Question:I have been training for my first marathon, dublin (oct 28th 2002),
since april doing roughly 15-20 miles a week. I strained my calf
muscle in week 6 of a 16 week training schedule. I have not been able
to run since. I am now in week 11 of the training schedule and have
been goin to the gym since I injured my leg, doing 10 minutes on
machines for every mile i was supposed to run in my schedule.
I am going to try running this weekend. Does anyone have any advice
for me starting back to running with just ower 5 weeks to go till the
marathon? Can i still do it, should i even try doing it? Please HELP!
Answer:
That sounds like a really different training schedule to me. 15-20
miles a week sounds very low for a marathon training program. Then you have
a 20 mile run and a four week taper? Now you are saying you missed five
weeks of a 16 week program and you want to know what you can do in the next
five weeks to be ready for 26.2 miles?
Just on the chance that this is not a troll, I can't offer much advice
other than to suggest that unless you were in really good shape before
starting the program or you are rather unusual, I will not expect to see you
at the finish line.
does the Dublin marathon allow registered runners to defer until
the following year? Some other races allow that. Considering that this is
your first marathon and that you've been forced to miss a significant
portion of the important buildup, I think you really need to consider not
running in the event Oct. 28. There's just too great a chance that you'll
either further injure yourself, not finish, or both. I presume the gym
work you've been doing has been something other than running, right?
Having said that, if you are not able to be persuaded not to do the
marathon, considering how much running shape one loses in 5 weeks of not
running at all, if I were you I probably pick up where I left off in week
6 and just get as far in the program as possible up to a week before the
event. Then I'd plan on walking a good portion of the marathon itself and
concentrate on just finishing, even if I had to walk most of the way. But
my first choice would be to defer the race until next year. Maybe you
could start the training program from scratch now and find an alternate
marathon to do in December or January.
I'm using that same training program, and it's meant to be a beginner's
program, for one. It's set up so that you will be able to complete a
marathon- it's not for people with a specific time goal. The first couple
of weeks are 15-20 miles, and then it averages 25-30.
I don't know much about injury recovery, but it seems like if you've had 5
weeks off, you won't be ready to up your distance enough to finish training.
Hopefully others with more experience can weigh in for you.
hate to say it but I would call off the marathon and heal. Yep, I know
you hate to do it, but missing that much training you may be setting
yourself up of a serious injury (physical or mental) if you try to run the
marathon.
First of all you should know that until you solve the problem that
caused the injury you won't be doing yourself any good. You should
have seen a physical therapist who could show you exercises that would
help your calf heal and keep it from getting injured again.
Personally I'd see if I could defer to next year. Sure you could do it
but tell whoever is waiting for you that you won't be done for at
least 5 hours. Folks have run marathons with no more than 15 mile long
runs, it isn't unheard of. Also expect to have your recovery take a
long time. It is possible that you could re-injure the calf at any
point in the training or the marathon.
Don't jump right into the training schedule. Go back to where you left
off and continue from there. You won't get the full schedule in but
then you've lost 5 weeks already so don't try to cram them all in.
Reduce your expected finish time by a whole lot (up to 90 minutes
perhaps more).
I'd be curious to know what "machines" you were using. Running is an
activity that requires training of specific muscles as well as the
heart and lungs. Although machines can simulate some things it can't
do them all.
So, the longest actual run you've completed is 7 or 8 miles,
checking on that schedule.
That 16 week schedule looks fairly aggressive as it is. The ramp
in 3 weeks from 12 to 16 to 20 miles looks .. painful. :) On the
other hand, I've got a friend who's doing exactly that program,
and she tolerated it pretty well. But she wasn't injured.
The rational answer is that you should postpone it. 5 weeks is
astoundingly little time to prepare for the distance part of a marathon.
If you don't have a particular time goal, your machine time will
probably have you in just fine shape aerobically. But your legs
will _not_ be used to the pounding. And you won't get them there in
5 weeks.
