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Trying to maintain running fitness with no running
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Folks,

Did a MRI yesterday and the inside part of my left tibia (medullary) is inflamed. I was suspecting it was only a shin split. Actually I don´t have an overall pain, just a few when I start running. That being said, I was told that I can't run for something like a month, but I'm able to bike and swim normally.

Problem is: I have a 70.3 lined up at my home town in 5 weeks (can´t cancel my registration anymore). I'm in the best shape of my life (lol, looks like NFL preseason news), just PR'd the bike and run of an Oly last sunday. My goal time would probably be something like 2:20 for the bike and 1:36-1:38 for the run.

I will try my best to stay in shape biking and swiming a lot until there. I'll repeat the MRI a week before the race to see if I'm medically free to run.

Questions:

1) what can I expect regarding running fitness loss?
2) what can I do biking/swiming to minimize that?

For context: i train with a local group, and my "normal" week schedulle is:
mon: easy swim
tue: brick session 60-80' bike + 30-40' run(hard bike, hard intervals run)
wed: 60'+ easy run/swim
thur: brick session 60-80' bike + 30-40' run (hard, but easier then tue)
fri: swim
sat: long run or some bike/run work
sun: long ride

I will swim everyday and can increase my bike time during weak days, but don't know what else to do.

Here are the images, if someone is curious (or a doc who can help): https://photos.app.goo.gl/be7GazP54zeKXRbs7

Thank you very much
Aprecciate your help
Last edited by: binhopires: Sep 14, 18 5:40
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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It's all case per case... But I'll give you my experience last year of something similar.

I had a damaged nerve in my right foot that made it "annoying" to run. Not that I couldn't run, just that I had this weird feeling after running, under my foot. It was during winter, so I decided to take some time off running to let it pass. Thing was, I had signed up for a half marathon at some point in February. Up to two weeks before the race I was training as I would for a half-marathon (PR at 1:24). Two weeks before the foot thing was so aggravating that I decided that I would stop all running until race and replace it with biking of a similar intensity. I didn't run at all for two weeks before the race, thinking the bike would keep me somewhat fit.

Come race day, I was realistic and decided to go for a 1:30 goal - it was still a winter race and one part of the course (about 300m) was not in good conditions. Two loops.

First loop in 45:00 flush. Second loop in 55:00, total meltdown. Bike training does not make up for run training at all.

My advice: race without a goal for the run. Shit happens. It could be worse and you could just not be racing at all. Enjoy the day.
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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With five weeks to go, I'd be willing to bet you don't lose much run fitness if you continue to bike and swim. Throw some aqua jogging in there to keep the muscle memory. You'll be fine.
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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I did a fair amount of rowing when an injury kept me from running. It's not an apples to apples comparison but you can pace the efforts very similarly and I felt like it help keep fitness.
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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Thx guys,
I'm definitely throwing the PR idea of the window. If I run on the day, it will just to finish.
I was even considering do a swim and a 90k hard TT and be done for the day.

Let´s see what happens.
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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can you run in the pool with your injury? If so, give it a try.

i have a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal in my foot. probably developed in early-July. I took 3 or 4 days off at first, but then kept running on it until late August. For a while, it didn't get any worse when i ran, and I have a marathon planned for october 21, so i didn't want to take more time off. Then it got worse. Stopped running outdoors on Aug 24 and started runnig in the pool on Aug 25. Finally went to see a poditatrist last week. She poked at it and took several X-rays. The fracture is visible on the X-rays but looks like it is starting to heal.

