2010 Goal of Sub 3:00 marathon (Read 8721 times)

    Brian - sorry to hear about your injury.  About 2 years ago while training for San Diego marathon I felt my achilles painfully about 2/3 way thru an 18 miler.  Made it home but my running was pretty much over.  Ran off and on for small races I was committed to but finally went to the vet.  He said I had 2 choices.  1) wear a boot for 6 weeks or 2) Keep running and he could surgically repair a ruptured achilles.   So S.D. was out.  It has taken me 2 full years to get to the point I can touch or bump my achilles without searing pain.  Occasionally I still feel it but has not hampered training or running.  Speed work and hills are worse than running on the flat.   All this to say be careful as it is a difficult injury to overcome.  Best of luck to you.

     

    You too D.B.

    ksrunr All American 10K Feb. '10 Cowtown Half marathon Feb. '10 Boston '10

    spinach


      When I woke up this morning my knee is bothering me a lot so I decided to cancel the trip to Milwaukee this weekend and will skip the InStep Icebreaker Marathon.  I will take it easy for another couple weeks to give whatever is bothering it a chance to mend.

         

        Sorry to hear that! Are you doing eccentric calf lowers? I was having achilles problems just a few weeks before the Chicago Marathon, and those exercises saved my race.

         I am not familiar with them.  I've done a Google search and see some info, but if you could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

        kcam


          Brian - sorry to hear about your injury.  About 2 years ago while training for San Diego marathon I felt my achilles painfully about 2/3 way thru an 18 miler.  Made it home but my running was pretty much over.  Ran off and on for small races I was committed to but finally went to the vet.  He said I had 2 choices.  1) wear a boot for 6 weeks or 2) Keep running and he could surgically repair a ruptured achilles.   So S.D. was out.  It has taken me 2 full years to get to the point I can touch or bump my achilles without searing pain.  Occasionally I still feel it but has not hampered training or running.  Speed work and hills are worse than running on the flat.   All this to say be careful as it is a difficult injury to overcome.  Best of luck to you.

           

          You too D.B.

           

          ksrunr, last place I'd go when I pull up lame with an achilles injury is the vet.  :Likely to put you down.

           

          bpurcell -  You're a Bay Area runner, right?  I've seen your name in the local results - dam impressive.  To echo ksrunr's advice - Be patient with that injury.


          Right on Hereford...

             I am not familiar with them.  I've done a Google search and see some info, but if you could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

             

            This is the site I used, complete with videos. Follow the directions carefully for best results.

             

            http://www.athletics-weekly.com/back-issues/2007/62-24-02.htm

               

              This is the site I used, complete with videos. Follow the directions carefully for best results.

               

              http://www.athletics-weekly.com/back-issues/2007/62-24-02.htm

               

              I agree with Dakota - those eccentric calf exercises are key.   I also found that wearing a nightsplint (like this one) or sleeping face down with your toes hanging over the edge of the bed helped me.  Without it I was hobbling around for the first 5 minutes of every day.  i also iced a lot, but to be honest i'm not sure if that helped or not.

              If you are in the bay area, i'd recommend you visit Dr. Amol Saxena, at Palo Alto Medical Foundation.  He's an expert in achilles issues and treats a lot of top runners and has been a doc for the US Olympics team.  He is also a runner himself (~2:45 marathon), so understands that "don't run" isn't really a good answer.

              - the grisly details http://alansmiles.blogspot.com

                Alan - that's pretty much what I had to wear all those weeks.  Except the doctor charged the insurance co. $150.00.   Felt good during the day as it isolated the achilles.  It got to the point where I couldn't wear it at night as I just had to move it a little once in a while.

                 

                My recovery included short (100 yards at a time) runs and a lot of cycling.   The cycling seemed to "loosen" the achilles back up a bit after being confined in that torture boot.

                ksrunr All American 10K Feb. '10 Cowtown Half marathon Feb. '10 Boston '10

                  Regarding the night splint, I've been using a product called the Strassburg sock that essentially does the same thing: keeps foot in a 90 degree angle.  I met the founder of the company through a friend and thought I'd try it out.  Way too early to know if it's doing anything.

                   

                  I appreciate the Dr. referral, but I live halfway between SF and Sac, so Palo Alto is a bit of a trip (and I assume he'd be pretty expensive).

                   

                  I do live in the Bay Area, but you have to be careful when seeing results with my name in them.  There is another, more famous, Brian Purcell that also lives here.  He's the one that won Western States back in the 80's and has done tons of Ultras (plus he's in his 50's).  Way Too Cool was supposed to be my first attempt at an Ultra.  Now I'm looking at perhaps an early fall Ultra if my recovery goes well.

                   

                  Dakota, thanks for the link.  I'll be sure to read through it.

                   

                  I read a site that listed 4 stages for Achilles Tendonitis, and based on the description I am in stage 2 but close to stage 3.

                  kcam


                    Regarding the night splint, I've been using a product called the Strassburg sock that essentially does the same thing: keeps foot in a 90 degree angle.  I met the founder of the company through a friend and thought I'd try it out.  Way too early to know if it's doing anything.

                     

                    I appreciate the Dr. referral, but I live halfway between SF and Sac, so Palo Alto is a bit of a trip (and I assume he'd be pretty expensive).

                     

                    I do live in the Bay Area, but you have to be careful when seeing results with my name in them.  There is another, more famous, Brian Purcell that also lives here.  He's the one that won Western States back in the 80's and has done tons of Ultras (plus he's in his 50's).  Way Too Cool was supposed to be my first attempt at an Ultra.  Now I'm looking at perhaps an early fall Ultra if my recovery goes well.

                     

                    Dakota, thanks for the link.  I'll be sure to read through it.

                     

                    I read a site that listed 4 stages for Achilles Tendonitis, and based on the description I am in stage 2 but close to stage 3.

                     

                    Whenever I run a race I always go and lookup other race results from the people that finish just ahead of me and just behind me to compare and see if I'm improving relative to other people.   I ran a 10K up in Santa Rosa at the end of the year and I came in just ahead of the other Brian Purcell.  When I looked up his results I saw some of yours as well.  Your Clarksburg 30K result was really impressive.  Keep up smart training and be real careful with this injury.  Good luck.

                     

                    MTA - excuse the zinsli race stalking!

                    DoppleBock


                      I took a huge step back in recovery - I think I need a minor miracle just to be able to run 4:20 pace with my sister and a major miracle to run sub 3:00. 18 days out and I can not run.

                       

                      I will keep the aerobic engine burning with cross training and pray.

                      Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                       

                       

                      Aaron Heath


                        I'm sorry to hear that Dopple Bock. Take your time, and make sure to fully recover. There will always be another race.
                        DoppleBock


                          I'm sorry to hear that Dopple Bock. Take your time, and make sure to fully recover. There will always be another race.

                           

                          Thanks

                           

                          The issue is the big race is 113 days away - There is no other race for me and may be my only opportunity to do something special.  So I will continue to cross train like a mad man.

                          Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                           

                           

                          Aaron Heath


                            Good Luck!
                              Are you healing Dopple?

                              ksrunr All American 10K Feb. '10 Cowtown Half marathon Feb. '10 Boston '10


                              Are we there yet?

                                Are you healing Dopple?

                                 

                                btw.. what do the folks at the YMCA say about regularly throwing 20+ down on the treadmill?? Look at that guy!?!