith Bain, buoyed me up immediately about my sprightly stride by declaring he loves it, as it makes me look eternally “enthusiastic”. And another inspiring runner-buddy Will noted that “Trend on the berg sounds like a mountain goat” to him.
So I’ve booked an appointment with a SSI biokineticist – I’m going to get this sorted one way or another!
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