Someone in an older thread suggested Pete Pfizinger's article on water running. This article and the links in it, were a great start for figuring out technique, sessions, etc.
So I have been pool running six days a week, between 70 and 100 minutes at a time, for the last three weeks. It took a few days and some research to get the hang of the technique. (And I may not be doing it right, but i think its close). Technique is a little different - it is more like doing the A drill all the time. Cadence varies more - it gets pretty hgh during hard intervals and pretty low in recovery between intervals. The lack of impact means I can run intervals almost very day. My legs get tired, but they don't get sore. I feel like i still have most of my fitness, especially speed-fitness. What i don't have is the endurance-fitness from the 30-36 km runs and the pounding to toughen my legs.

useful links:
http://kemibe.com/...breports/water.shtml <<-- Pfzinger's article.
https://runnersconnect.net/...jogging-for-runners/
https://runnersconnect.net/...nning-like-olympian/
https://activeataltitude.com/...so-many-reasons-why/ <<--- has a nice video on technique

useful link that i can't find :-( Someplace, i saw a guideline for cadence. As far as i can remember, and what i mostly use, is:
132 - easy recovery
144 - steady-easy
180 - endurance
200-220 - hard
240+ - very hard

run well, run happy
george

run well, run happy
george
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [georgereid] [ In reply to ]
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Wow.

I'll dig into it!

Thx very much!
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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Remember that the default recommendation of any doctor that does not have experience with runners is always going to be to stop running. In college, my friend on the team had a stress fracture his senior year after indoor track and bam! it was casted and he was on crutches before he could say, "What happened?" He decides to go to another year and use a redshirt and comes back a year later and at the same time of year, the same things happens. This time, another doctor tells him "Let's manage it." He keeps running, they keep watching it and it never gets worse. He ends up winning conference and runs a couple of pr's.

That said, I never run with more than minor pain. If you can keep running with minor pain then I would do what you want and keep racing. If you can find a doctor that is more involved with sports, perhaps they could advise you better on a sliding scale of usage, vs. Stop Completely.
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [cdw] [ In reply to ]
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Deep water running.
Try an elliptical. Keep it non-weightbearing.
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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Your 5-wk timeframe and your built up run base as well as the fact that this is a Half, not full race, makes me optimistic you'll keep most of your run gains, if you put in legit deep water running sessions and a smattering of runlike elliptical to keep the neuromuscular recruitment there.

The race day run you'll have to pace conservatively, expect some real suffering at the end due to a lack of pounding conditioning, but I think you can capture the bulk of your fitness on the run by continuing to bike and swim hard, and do pool running at a legit effort to keep everything 'but' the pounding in shape.

I'd say differently if this was a much more long-term problem that would have you permanently reducing running (like for arthritis, which doesn't get better), but for 5-wks, I think despite its disappointing timing, you can still look forward to a reasonable run effort (just not PR land.)

I've been forced to investigate alternative runinng schemes due to some ankle arthritis that I'm managing, and certain ellipticals are actually decent for the run motion, like the Precor Adaptive motion elliptical, or the Arctrainer, although it's def still not running (lower cadence, higher force, feels kinda like biking, actually.) I'd def put some of that in there as well just for some nonimpact weightbearing training (if your doc ok's it - note that they are super conservative though.)

I def haven't had enough experience to really figure out the right mix to maintain run ability, but my hunch so far from experience is that water running is the #1 alternative - you can readily get your HR and run cadence to legit hard-effort speed, and aside from the impact, it really does translate to on-road higher leg turnover and more comfort with high aerobic effort on the roads. I've actually come to also like adding the runlike ellipticals as well for the weightbearing and even leg force training - I suspect they'll help some as the race gets longer. I also wouldn't discount the benefits of high-cadence cycling - on your lower-watt sessions, pushing up your bike cadence to near your upper limits is also very good training for hip leg turnover that for me seems to have some benefit to running, and definitely seems close to the run motion than low-cadence but higher watt grinding on the bike. I'm doing all 3 right now as I've had to cut back running due to arthritis, and I've been happy with how well things seem to be working so far. I'm probably at 50% low-mileage run sessions (<4 mi right now), 35% water run, and 15% runlike elliptical for running, as well as adding real focus to high bike cadence on my bike workouts whenever possible.

