Spine Bender

Quick Tips: First Half-Marathon with my Spinal Fusion

FINISH LINE, BABY!!! Ten minutes later, I couldn't walk very well. Shocker, eh?

I know I’ve been a bit AWOL. I have a lot of draft posts started, so that’s something! See? I ::almost:: posted.

Anyway, I thought I’d give you a quick update on the half and what it’s like to run 13.1 miles with a spinal fusion. Short answer, it hurts. Long answer, see below.

But first, a picture!

Around mile 8, I think. Pretending like I’m feeling good.

Overall the half marathon went better than I expected. I finished in 2:12, beating my goal of 2:15. I have this weird thing where I hit a wall at 5-6 miles. I think it comes from that fact that I’m a sprinter; have been my whole life. My stamina goes HARD, FAST, NOW…and we’re done. The good news is that I don’t hit another wall…or I haven’t yet in the 13 miles in a row I’ve run.

Hitting a wall that early is demoralizing, but it also helps to know that it’ll just get easier as I go.

At any rate, having one of these under my belt pretty much qualifies me as an expert (ha!), so here are a few tips for distance running with a spinal fusion:

Run your own race (honestly, that’s good advice for anybody; and it means listening to your body).
Do NOT forget to bring your own ibuprofen (aid stations won’t carry it; trust me on that).
Pay attention to running with your core engaged (at this point, you should have a strong core; if you don’t, read my other posts about this).
Know that you will hurt and be okay with that (don’t panic).
Prepare well (don’t rush or fudge your training).
Have fun and smile! (or whatever cliché you’d like to use; you get the point).

FINISH LINE, BABY!!! Ten minutes later, I couldn’t walk very well. Shocker, eh?

After the race, my knee was angry (yes, the one I had surgery on 6-months prior to this race). In fact, I had to use crutches for the rest of the day. And I’m still not fully recovered. The next post I write will be about the importance of rest (I promise! And it won’t be a month from now either!).

I can, with a fair amount of confidence, say that I will never run farther than 13.1 miles. My body was not meant to do that. And that’s okay with me. 13.1 seems plenty long, don’t you say?

Venture forth and run! Let me know how you’re doing. Maybe we can do a race together.

Namaste.

Tarah Neujahr Bryan

I'm from Montana and despite living in six different states, Montana is still my heart's home. I have passion for many things in life, including my beautiful daughter and son, my amazing husband, Nebraska Football, playing softball, hiking, healthcare policy, aviation, running, yoga, reading, outdoor life, animals, hiking, sports, and so much more. It's always growing and changing. I have a BA in History, with a minor in Sociology from Montana State- Billings and an MA in Journalism and Mass Communications (specialization in Marketing, Communications, and Advertising) from the University of Nebraska.