My nice little jog at Baystate earned me a grade 1 lower abdominal strain and Philly is just over 2 weeks away. Doc confirmed this morning. 2-4 weeks for full recovery. I can run easy and not really bother it but I can't do any real speed. I've had to be careful with the strides and slowly accelerate. Quick accelerations of twisting hurt. It's a bit better than last week. I was bent over pretty bad last Thursday and couldn't even do any strides. Took Friday and Saturday off, popped Aleve for a couple days, iced, and ran 22 on Saturday. It didn't go terribly. I was able to run and get my pace up in the back half but the abs hurt. Tolerable but they hurt. I've been able to do some strides this week a couple times and did some quicker pace in the back half of yesterday's 12. The pain isn't terrible but it's really affected my power and ability to push when a little tired. I crapped out in the last mile of yesterday's run. This morning's 5 recovery miles and 6 x 100m strides were not great. But maybe that's not the abs. Maybe I was just a little fatigued.
I'm resigned to the fact that I'll run Philly at something less than 100%. I'm in 3:10 - 3:15 shape but figure <3:25 for a BQ is still reachable. Philly is not a tough hilly course. But I likely need to rest this. My question is how do I approach the next 16 days? I need rest but am worried about going stale. The hard work is done but I really only have a two week taper and that's a little screwed up right now. If I take the next 5-7 days off, maybe do a little elliptical, how do I use the last 7-10 days to recover some sharpness before the race? I really don't want to miss Saturday's 5k or the 17 miler the next day but neither is worth screwing up the goal marathon.
I've followed the Pfitz 18-70 and even reached a little into the 18-85 (with some personal mods) and felt great until this happened. My big fear is being stale and not peaked on race day. That's how I felt at Sugarloaf and had a terrible race.
Not in Chicago
Yo George, that sucks. Don't really know what to tell you about the next 2 weeks, I'm sure others will.
As for race day, you can always latch on to the sLow Train if you are looking for 3:25.
You suck. You should just quit. Jackass. Welcome back.
SELFISH, like you.
This sure does suck. I've got no idea how to stay sharp. I'll just toss out "watch the diet." I say this only because I know I'd eat too much and too much crap and feel sluggish myself.
I dunno, you injured it at Baystate and you ran 22 miles the other day without making it any worse? Based on what you have said I probably would not take any days off, I'd just run easy miles for the next 16 days.
Runners run.
Right, how much will you lose with that, probably next to nothing. You've already done all the hard work and this whole sharpness thing may just take you down a few minutes from your top potential, but I wouldn't think all the way down to 3:25.
I would run as normal but keep the work easy. During the race I would just start off at BQ pace and then if you can pick it up after the half I would do that. A lot more fun to kick butt and pass people during the second half rather than the reverse.
However, I haven't run a good marathon in over 2 years so what the hell do I know.
2013 Goals:
Thanks for the advice. I guess I was just worried about this past Saturday's long run being the only quality work I'd get in the 4 weeks leading up to race day. I haven't made things worse but maybe I'm slowing recovery by continuing to run on it. But I'll run easy and if it improves at all maybe I an get in a few tempo or MP miles next week or the week after. I'll skip Saturday's 5K (boo) and the intervals. That type of extension at speed is what aggravates it.
MTA:
That's a really good point Chris and I've started watching this. It would be real easy for me to gain 5 or more lbs in the next two weeks.
George, your training is the bomb, and you can't screw it up. You are in the taper anyways.
Taper goal #1: get healthy and rested.
Taper goal #2: stay sharp.
You've done plenty of workouts, and my guess a mile or two here and there at MP is not going to be too much of a strain. You've still got fitness that will kick in from Baystate and the long run.
Everyone gets a little dinged up in marathon training, but it sounds like you've made it through in position to get healthy and rested over the last two weeks. Keep those as your priorities!
I'd watch the diet as normal, but you are not going to gain much weight in 2 weeks. You want the body's stores to be topped off. Don't be an OCD runner.
The Logic of Long Distance
Hey this thread sounds familiar
I agree with Mikey. I would not take all that time off. I babied my knee before the Air Force Marathon so my taper sucked. I still went for it and I blew up hard. There was a rep from KT Tape at the expo offering to tape up injuries for free. The KT tape helped a lot with the knee pain. Of course I wish I had found this sooner.
After the blow up I bascially took a week off and then repeated a motified version of the last 3 weeks of the pfitz 18/70 plan. I ended up running a PR at Hartford
I'll bet they have some sort of recommended taping for abs. Check out the instructional videos on kttape.com
If you try the tape make sure you buy the pro version. It sticks much better and will stay stuck longer. They carry it at GNC. Dicks sporting goods only carries the regular version which I tried and thought it sucked
Good luck George
MTA: It looks like they will be at the Philly Expo so you could have them tape it up for you before the race.
Also, depedning on how hairy you are you may need to shave wherever you need the tape to stick. I tried to put the tape on my leg and thought it was stuck but it came off as soon as I started running. I ended up having to shave my leg. Then the tape stayed on for several days even through showers, ice baths and a hot tub soaking
I've had a nagging injury going into at least 1/3 of my marathon goal races. Only one of those was bad enough that I stopped training for the two weeks leading up to the marathon. That was the only time it affected my race time, actually I just dropped out after 4 miles. Otherwise, I've simply trained through it and played speed work by ear. Even at Lakefront a month ago my Achilles was literally throbbing the day before and I was wondering if I would get through the race. It turned out to not be a factor at all (lack fitness was the factor that affected me).
Anyway my point here is, at least based on my experience nagging injuries are rarely a factor during the race unless they hurt so much that you simply can't run more than a couple miles at easy pace. The adrenaline will take the edge off of most normal pain until fatigue related pain sets in. I'm guessing your injury is either flaring up when you are breathing harder or torking more at a faster pace. So is 20 seconds per mile really going to make a difference?
I would go for assuming that you will have no issues and if something happens dealing with it then. Isn't that what racing is all about? Going out to do the best damn race you possibly can?
2013 Goals: Run trails.
I'll skip Saturday's 5K (boo).
Yes, don't even think about going to the starting line thinking you are just going to jog it. That never happens.
Don't be an OCD runner.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Thanks
Yup. I know myself. I'll be stupid if I show up. I don't need the 5K.
MTA: It looks like they will be at the Philly Expo so you could have them tape it up for you before the race. Also, depedning on how hairy you are you may need to shave wherever you need the tape to stick.
Also, depedning on how hairy you are you may need to shave wherever you need the tape to stick.
Um. It's lower abs. Very low abs. Pelvic region. No thank you.
I hadn't planned on manscaping being part of my taper.
Milktruck say relentless
pictures please
Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.
" ..that corner has narrowed to a half-nekkid egyptian wandering about in the cold new jersey nighttime."~ R2E
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