Pounded out my first run since getting the cortisone treatment Wednesday, and I am healed.  Absolutely no more pain.  I felt fat and still ran slow, but my abdomen was strong.  I am so happy.  I can’t believe I’ve lived with this for a full year when I didn’t need to.  I still remember wondering why I hurt so much after the 2010 Denver Marathon.  I should have followed up with my doctor much sooner.  Lesson learned.

This has me pretty excited.  The arthritis in my symphysis pubis had been seriously slowing me down.  It was never the kind of pain to keep me from running.  But it took a half mile to recede and would return if I ran too fast.  This was most annoying in the 2011 Bolder Boulder when I felt great at 5 miles and tried to pick up my pace but the pain in my abdomen acted like a governor.

I’m psyched up now to train again for the 2012 trail running season.  I don’t care how ridiculous it might sound for a 49 year old to want to race, but I do.  I want to be competitive in my age division.  I like running fast but was beginning to think I couldn’t anymore.  My new training regimen begins this Thanksgiving break.  I’m climbing back in the saddle.    I’m going to sign up right now for the Moab Half Marathon in March.