Lower Back Pain.

[franco]

Hello there,

If you have been having lower back pains, or problems. Please have yourself checked out. We tend to ignore our pains with the hopes that they go away. Earlier in the year I began having lower back pains, they did not go away. My last run was a very slow flat 5 miler, then my right leg began to get numb. I didn't know it at the time but my pains were caused by Degenerative Disk Disease. Not even after a few sessions of physical therapy to strengthen my core section (stomach & lower back) did it make a difference. To this day I still have back problems and I get pins-and-needles on my leg. The only thing that did seem to help was going to a Chiropractor, but not enough to start running. Unfortunate I've had to giving up running. I really miss all the trails around my house, especially Diablo which is only 2 1/2 miles from my house.

[Pacific Coast Trail Runs]

Oh, Franco, I'm SO sorry! I knew that, earlier this year you were having IT band problems - I had no idea that anything so serious was going on with your back.

I hope that you are still able to get to Diablo sometimes, just to enjoy the beauty of the mountain - Mt. Diablo is a special place, as you know, even if one is just standing at a trailhead feeling the breezes or sitting on a bench watching the birds in the oak trees.

Please do keep in touch and let us know how you're doing - and we would all be wise to take your advice if we have problems with our backs.

Thanks for writing and, again, I'm sorry.

[miki]

I am so very sorry and I understand how you feel. I also have been recently diagnosed with degenerative discs and am dealing with that right now. I have been dealing with pain on and off for about 20 years now, but it took a bad turn earlier this year. I still have hopes to get back onto the trails though but I have a lot of work to do before I get back out there. Running trails became my life there for a while and I thought I could not ever be happy without it, but life goes on and you realize there are other things. It's a hard lesson though.

Good luck with your back. If you ever want to compare therapies, treatments and all that horrible stuff, let me know.

~Miki

[Pacific Coast Trail Runs]

Oh, Miki, I wasn't aware of YOUR back situation, either!! So, it's bothered you for a long time now, huh?! Man, I would never have guessed!!

Please do keep us all up-to-date with how you're doing with your back issues - lots of us 'out here' care about you and how you're doing.

Sarah

PS I have your Tupperware containers here but, no matter what I do, the energy bar fairies don't refill them. I guess it's a good thing, though - if they did, Wendell and I would be HUGE!