Pool running tips?

Triathlon Forum
1

No flames please; my seat height is not involved.

I am now in my 15th month with plantar fasciitis and starting to freak out over not being able to run. I just bought a pool belt and am wondering how to proceed. My pool is 4 ft deep straight across.

-do I wear shoes in the pool?

-do I try to run as normal, or do I adjust my arm or leg movements?

-how do I measure my output?

I never thought I would be upset over not running, but I am.

TIA

2

4’ isn’t a very long run, even in water!

Though I’ll guess you meant depth :slight_smile:

I’ve only done pool running in deep water when I had some ITB issues a few years ago. Couldn’t stand it… So boring! My advice, see if you can convince someone to join you as at least then you’ve got someone to talk to.

I just couldn’t seem to get much of a workout from it, but I would like to think it at least helped keep my leg speed up. In shallow water, no idea. Just keep moving fast!

Hopefully there’s better advice out there than this.

3

Pool running actually works much better than you would guess. And it is a perfect opportunity to work on techique like rpm and good knee, clayback and kick. I have used it for rehabbing ankle sprains right up to IM’s and it has worked remarkably well. I don’t use a belt, relying on foot and arm action to keep afloat. Think about your leg movements when you do it and keep your rpm’s at 90 and you will really see value.

4

Try to mimic your normal stride as much as possible.

Shoes - yes - will help you engage your hamstrings more

Output - HRM - and do intervals

http://pfitzinger.com/labreports/water.shtml

5

If all else failed cortizone and 500mg painkillers should work.

6

Cortisone shots are not cutting it for me, plus I have minor irritation from two bulging discs in my back. The pool and the (soft) golf course I live next to have to do it for me for now.

7

1.You want shoes - my feet got pretty scuffed up when i went barefoot. I guess pool bottoms varies, ours is pretty rough. They even sell special shoes for pool running, with little flaps or something for better kick.
2.There is pool walking and pool* running*. If you go hard, pool running is very taxing on the whole body. I did some 100’ and 200’ sets in preparation for stair running races -My limiter in both events are the same: The lungs can’t work fast enough.
3.Stay out of the lanes with the swimmers! (annoying :wink: )

8

Thanks jefe! Sounds loco!

9

I have had my share of pool running. As a runner, the pool is the last place you want to be. I think in Running with the Buffaloes or maybe Sub 4:00 someone calls the pool “the fiery pit of hell.” At times, it seems very appropriate.

Anyway, 4’ is definitely too shallow for the kind of pool running I have done. I am about 6’ and I prefer to have 5’ 6" of water depth. I have gone shoes or no shoes and never used a belt, and normally start it at 30 minutes. A couple years back I was pool running everyday for an hour. I try to do fartlek type stuff… 5 minutes easy, 60 seconds hard (try to get your neck out of the water), 3 minutes easy, 60 sec hard, etc. My high school coach also had us do “cross country skiing.” Basically, straighten your legs and arms and move them in a xc skiing motion.

Good luck!

10

I agree with the last post 100%. Had to run in the pool for many months ( one period for about 7-8 months, 2x per day after a fracture in my foot in college), and the best advice I can give you is to try your best at all times to run normally. I did not use a belt either- running with the belt I got too lazy and it wasn’t nearly the same workout. It will be hard without the belt at first, but keep at it. I also tried to break it up ( sometimes for the sake of sanity) into fartlek/tempo groups, i.e., warmup for 15min, do 10x1 min medium/easy, then 5x 2 min hard, etc…

All that said… how tall are you? Unless you are 4 feet tall that is waaay too shallow for deep-water pool running. Do you have access to a pool with a diving well? I suppose given your pool as the only option, definitely get a pair of shoes and simply run up and down the length of the pool- you would pay big money for this in a phys. rehab center…
also- do you have good health insurance? look into your coverage and see if there is a phys rehab center near you- they may have a ‘zero gravity’ treadmill, or perhaps a deep-water pool where you can run…

good luck!

11
  1. Need a deeper pool 6 plus feet.
  2. Run with shoes and with out, 50/50.
  3. Mimmic land running your cadence will be slower in the water but keep a decent cadence, 75ish or so.
  4. Do interval work to keep your HR up. Wear a HR monitor, typically your HR will be about 10-15% lower in the H20.
  5. Pre plan your workouts, x4 ( 6 minutes @ 145-150 HR ) etc depending what kind of race your training for.
    Good luck with your Plantar, if you have not already tried get some regular acupuncture, get a TP ball/roller/block and roll the heck out of your calfs.
    Bill
12

Thanks for this thread. Not sure how I didn’t see it. Nursing a calcaneal stress fracture. I too never thought I’d miss running but it really fits into my busy life. This sounds dreadfully boring but the alternative is lose what fitness I have.

13

ok this will sound really stupid of me but can someone break down pool running. Is there supposed to be contact with the bottom of the pool or are you supposed to be “floating” while running. The only people at my pool who i assume are pool running are wearing belts and never touch the bottom.