On the other hand, since you're training for a marathon, you're
not completely rational to start with. You could probably _finish_
the marathon if you really wanted to. If you're 18 and in really good
shape, you might even do it without getting injured. :) On the
other hand, your odds aren't good. I spent the last 2 miles
of my first marathon hobbling in tears (and getting passed
by everyone I'd run the last 24 miles with -- aggh).
If you just want to run this marathon for some huge, important
sentimental reason, you could probably do it if you worked in a lot of
walking. If you enjoy running and prefer to be healthy, bail on this
one and chalk it up to experience. You're at a good point to start
training for an early spring marathon. Build up a good base over the
winter -- start out where you are at about 20 miles per week, and take
that up slowly to 20-40, limiting your LSD run to 12-14 miles. Hold
there until you're ready to begin the training for your next marathon,
and you'll be in a great position to have a great run in the Spring.
I completely agree with everyone else whose answered you. Don't let your
ego or cravings for that marathon get in the way. I've had to drop out of
Chicago for the second year in a row. My mileage was just like yours. My
slippery slope started with a "calf strain" like yours - probably my soleus
muscle - which may have then left me weak and a setup for the plantar
fascitis I subsequently developed. (Actually, right now I'm hoping I have a
calcaneal stress fracture rather than PF, as it seems the former seems to be
easier to recuperate from, and more reliably so!) I got even farther than
you, as I got to a 20 mile run, but then two consecutive weeks of high
mileage (for me) then resulted in my injury. I didn't pay attention to
reason (that my mileage was likely too much for me) and that I was
realistically way undertrained.
You may be younger than I, and more resilient, and you might be able to
complete Dublin. But what if the cost is a serious enough injury that you
can't run for many months? Or what if you drag yourself through, but the
ordeal is difficult enough you never want to run again. Think about what it
is you enjoy most about running, and then see if putting off your marathon
is such a bad thing compared to that. I'd still like to take back the last
8 mile run that did me in.
Cheers everyone for the advice. The machines I have been doing in the
gym are the rower, bike, stepper, cross-trainer and recumbant bike.
I have pretty much decided that I will not attempt the Dublin
mararthon this year and instead will set my goal for the London or
Belfast 2003. Pretty disappointed. I think I'll try a different
training schedule for the next one.
a couple years ago I was a regular here in the group. and did my real
26.2 miles
www.martianmarathon.com
if you care to see. male 47 five hours 25 minutes there about. my goal
was 5.30
anyways You all no need to overfill the www. Michigan u.s.a. and no
plug to this area in ten did. I M sofinretodded
RobertG
10 minutes for each mile isn't"t going to be ????????? remember 26.2
miles is not no walk in the park.
Try not in this order or to a face the road your going for?
now I know not what dublin is like.
To The father,son and holy go host.
p.s. sorry if broter and sister bags your skirts people. Latter
lowtuc in hell mi run
godspeed everyone.
I m not a pro, coach or anything butt a painter who likes to run. full
time job,taxs taken out. and luvs the woods trails.
Don't be disappointed -- I kind of wish I'd made the same
decision when shin splits derailed my own training once. The
effects of that marathon are accurately reflected in my training log:
CAPE COD 10/29/2000 26.2
-- injury. feh.
HV BU 04/21/2001 23:30 2.78 (8:38 miles)
HV LF 04/24/2001 23:53 2.82 (8:28 miles)
BU ?? 04/26/2001 29:30 ? (felt like 8:30-9:00)
HV LF 05/01/2001 24:00 2.82 (8:30 miles)
HV SCI 05/04/2001 ?? 3.8 (??). Knees seem okay.
HV SCI 05/05/2001 32:26 3.77 (8:36 miles)
Now, I'll confess that I compounded things with some
hikes over the winter... but still, six months in the gym
without running is enough to land you in the loony bin. You're
making a smart decision, and in the long run, it'll be
good for your running.
