12

Off for three weeks (and counting) - how long till I'm back to "normal"? (Read 215 times)


Don't call me Buttercup!

    So, I've been sidelined by illness and haven't run in 3 weeks.  I'm not sure when I'll get back to running, but I'm hoping soon because I'm going mental.   Also, I have races coming up.

     

    I seem to remember reading somewhere that it takes twice as long as you were "off" to get back to where you were before.  Is this true?  The idea of taking 6 weeks to get back to "normal" is awful to me.  I realize there are much, much worse things in the world, but this is where my brain is right now.

     

    Anyone have any first hand experience they can share?  Is the "twice as long" thing true?

     

    Thanks.

    Slow and steady wins the....  wait a second! I've been lied to! 

    zoom-zoom


    rectumdamnnearkilledem

      I'm sure it's a YMMV sort of thing and also related to how much you were running pre-off and how long you've been running.  I was recently sidelined by a long-arm cast for about 5.5 weeks.  I've been back to running for 4 weeks and feel like I'm pretty much back to where I was.  My mileage and pace is back to where I was (pretty low...only ~12 miles/week for several months, but I've been running for nearly 7 years).

       

      Where I think I'm going to notice the biggest issue is on the bike.  I'm riding a very small fraction of the miles I was doing pre-injury and entirely on the trainer, since I still only have about 60% of hand/wrist function back...not useful for shifting and braking on my right side.  I'm hoping to be able to ride outdoors in the next few weeks...but dreading the likely loss of fitness/strength.

      Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

      remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

           ~ Sarah Kay


      No more marathons

        So, I've been sidelined by illness and haven't run in 3 weeks.  I'm not sure when I'll get back to running, but I'm hoping soon because I'm going mental.   Also, I have races coming up.

         

        I seem to remember reading somewhere that it takes twice as long as you were "off" to get back to where you were before.  Is this true?  The idea of taking 6 weeks to get back to "normal" is awful to me.  I realize there are much, much worse things in the world, but this is where my brain is right now.

         

        Anyone have any first hand experience they can share?  Is the "twice as long" thing true?

         

        Thanks.

         

        Nah, I took 25 years off and after only 5 years I'm mostly back to the same level of fitness.  Big grin

        Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

        Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

        He's a leaker!

        robinde


           

          Nah, I took 25 years off and after only 5 years I'm mostly back to the same level of fitness.  Big grin

           

          Smile

            I seem to remember reading somewhere that it takes twice as long as you were "off" to get back to where you were before.  Is this true?

             

            Fortunately, this appears to be something of a runner's myth.  The scientific evidence suggests that its more of a 1:1 ratio.  Your fitness doesn't degrade nearly as quickly as most people think, and all other things being equal, will bounce back faster than you fear.

             

            http://www.pfitzinger.com/labreports/detraining.shtml

            How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

            catwhoorg


            Labrat

              2-3 weeks if the layoff doesn't go on too much longer.

               

              Also depends how hard you can push when you come back.

               

              A nasty cough can mean you just don't push it when you come back, so it could take a bit longer.

              5K  20:23  (Vdot 48.7)   9/9/17

              10K  44:06  (Vdot 46.3)  3/11/17

              HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17

              FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18

               


              Don't call me Buttercup!

                 

                Nah, I took 25 years off and after only 5 years I'm mostly back to the same level of fitness.  Big grin

                 

                LOL

                 

                Thanks, everybody.

                Slow and steady wins the....  wait a second! I've been lied to! 


                Why is it sideways?

                  Normal's overrated. Shoot for "better" and then normal will seem relatively proximal (<--there's probably a better way to put it.)

                  muppy


                    Hi Di,  Hope you can get back into  shape quickly!

                    I was just off 5 weeks for foot surgery, the 4th week I started "power hiking"the hilly trails at my work, was just starting to feel better running after 3 weeks back  (the 12 pounds I put on is not helping)  and now I got a stomach virus, so it's a few more days off.

                    JML


                      I have taken 2 1/2 weeks off while traveling in Africa between training cycles.  I was encouraged not to run by the locals lest I become lion food.....seemed like a good reason to take a break.  I really didn't notice much in the way of lost fitness.  The first few runs were perhaps a bit tougher but not too bad.  I don't think that you will have too much trouble.   Good luck.

                      Rebuilding my aerobic base....racing next year.....nothing to see here....move along now.


                      Don't call me Buttercup!

                        Hi Di,  Hope you can get back into  shape quickly!

                        I was just off 5 weeks for foot surgery, the 4th week I started "power hiking"the hilly trails at my work, was just starting to feel better running after 3 weeks back  (the 12 pounds I put on is not helping)  and now I got a stomach virus, so it's a few more days off.

                         

                         

                        Oh, no! I hope the virus goes away soon. No fun. =(

                        Slow and steady wins the....  wait a second! I've been lied to! 

                        MadisonMandy


                        Refurbished Hip

                          5 weeks off last summer wasn't a big deal for me and I was easily able to jump back into a normal schedule after a few weeks, but I've been running a lot longer and have a higher base than you.  I don't think it will take you 6 weeks, though.  Just be conservative when coming back -- you'll be fine.

                           

                          p.s.  I'll let you know how long my 3+ month hiatus takes to come back from...or longer... Joking

                          Running is dumb.

                          RunnerGalBeth


                            You will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you will regain your fitness.  I was off for five weeks last summer due to an emergency appendectomy that went bad.  It took a lot less time to rebuild my fitness than it did the first go round.  Just remember to do the proverbial...slowly!!

                              You will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you will regain your fitness.  I was off for five weeks last summer due to an emergency appendectomy that went bad.  It took a lot less time to rebuild my fitness than it did the first go round.  Just remember to do the proverbial...slowly!!

                               

                              Yep, this. Obviously, how quickly you can rebuild depends on what kind of illness has you sidelined, but in general it probably won't be as bad as you expect. If it's something really nasty like pneumonia, you might find yourself quite weak at first (I once spent 2 weeks in bed with a flu-type thing followed by an ear infection, and I had to sit down and rest after walking 800m the first day I left the house afterwards. Not saying this to scare you, just saying listen to your body and all that.)

                               

                              Since you asked about personal experience, though, you can check the last few months of my running log for my most recent experience. I was sick basically all of November with various grossness - stomach flu (twice), sinus infection, sore throat garbage - and I barely ran at all in Nov & Dec, though I did do a lot of walking in Dec. Started again around xmas, very slowly and cautiously at first, and am back to normal now. I don't think I lost that much aerobic fitness. Certainly I wouldn't be able to run 10k in 45 minutes like I did in September, but that will come back.

                               

                              Good luck!


                              Don't call me Buttercup!

                                Thanks, everybody.  My first ever HM is 12 weeks from Sunday. I keep telling myself that I didn't have a time goal anyway, so it's not that big of a deal, people go couch to HM, blah blah, but ....  ugh.  Still feeling mopey, which is selfish and stupid.

                                 

                                Appreciate all the words of wisdom.  Oh, and Mandy's advice, too.  LOL ;-)  SMOOCHES.

                                Slow and steady wins the....  wait a second! I've been lied to! 

                                12