I qualified for Boston last year. I have not been a long time marathon runner, and have only gone the distance twice. My training over the last few years has included ramped up mileage(for me), and my improvement as a runner has been slow but steady.
I injured my meniscus probably 8 years ago, but have been able to get by with rest and ice whenever it flares up, but the last couple of years of higher mileage(keep in mind that higher mileage for me is 30 miles/week most weeks with ramping more toward 50 for last year's marathon, and close to 40 in prep for HIM distance race), have taken a toll on my knee, and finally my knee "popped" during a training run, and rest and ice no longer allowed me to run. I had part of my meniscus removed (20-25%) 6 weeks ago, and have been running for the last 2 weeks. My runs have been up to 6 miles, and nothing but slow at this point, but now I need to start thinking about making a run at Boston.
I have no time goals for Boston any longer other than perhaps to requalify. Honestly I am not sure I will be able to train enough to run the race I have 9 weeks to prepare, and figure I can get maybe an 18 or perhaps 20 mile run in before it is time to taper, but certainly not the type of preparation I had in my original plan.
What I want to know is - how can I maximize my training for Boston while minimizing the potential to aggravate my knee? Before I "finished off" my knee 8 weeks ago, I was ramping up my distance and was at low 40s per week, and long run was 14. I was also doing a "tempo" run every other week where I ran progressively longer runs at a pace that was about 20 seconds faster than M goal pace and these runs felt strong and easy. So I had an acceptable base, and was building pretty well.
Since the surgery - I have continued to bike about 5-6 hours a week and swim maybe any hour a week, and now I am layering Running into the mix.
My plan is to try and do a "medium long" run on Wednesday, then on the weekend try to ramp up my weekend mileage through a run on Saturday and a longer run on Sunday. I plan to do a bunch of 4 mile runs in between these "key" runs. My legs seem fine with the running, but I feel like I need to give my knee a chance to get used to the training. I am doing 20 miles this week and will ramp up about 10% a week.
I hope I did not ramble too much, and welcome any comments. I figure I need to ramp up the training and my knee with either allow me to run Boston, or I will have to punt on the race, but I want to give myself the best chance of racing safely and respectively, while minimizing stress on the knee.
thanks
Tim
I injured my meniscus probably 8 years ago, but have been able to get by with rest and ice whenever it flares up, but the last couple of years of higher mileage(keep in mind that higher mileage for me is 30 miles/week most weeks with ramping more toward 50 for last year's marathon, and close to 40 in prep for HIM distance race), have taken a toll on my knee, and finally my knee "popped" during a training run, and rest and ice no longer allowed me to run. I had part of my meniscus removed (20-25%) 6 weeks ago, and have been running for the last 2 weeks. My runs have been up to 6 miles, and nothing but slow at this point, but now I need to start thinking about making a run at Boston.
I have no time goals for Boston any longer other than perhaps to requalify. Honestly I am not sure I will be able to train enough to run the race I have 9 weeks to prepare, and figure I can get maybe an 18 or perhaps 20 mile run in before it is time to taper, but certainly not the type of preparation I had in my original plan.
What I want to know is - how can I maximize my training for Boston while minimizing the potential to aggravate my knee? Before I "finished off" my knee 8 weeks ago, I was ramping up my distance and was at low 40s per week, and long run was 14. I was also doing a "tempo" run every other week where I ran progressively longer runs at a pace that was about 20 seconds faster than M goal pace and these runs felt strong and easy. So I had an acceptable base, and was building pretty well.
Since the surgery - I have continued to bike about 5-6 hours a week and swim maybe any hour a week, and now I am layering Running into the mix.
My plan is to try and do a "medium long" run on Wednesday, then on the weekend try to ramp up my weekend mileage through a run on Saturday and a longer run on Sunday. I plan to do a bunch of 4 mile runs in between these "key" runs. My legs seem fine with the running, but I feel like I need to give my knee a chance to get used to the training. I am doing 20 miles this week and will ramp up about 10% a week.
I hope I did not ramble too much, and welcome any comments. I figure I need to ramp up the training and my knee with either allow me to run Boston, or I will have to punt on the race, but I want to give myself the best chance of racing safely and respectively, while minimizing stress on the knee.
thanks
Tim