|
Inversion
- On the Road from Marathons to Miles
 Team
Canada, Edmonton Alberta, The World Championships in Athletics. That
was the dream. The reality was something different. Early March of
2001 after months of, no, years of training, and early promising success
in the Las Vegas International Half Marathon, the possibility of not
even getting a shot at the trials was starting to sink in. A hard
blow to my right knee left me limping, resting, canceling my flight
to Los Angeles for the LA Marathon, only days away. There was a mental
barrier to get over now, but there was also a physical one if I wanted
to re-group and put it all into the National Marathon Championships
in Ottawa a month and a half down the road, and on the last possible
day to submit a qualifying time.
With National Sports
Therapy clinics way out of reach, one would think the "Old
Fashion" Ice, Heat, and Time would be my only doctor. However,
I found one more plus in a piece of equipment that already has a
long list of positives for any kind of user.
Waterstone products generously
sent me home with a "Hang-Ups" Inversion Table as part
of my sponsorship deal, several months before. I had been using
the table to increase flexibility, stretch in a natural fashion,
increase blood flow (hence better circulation), and to deal with
minor back pain caused by running in cool outdoor temperatures and
on slippery surfaces. I was aware of many other benefits the Inversion
Table had for different types of users, athletic and non-athletic.
For example, my wife has been on the Inversion Table to help her
with her motion sickness and back pain she has been troubled with
due to her labor and giving birth to our son.
I was pleased with my
training progress and the benefits of the Inversion Table, I was
about to be amazed. I remember stumbling in the door, a look on
my face like I was going to be sick. Not from the physical pain,
but from the reality of the situation. I knew this kind of injury,
I couldn’t lie to myself, as hard as I tried, I had to make
the call. Los Angeles was not to be. From the way I was walking
I wasn’t sure if Ottawa would even be far enough down the road
to recover and train again. The first night was a long one, the
pain made it impossible to sleep, and the frustration…..
The next day, stiffness
had set in, I could not put one ounce of pressure on my right leg.
I moved from wall to wall, chair to table, holding everything near
me. I slid down the stairs on my butt, just to look at the treadmill,
the motivational advertisement for the WORLDS hung on the wall beside
it. I could feel the anger build as I looked at what could have
been, even just the chance to try, that’s all I wanted. Now
gone.
Sitting off to the side
of my treadmill stands the Inversion Table. I wondered if my leg
would hold up to being locked in and tipped upside down. I hoped.
I needed to think, put things into perspective. I did a lot of thinking
upside down in the months prior to the injury. Enjoying the slow
comfortable stretch of Iversion, I would close my eyes and picture
myself running at the World Championships, crossing the finish line
in front of a Canadian crowd. I found great relaxation on the Inversion
Table after a work-out, perhaps I could find some peace once again.
I hobbled over, leaned
myself onto the table and locked the ankles in. I slowly raised
my arms, controlling the speed of my Inversion. Partially inverted
I could feel my right leg tighten, the tendons around my knee starting
to pull apart, a little pain running the length of my leg. I held
my position, _ Inverted. Gradually the pain subsided, I pressed
on. Each stage of Inversion, controlled by my arm placement on my
body, would push the limits of my knee. The pain would come and
gradually go. I managed full Inversion, closed my eyes and thought…
After 15 minutes or so,
I raised myself up. I slowly bent over and unlocked my ankles. I
slowly stepped away from the Inversion Table, putting all of my
weight on my left leg. Expecting the total pain I always felt, I
slowly lowered my right leg to the floor. Gentle weight, no pain.
A little more and a little more, I could not believe what I was
seeing or not feeling!! I put my full weight on the leg that only
moments before I could not use. I took a step, then two, I walked
to the stairs and yelled to Heather. "Watch This" I walked
up the stairs like I did every day of my life. Neither of us could
believe it. There was still a bit of pain, but the mobility was
there. If the mobility was there, so to was the dream.
We spent the next hour
blowing sunshine up the backsides of the makers of the "Hang-ups
Inversion Table" I didn’t press my luck and go for a run,
I started slow, stretching, continuing with hot baths and more stretching
that night. By morning the stiffness had returned and I had less
mobility, but I was able to put some weight on the leg and gently
walk around. I went straight downstairs and onto the Inversion Table.
Following the same stages to full Inversion was a bit faster, and
the results after were the same. Full range of mobility with only
minor discomfort and I was able to walk with full weight on both
legs. A far cry from the day before.
Within the week I was
running easy runs of 5 miles on trails, and in two weeks I was back
at full distances up to 18 miles on the pavement. My training was
back in full swing much sooner than I thought possible. I ran the
National Championships and set a Yukon Territory Marathon Record,
breaking my own personal best as well. I missed making the National
Team, but thanks to the Hang-Ups Inversion Table I at least had
the chance to try…
 I
use the Inversion table for work-out and race recovery, as well
as non associated minor aches and pains. (Hope the major ones never
return!) One great recent example of the Inversion Table’s
effectiveness came after I ran the Mayo Midnight Marathon in June.
I ran the 26 miles as part of my building program, focusing on the
second half and a strong finish. My 2:42:09 finish didn’t require
the same recovery as my 2:35:46 in Ottawa, but recovery is still
required after a 26 mile trot. I used the Inversion Table 15 minutes
a day, after each daily run following the Marathon. One week later
I toed the line in Whitehorse for another race. No, not another
Marathon-I’m crazier than that!! For a MILE. Yes, one tiny
little mile. And I had every intention on running it fast. That
I did. 4:32.0- not bad one week after a Marathon, when most are
still limping along and wearing the T-Shirt from the race to prove
that it was a Marathon and not a car accident that is causing them
to walk stiff legged. There are a lot of factors that will enable
a person to recover fast from a Marathon, one of the biggest factors
for me is the Inversion Table.
Ask the friendly staff
at Waterstone Products for the full range of uses for the Inversion
Table, and what the Inversion Table can do for you and your specific
needs. You don’t need to be a Marathon Runner to find a life
altering use for this remarkable piece of equipment.
Yours in Health and Positive
Lifestyle,
Ryan Leef.
Waterstone Products Athlete.
New Balance Elite Team
Member-Distance Running.
|
