Pine Belt Pacers Forum

I decided to do a short run and test the water. I stretched first. Then I walked about a quarter of a mile. I was wearing my trail shoes with inserts. I ran about 2 and half miles on my trails. The piriformis was sore, but tolerable. The foot, well, very achy. It did not get worse, and I did not push. So, I consider this run a success. I iced afterwards, and stretched again.

Now, where do I go from here? Terry, do I try and repeat the week I just missed in training? Or do I just run slow and easy miles this week, and pick it up again next week? I assume it just depends on how the foot holds up. I am going to stay on the trails, and stretch, stretch, stretch.

Audrey - glad the run went ok. Hopefully, you are on the fast track to mending your foot and buttox. Good Luck!

I may have to redirect the race that I am training for, depending on how quick I can get back into the training plan. So, September Tupelo may be out. I may be looking at Stennis. But, you know what? A PR at Stennis would be sweet revenge on that course after my dismal failure last year. Actually, a second PR in a year would really boost my confidence. I know the course in Tupelo is not a PR course. Just some things to think about. This is all good. A little set back to force me to be smarter. I am going to cross train more, stretch and ice and stay on soft surfaces as much as possible.

Audrey,

I don't ever go back and pick up a week. If you do that, you're going to have to displace a future week. Once the week is gone, it is gone - The most important thing is to heal as quickly as possible so you can get back to training. In addtion, the week you "missed" was a hard week... not one you want to do while injured. Continue to take it easy and add cross-training to your schedule. If it looks like the injury is going to impact your running for more than a couple of weeks, I would make sure that the cross-training is done at a high intensity at least a couple times a week. It is also important to ensure the cross-training is giving your injury time to heal. In other words, if the cross-training exercise puts the same stress on the injury, you need to pick a different exercise. Don't let it get you down. Unfortuneately injury is part of training hard. If the training program causes injury often, that is a sign we need to slow down the training. However, I get the feeling your injury is more the product of NOT sticking to the program and trying to step up the training a little?

Later,
Terry

Yes, Terry you are right. I was trying to step up the training, sneakily. (Is that a word)? I think I told you, I would do something crazy, like running a recovery run at tempo pace, to prepare for the next day's tempo run. (Convincing myself that I needed to see if I could handle that pace). I know, I know, why don't I just shoot myself in the foot and get it over with. Anyway, biking doesn't bother my foot at all, so I am going to incorporate a lot of biking. (Biking does make my neck and shoulders sore. I may hop on my elite mountain bike from wal-mart, which is heavy and slow, but is actually more confortable). So, right now, what I am getting from you, is that I need to run as tolerated, without increasing my mileage/training until the foot is 100 percent. I will increase my biking, stretching, stength training to try and carry me over. Maybe, just maybe I will get in the pool. Thanks Terry for your advice. See ya'll at church?

I have attempted to limit my running to 3 or 4 days a week, aprox. 3 to 4 miles. I have added a lot of biking and some stretching. Well, my foot stays irritated. Not getting worse, but not getting better. So, after discussing with Terry, I have decided to stop running until there isn't any pain. I have joined Charles on the injured list. (Although his plan is 1x a week, whether his knee hurts or not). I think this rules out Tupelo, but my new goal is Stennis. I am actually more excited about Stennis anyway, because I was such a dismal failure and I have something to prove to myself. So, today, I biked 22 miles fairly hard. I sure wish riding a bike was a little more comfortable!! I may have to start wearing one of those adult briefs for a little more padding on my crotch/buttocks area. Maybe I will develop calluses!! Anyway, no running for now, but lots of strength training and biking. Maybe I can get buns/abs of steel! I will keep all of you posted.

I feel like I have lost my mo jo!! I mean, I feel like if I am not running, I am just becoming a dried up, slow, slug. It is almost depressing. Then, I think, "Well, maybe the foot thing is all in my head". I should be a wo-man and suck it up. I always said I would never stop running again, cuz it is too hard to get back into running shape. Everywhere I look, everywhere I go, people are running. It is not what defines me, there is so much more, but it has been a chunk of time out of almost everyday in my life for the past 5 years or so, either running itself, or planning the next run. Patience has never been my virtue, I know a break is necessary. However, this not running is bugging me. Ah, well, just thought I would share!! Take care, I am going to bike.

Today: July 20th Mountain biked on trails/hills aprox. 8 miles. Light weights to B UE/LE (legs and arms). Situps/pushups and stretching (light yoga). No pain in my foot with walking or biking. I do have soreness in my quads and hamstrings that I attribute to the increase in biking. I have been biking everyday since not running. I am going to wait another week before testing the waters with running. So, it is all good, sorry about the whine session in my previous log. Maybe all this cross training will make me stronger when I come back. And, as the terminator said, "I will be back"!!

July 23 Ran 3 on trails/hills avg. about 8:37
no pain in foot.

July 24 Ran 3 on trails/hills avg about 8:27 no pain, legs feel strong, just some problems regulating breathing. Heat bothers me again.

July 25 Biked about 30 w/ Dawn, Vicki, Charles and Jim. Dawn, Charles, and Jim are still out there, going for a total of 80. 30 was plenty for me and Vicki. We had other things to do today! I will continue to closely monitor my foot/piriformis, but taking some time off, it seems to have resolved. I will continue to stretch and cross train, and add miles back slowly, then get a new training program. It is really, really, just all good!!