Training for Boston in Ohio is a pain in the rear. Almost everyone I run with has dealt with some sort of small or debilitating injury this winter. Sometimes it doesn't seem like it is worth it. But then you remember all the amazing race weekend experiences at Boston and you lace up your shoes (and possibly yak traks, tights, upper layers, headband, and gloves) and head out the door.
Of course I take a week to go somewhere sunny and manage to irritate my Achilles on a perfectly beautiful morning long run. I took two days off following the problem, and it seemed to be getting better. Managed to do my speed work and tempo without it griping, after the tempo it was a little tender, but seemed fine on my Saturday run. Then yesterday headed out for my 18 miler and in the first two miles the same pain occurred. It feels like someone is slapping my calf with a stick or poking me with needles, it comes and goes, but the pain doesn't increase. We stopped at the top of Hawthorne hill and starting up again mid run definitely irritated it. At one point during the run it was a definite exaggerated pain, that dulled quickly. I am assuming this is the first stages of Achilles tendinitis (or whatever they call it now) but I'm hoping it is just a little calf soreness.
It was pretty cold yesterday and I am hoping if I stretch and heat before my runs this week it will heal while I continue to train, but I am overly aware this may mean more time off. It is extremely frustrating.
What is more frustrating is not knowing the cause. The long run it started on was a horrible run (in extremely nice weather), my quads were wrecked and I was running slow, just getting in the miles. Pain started around mile 12, 4 miles from my destination. It was a 75 mile week so the question is, do I have a limit of 70 mpw before I start getting injured, were the shoes I wore no good for long runs anymore (as I precaution I threw them out after the run), too much cement out west?
So I am sending healing vibes to my Achilles, icing, wearing compression socks, and contemplating some calf strengthening, and hoping I can run through this.
On that note a weekly summary, other than the two days off it really was a great week, good fartlek training, good tempo, and good long run, if you just ignore the fact that my Achilles is angry I'm really pleased with the way things are going.
February 1st-7th 51 miles
Monday- Off (Phoenix Zoo)
Tuesday- Off (Traveling)
Wednesday- 8 miles including fartlek 4*0.25 miles (1:34-1:36) w/ 2 minute rest, 4* .13 miles (44-46) with .13 mile rests, 3 miles <= 7:00 min pace
Thursday- 8 miles 7:57 pace, PM Yoga
Friday- 9.5 miles including 6 mile tempo in 39:37 (6:36 pace)
Saturday- 8 miles 7:47 pace
Sunday- 18 miles 7:04 pace
3 comments:
Stay positive. Don't fret about Boston. It could just be a mild ache from the weather or the way you ran on it one day.
I had a similar incident happen last summer when I was running high mileage (for me) and my hip flexor kind of flared up. I didn't know what the real cause of it was, but I'm assuming it was just a rare incident where I was running with a tired body and tweaked something the wrong way. I gave myself about a week and a half of rest (of course testing it out with a run every few days to see if it was still irritated) and found that if I just left. it. alone. to heal, it was fine. I know how irritating it can be, though... hopefully it's just a weird tweak that will heal quickly and you'll be back to normal training in no time.
also, I hear you on winter training in the midwest. it's seriously horrible.
Phoenix has entirely too much concrete! [I have always loved the zoo there, though.]
Good luck with the training! [And see you in Boston again?]
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