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Running again after 37 years?
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Fuller
Aug 17, 19 18:32
Post #1 of 8 (1217 views)
I was an active triathlete 37 years ago and the run used to be my best event. A torn meniscus (x4), marriage, children and a fear of getting re injured kept me from running all this time. Now I'm back in the game as an Aquabiker but I still have to run / walk / hobble from the swim exit to T1 and it's costing me a minute at least at my local venue.

I have definitely lost the muscle tone needed to run even though my knees seem to be OK. I'm not only a slow runner, the effort is way higher than it should be considering my VO2max is quite good for my age. Between the swim and the hobble I'm gassed when I get on the bike. So what would be a sensible way of making some improvements without risking injury?

A specialized running shoe for training, like a Hoka One One (even though I'll be barefoot on race day)?

Run in the sand after OWS swim?

Treadmill work?

I don't want to return to my former glory I just don't want to suck quite so bad on race day. Any suggestions appreciated...
"They know f_ck-all over at Slowtwitch"
- Lionel Sanders
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Re: Running again after 37 years? [Fuller] [ In reply to ]
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Tom_hampton
Aug 17, 19 22:22
Post #2 of 8 (1154 views)
Just run a little every day. Then run a little more.

I took 13 years off triathlon. That's not 37, but I think it's effectively the same. I restarted running using the barryp plan, it took about 18 months before the run was again my strongest sport. If the run was yiyr strong suit before (like me), I suspect your form will come back around better than you think. Old is old, but it's all relative, right? I'm 51.

Treadmill is good... Low impact.

Walk/run also works.

Just start with 5-10 minutes of easy running per day and grow it by a few minutes each week.
Last edited by: Tom_hampton: Aug 17, 19 22:24
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Re: Running again after 37 years? [Fuller] [ In reply to ]
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Thomas Gerlach
Aug 17, 19 22:59
Post #3 of 8 (1139 views)
I would crank the incline on the treadmill and just walk briskly. Do as much running as your body allows, grass, sand, whatever feels good on the body whether it is 100 meters or 1,000 meters.
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Re: Running again after 37 years? [Thomas Gerlach] [ In reply to ]
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Fuller
Aug 26, 19 14:49
Post #4 of 8 (968 views)
I ran 1 mile on the treadmill today! Apart from the time I had to run from one end of Chicago O'Hare to the other (and still missed the flight), that's as far as I've gone in 37 years. It felt surprisingly good. For a brief moment I was floating along with low effort and no pain. Just like the days of my youth!

I could have done more but stopped to take an assessment. Baby steps...
"They know f_ck-all over at Slowtwitch"
- Lionel Sanders
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Re: Running again after 37 years? [Fuller] [ In reply to ]
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plant_based
Aug 26, 19 15:06
Post #5 of 8 (939 views)
Fuller wrote:
So what would be a sensible way of making some improvements without risking injury?

Treadmill work with intervals and recovery, stairstepper, jump rope, trailrunning, beach running
https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney
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Re: Running again after 37 years? [Fuller] [ In reply to ]
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dtoce
Aug 26, 19 15:13
Post #6 of 8 (930 views)
Fuller wrote:
I was an active triathlete 37 years ago and the run used to be my best event. A torn meniscus (x4), marriage, children and a fear of getting re injured kept me from running all this time. Now I'm back in the game as an Aquabiker but I still have to run / walk / hobble from the swim exit to T1 and it's costing me a minute at least at my local venue.

I have definitely lost the muscle tone needed to run even though my knees seem to be OK. I'm not only a slow runner, the effort is way higher than it should be considering my VO2max is quite good for my age. Between the swim and the hobble I'm gassed when I get on the bike. So what would be a sensible way of making some improvements without risking injury?

A specialized running shoe for training, like a Hoka One One (even though I'll be barefoot on race day)?

Run in the sand after OWS swim?

Treadmill work?

I don't want to return to my former glory I just don't want to suck quite so bad on race day. Any suggestions appreciated...

My 0.02

You do not need a specific shoe or to do anything stupid like running in the sand (likely one of the worst ways to try to gain back fitness while risking injury).
This is going to sound boring and you'll hear it often.

Jut run more. The TM is good because it is a cushioned deck-it will protect you from landing shock-relatively. And you can step off, if you feel niggles, which is always a quandry when it occurs far from home as no one ever wants to stop and walk.

The reality is that you just need to build volume. Hell, I tell my patients that they need 150 minutes/week of aerobic exercise weekly, so make it happen via running.

Start with run/walk sessions of 20-30 minutes 4-5 times weekly and push it up until you get to 5x30 min of continuous running.

At that point, you are pretty much there...trust me.


To improve your run times in transition, though, you'll need to incorporate some sprint work into that training, but that's step 2.
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Re: Running again after 37 years? [dtoce] [ In reply to ]
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Tom_hampton
Aug 26, 19 15:29
Post #7 of 8 (899 views)
Nope. That'll never work.


You probably tell them to eat a little less food to lose weight, too.
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Re: Running again after 37 years? [dtoce] [ In reply to ]
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Fuller
Aug 27, 19 8:18
Post #8 of 8 (757 views)
Yeah, I think the treadmill is my new friend.
"They know f_ck-all over at Slowtwitch"
- Lionel Sanders
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