My Right Hip is Officially...Screwed

So, whilest (I love that word; it rolls off your tongue in that classic Old English way: "whilllll-est" - but I digress) it may appear that I have been lazy in updating my blog, it has not been for lack of great stuff happening around the world in tris, running, etc.

Witness Bernard Lagat taking gold on the weekend in the IAAF World's in the 3000m on the boards:

[pardon the static - but hit "mute" and enjoy, esp the look of sheer intensity and physicality on Lagat's face as he takes the lead on the final 200m - epic!! Mo Farah - where was ya, laddie?].

Rather than "lazy", however, I have been draped in a sea of self-pity and pain, as my Right hip has not "self-corrected" since the mid point of the Scotiabank Marathon in October, 2011. That event was a total failure, as I had hopes of a sub 3 marathon, readjusted to sub 3:10, hip flared mid race and I then made readjustment #3 to at least maintain my dignity and get a spot for Boston (which I thankfully did - whew!).
So, sadly and somewhat pathetically, the pain, and limiting range of motion, has kept me not only from daily blogging, but, from any racing whatsoever since then.
My mileage has slipped to less than 80km a week - more on that point later - and the referral pain has ramped up to the point where speed work is wicked awful and even sitting now is an exercise in pain management. Psoas, adductors, glut med, hip flexor - all buggered - fml.
Sucks to be me...
So, with the 3000m race above as the perfect segue, I was forced to skip the last indoor 3000m race of the year this past weekend - which were the Canadian Championships no less.
Again, sucks to be me...
But with the pain point becoming a wee bit unmanageable, I ventured forth to see my favourite sports doc, Doc Woolam, in February; then had the MRI early March; and finally got the results back - today.
Houston, we have a problem:
basically, I have a 1.5cm tear anterior labral tear, with both "Cam" and "Pincer" femoracetabular impingements, as well as a "para-labral cyst"...whatever the heck that meant!

Do you remember the famous Gary Larson cartoon:

While the sport's doc was taking me thru the findings of the MRI, all I could hear was "blah blah blah "torn labrum" blah blah blah "you can't race" blah blah blah "you are soooo f*cked for this season"." So, I made him walk me thru the whole Report again - he then uttered the phrase we aging athletes dread: "you need surgery to get this fixed [not "fixed" like Ginger above, I hope!] and so I am booking you to see an orthopedic surgeon".
Ok, that was not actually the worst part - then he told me I had to cut back on mileage and intensity; ya, right, what the hell does he know. In essence: no more 80-90km weeks running; no racing period. Frig, guess that means I am reduced to Bocci ball. But I can still ride & swim until the tear gets worse!  :)

So - for anyone who has actually read this far, and actually cares to know what my diagnosis entails (I think my mom reads this...):
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) occurs when there is a conflict between the proximal femur and the acetabular rim. FAI is a cause of premature osteoarthritis in the hip. Cam FAI and pincer FAI can be differentiated on the basis of a predominance of either a femoral or an acetabular abnormality. In cases of cam FAI, the nonspherical shape of the femoral head at the femoral head-neck junction and reduced depth of the femoral waist leads to abutment of the femoral head-neck junction against the acetabular rim. In cases of pincer FAI, acetabular overcoverage limits the range of motion and leads to a conflict between the acetabulum and the femur. It is important to identify the type of FAI because surgical treatment differs for each type. In cases of cam FAI, the surgical approach is to reshape the femoral waist and restore the spherical shape of the femoral head. In cases of pincer FAI, the surgical approach is to reduce acetabular overcoverage by trimming the acetabular rim.

**if this makes no sense, well, tough, 'cause all I know is my hip hurts  - maybe Delilah can explain it to me!

You can also click this: FAI - Femoroacetabular Impingement - for a more detailed and illustrated overview of FAI, etc.

(My MRI showing labral tear [large arrow] and portion of Cam impingement - best $10 I have ever spent at a hospital was to get a copy of the MRI itself!).

So, now I wait to see the ortho surgeon - bummer.
Will update when that little tea party takes place.
For now, guess this means the Tri World's in New Zealand are out of the picture for this year.
World's in London, 2013 - new goal.

I was running a few months ago with my old friend, Johnny Dee-Novo, when I got yelled at by a driver, who was furious I had the temerity to actually run on the road (no sidewalk where we were), since he apparently needed all 6 [yes, 6!] lanes of the road to drive his crappy 1994 Pacer on: specifically, he freaked out and then yelled that we were "yuppies". (Really - is that the best he could do? Yuppies? Who the hell uses some "oh-so-90's" term as an insult?)
Especially since now I know in light of this recent diagnosis, I am NOT  yuppie, but rather, a "hipster" - hahaaaaa.

peace out
and see you in the pool!
johnny boy