Whatever you do though, don't just try and return to running too fast and then just 'run through the pain.' Even on race day, if the pain is flaring up and getting more than mild, shut it down and walk, or even DNF if if you're having problems walking. THe worst thing to do as an AGer is to take a major injury because you overdid it and end up sitting out months. Unlike the pros (for whom it also sucks) who have time and access to added recovery tools, we AGers often fall completely off the regular building or even regular exercise curve once we can't exercise at all for months as we fill that time with lots of fluffy nonessential waste-of-time stuff that make it super hard to get back to that regular 1-2 hrs/day of working out.
Last edited by: lightheir: Sep 14, 18 11:02
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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Sex. That is my recommendation.
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [Twinkie] [ In reply to ]
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Elliptical

I’ve done okympics with no running at all he last 3 months because of injury.
Was happily surprised with my time for the run
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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Can you walk on it? I got hit by a deer 5 weeks before a recent marathon and wound up with a bad shoulder injury. After 1 week off, I couldn't run but I could walk at a steep incline on the treadmill if I rested the bad arm on the console. I walked exclusively for the second week @15% incline and then phased in running on the third week. When at incline I never got above 4mph but I still had sweat pouring off of me. It was a surprisingly good workout. I wound up running 3:19 and I doubt I lost more than 5 minutes from the interruption.
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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I've tried it all through multiple stress fractures/reactions. I've never come into a 70.3 with only a week back weight bearing, but did do two weeks out once. Here's what has worked for me:
  • Pool running (So. Boring.)
  • Alter-G treadmill if you have access to one
  • Elliptical in the last week-10 days of restriction
  • Realistic expectations on race day

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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [RBR] [ In reply to ]
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RBR wrote:
Elliptical

I’ve done okympics with no running at all he last 3 months because of injury.
Was happily surprised with my time for the run

Totally agree about the elliptical. I rehab'd my ACL primarily on an elliptical. I was fortunate to have a coworker who would train with me; we would kill ourselves trying to beat the other. 30-45 mins cranking on those things is an amazing workout.
After 4 months - primarily swimming, cycling and elliptical I did the Wildflower Olympic; swim and bike times were about average. Run took 15mins longer because I walked the huge down hill.
My Doc was amazed and put my race pic up on his wall of fame.

Good luck to you and good to be realistic!
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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Use the elliptical. As long as it doesn't cause pain or stress on the injury.

I had a double stress fracture - both tibia - and used the elliptical for 6 months. I did a 15km road race once ready, and beat my then 10k PR by 20sec and finished in 52min. I had battled stress fractures and other injuries for years and that was the biggest of them all. The elliptical allowed me to get some great training in without the beating. I did a lot of high intensity intervals, mimicking regular run training (easy days, hard days, tempo days, etc), sweating like a mofo, laughing at myself bouncing away with the gym rats and grannies reading magazines and sipping on smoothies ;)

Group Eleven – Websites for Athletes / mikael.racing / @mstaer
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [Staer] [ In reply to ]
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Thank you everybody

Trying to answer a few questions:

- the radiologist is a friend of mine and also an AG triathlete, so he probably got it right. But since he is no specialist,
- he also helped me to get a visit to the orthopedist of the one of the main soccer teams of the country next monday
- eliptical is by far the easiest thing I can get in touch with, but I give it a shot in the pool. Just need to learn how it works
- can walk with no problem. I would say I can run with no problem also, but I wont take any risk. Its one thing not being able to run, its another one having to stop completly. I'm a cyclist turned triathlete, so...
- I wont run race day if the pain still there. This is a no brainer for me.

Again, thank you!
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Re: Trying to maintain running fitness with no running [binhopires] [ In reply to ]
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I had IT band issues in 2009 5 weeks before a marathon. Couldn't run for a few weeks and it cleared up 10 days before the race. I ended up running a 2:54 PB - 5 mins below my target. I increased cycling volume during that period.

You'll just have to listen to your body. No point getting stressed about something you can't influence much.
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