I was hurt before Boston this year and substituted eliptical training for running. I'm not sure what your injury is, but the no-impact feature of the eliptical may help. And you can get your HR up reasonably high. I mainly did intervals - just to break up the time because it's boring!

Good luck - I hope all works out!
KC

I got a SFX in my metatarsal 8 weeks before the Calif. 70.3 this year and aqua-ran for 6 weeks. I wasn't able to "run" on pavement until 2 weeks prior to the race, and still managed to finish the half mary in decent time (for me) without suffering more than usual. Aqua running works! Lots of threads about it on here. Check this site:

http://www.aquarunning.com/

Good luck and I hope to see you at IMFL!

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

I sprained my ankle badly the week before IMLP had to take 3 weeks off running and some of that riding. Did a bunch of pool running and am now 3 weeks back on the road, hoping that I can do IMMoo. I feel ok. My thought is that pool running is better fitness-wise than I thought it would be. But since I was in top shape (for IMLP) when I got hurt, I can't say if you can do anything other than slow the fitness loss.

I pool ran in my backyard pool around the "deep" end for about an hour at a time. The HR doesn't get as high as on the road, but you do get aerobic. I didn't use a belt/flotation. You don't need it. I concentrated on form, with reading "Explosive Running" and that was very educational since you get good form feedback in the pool.

I have spoken to several people who have used it successfully as necessary, including one top IM guy. So I think you will be ok, unless you are trying to build for IMF at this late stage, at which point you're in a 'just do it' mode anyway. So you'll be fine.

I tore my R hammy and was reduced to water running for about 4 weeks. I was shocked at how well it worked at maintaining my conditioning. I am a true believer.

My pool was only 5 ft deep and I am 6' 2", so, it can be done. I "bounced" a little off the bottom of the pool, rather than doing traditional deep water running.

You must have a belt. I highly recommend the Aquajogger. Make sure you get the "pro" version, which is more buoyant. In addition, I highly recommend AQx water running shoes. They have "gills" to provide resistance similar to running on land. The shoes come with a DVD showing proper form.

Proper form is key. Yes, you are just running (not marching or skiing.). The foot comes down and back, like you are scraping gum off the bottom of your shoe, but, do not ski, run. Check out the DVD.

I attached bungy cords to the belt and to the pool lane marker so I could learn forward (just a little) and run w/o moving all over the pool.

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

This is a stress-fracture recovery program from Pfitzinger, you could use it for some water-running workout ideas.

http://www.pfitzinger.com/labreports/9wkH2O.htm

Doug Stern's website also has some notes about form.

Sorry to hear about your injury, I'm sending healing vibes your way.

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

I had an MCL injury 6 weeks prior to IMLP ('06). I bought the belt and shoes and aqua jogged in my pool. I tried to run on pavement a few times and stopped when I felt some MCL pain. I ended up doing very little running other than in the pool. I would do 45 min to 75 min workouts several times a week. I also upped my time on the bike. Here are my thoughts:

I was able to maintain my running fitness without a problem although it was mentally frustrating. There was an unexpected consequence of aqua jogging though. You can not simulate the pounding your legs take from "hitting the pavement". I am more of a forefoot runner which puts a bit more strain on my calfs. At IMLP I was able to hold my target pace (9 min mile) without a problem until my calfs started tightening up at mile 17. They just weren't prepared for the pounding. I slowed to a 10 min mile pace from mile 17 to mile 24 so I could relieve the pressure on the calfs a bit. At mile 24 I figured even if my calfs had a meltdown I could walk the remainder so I jumped up to an 8:30 min mile pace to finish the run at 4:06. Again, I had no loss of fitness. I certainly hadn't felt like I gained anything either though.

I've been off for a while & was only "Allowed" weights, elliptical & water running. I am surprised at the level of fitness I've been able to maintain & I'm losing weight (Fat).

The water running is about as much fun as watching paint dry or grass grow, but it seems to be working for me. I doing the kind of running where you have a floatation belt & not touching the bottom.

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Paul "Speedy" Gonsalves
http://www.rollingthundercanada.com
RollingThunderCanada

Canadian distributor for HED Cycling, Blue Competition, Akona Biospeed & Aerus Composites

RUN IN THE POOL WITH THE BELT, not on the bottom of it!!!> Put your IPOD under a hat and do some intervals. I didn't run for 7 weeks outside and still ran a 40min 10K split.

See if you can get a refund. Good luck with the injury.

The best advice is a waterproof mp3 player or a waterproof case for an mp3 player.

I've been doing aquajogging the last 5 weeks. It isn't fun, but if you can do it, you will have no problems doing an IM. I guess I'm spoiled in the fact that in Austin, we have Barton Springs which is a spring fed open water type pool thing. It takes me about 25 minutes to go from point A to point B back to point A. This is much better than taking 1 minute to go back and forth in the deep end of a local pool.

If you are 5'9", you can do it in a 5' deep pool, but you may scrape the bottom a bit. If you get a belt, it'll help. As for form, keep 3 things in mind: 1) knees high, really high, like above your waist high which will make your hip flexors beg for mercy, 2) full extension on the back up and make sure to push and engage your glutes and hamstrings, 3) keep your torso upright to the point that it'll feel like your leaning backwards. These are things that my coach told me to do and once I made these changes to my form, it feels like more of a workout.

With aquajogging, you won't gain any fitness, but if you are doing it right, you won't lose any fitness either. The motion is somewhat different, but it's different in a way that will probably benefit you. Like I said above, if you follow that technique, it'll fry your hip flexors which strengthens them and that's a good thing. You'll also work on getting full extension on the push off. It will help.

Now, back to the fact that I've been aquajogging for 5 weeks now. I went for my first land run this morning. I ran for 2.5 miles which and it took me about 22 minutes. No, that isn't fast at all, but it is just a little bit slower than what I was running 6 weeks ago. Usually, when I first come back from running, I have to ramp up over a few weeks just because I just can't handle it. Today, I felt like I could've run 6-8 miles at the pace no problem.

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