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I only had one hard week left until taper (Read 755 times)

JB1


    Hi everybody, I'm new to the site, I came over from CoolRunning. I have been running for about a year now and have been training to run in The Disney Marathon which will be my first. Training had been going well. I was up to 40-45 miles per week with 2 20 milers in the bank. This Sunday, I was going to do a 22 miler which would then lead me into my 3 week taper. Last Thursday, on a 7 mile mid week run, at around mile 6, I noticed a pain in my right ankle (inside) but it didn't feel too bad so I finished the run. When I got home, it hurt pretty bad but wasn't too swollen. I took Friday-Mon off and tested it yesterday for an easy 3 miler...it was ok for about 2 miles and then I could tell the run was not a good idea. I have decided to take at least a week off to let it heal and then just ease into my taper schedule leading up to the race. (blowing off the 22 miler)...At this point, I just want to be as healthy as possible for the race and I feel doing my last long run injured will hurt me more then help me. I had thought about doing my long run the week after next and having a 2 week taper, but I'm not sure thet's the way to go. Because of this, my goals have changed. I originally had a goal of 4:15, but now it is to finish first, and hopefully get in at 4:30. I just hope it gets better. The thought of the last year of training for this thing only to get hurt right before it is killing me. Anyway, if any of you have any thoughts, advice or insights, I would be glad to hear them. Thanks...JB
      That's a tough blow but it sounds like you're doing the right thing. As you are aware, training through an injury can potentially make it much worse. Keep us posted and let us know how the race goes (I've always thought a run through Disney World would be a great way to pass the time).

      "Good-looking people have no spine. Their art never lasts. They get the girls, but we're smarter." - Lester Bangs


      Another Passion

        I agree with Lank, blow off the 22 miler and ease into your taper. You already have hay in the barn as far as your long runs are concerned. I would be more mindful of trying to remain healthy at this point as you pointed out. Good luck, I hope the ankle issue goes away soon for you! Wink

        Rick
        "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa
        "I wanna go fast." Ricky Bobby
        runningforcassy.blogspot.com

        RhodeRunner


          JB1... My friend had a similar situation for this years Marine Corps Marathon. The night before we decided to run it using the Galloway system of alternating walking and running. Our sequence was run 5 minutes and walk one beginning right from the start. This was the first time I had ever used the system and am happy to report that it works! We ran just over 4:30 and felt great at the end (aside from the inevitable soreness) but best of all my friend was able to finish and feel good as well. Just something to consider but like some of the other runners have mentioned pain measn something is wrong. Be careful. JF
          JF


          Burninated Peasant

            Missing the last long run shouldn't really hurt you. Illness messed up my training before the marathon I ran a couple weeks ago - my last 20 miler ended up being about 6 weeks before the race, and my taper mostly consisted of sitting in bed coughing. I ended up running a 9 minute PR. If you've put in the miles already, you ought to be fine.
              I'm going to offer another suggestion than the other posters. Having had some ankle issues over the years, although never severe, I've always been able to run through the discomfort. I've never thought of it as an injury since it would always go away when I modified the surface I ran on. If you didn't turn the ankle, tear a tendon, or if there is no swelling, I would try to do one last long run with a wrap on and stop if it starts to really hurt. You'll still have plenty of time to rest before the marathon. DO NOT RUN ON THE ROADS! I've attributed most of my previous ankle discomfort to running on crowned roads. Try to find either a flat path or preferably a nice, evenly graded trail, one with no holes or rocks. Good luck!
              VictorN


                I agree that you should just ease into your taper. If there is some cross-training you can do without pain, then that could also help, as long as you don't overdo the cross training. Make sure you ice your ankle for 20 minutes a few times a day. Keep it elevated whenever possible, and take NAIDS if so inclined. Good Luck! Victor
                JB1


                  Thanks guys. I think I'll skip the 22 miler. I was hoping to do it if healthy, if only for a confidence boost. It's the smart thing to do. One thing running teaches us is to learn the difference between pain and injury and I'm sure this one is an injury. I just hope it doesn't keep me out more than a week or two. If it does last more than that, I'll have to go to the doctor and he will tell me not to run the race and I just can't think about that right now. So, in the meantime I'll just try to stay positive. Thanks again...jb
                  JB1


                    Up until yesterday, I had not run since the last post 12/19...Since Disney is next Sunday and I felt my ankle was starting to feel a little better (not much, it's probably at about 30%)...(BTW...had xray (no fracture), MRI denied by Aetna)...I decided to run 5 miles yesterday to test it out...it hurt but I felt it was managable...so today, I ran 10 miles, pretty much the same. I've lost a little fitness, but was not pooped out after the 10 miler. I've decided to enter the race. My goal time of 4:15 is pretty much shot, but the thought of missing the race after all the work I've put into it might bring me to a level of depression I don't think I can handle. I may be fooling myself, but I'm going to go for it. What would you do? "Denial is not a river in Egypt"
                      I'd skip it, get back in shape, and run another one at full strength, without the risk of injury. Sad
                      JB1


                        Redrunner, maybe I should have taken your advice...but I didn't. Sunday, with my foot at maybe 50%, I ran in the 15th Disney World Marathon. I started out with the 4:30 pace group and hung with them for about 15.5 miles. I felt great, strong and no pain. Then, with no warning, all of a sudden every contact with the ground on my right foot was like someone taking a mallet to my heel. I came to a med tent and watched the 4:30 balloons go off into the distance. I slathered up my foot with biofreeze and got back on the course. My foot felt cold but the pain was still there. I made it to the next medical tent and the medic (a student at UCF) must have felt my desperation..."are you allright", she asked. I told her I had to figure out a way to finish this race but I can't even walk. She tried to tell me that she thought my foot was bad but then realized she wasn't dealing with a rational person and offered to tape it up. As she was taping it up...(as tight as you can get it, like I told her about 15 times), I watched the race go by...what a helpless freaking feeling...we were just past mile 16. I thanked her, and set off on my way. The wrap was so tight it hurt worse with it on. It took about a mile to loosen up. Once it loosened up, the pain was almost bearable. I noticed if I kept running, the tightness of the wrap would cause my foot to go numb, which was good. Then after a while my feet would get pins and needle feelings, and then it would feel like there were rocks in my shoes so I would have to stop and walk until the feeling returned in my foot (I did my best to try to do this at the water stops). Once the feeling returned, I would start running again...and this was when the pain was the worst...when I had to start up again. This was my cycle for the next 10 miles. I don't want to sound dramatic, but that last 10 miles was the most painful time of my life but at the same time, I knew I had the strength to overcome it...that I would prevail, that I would beat it. My mantra became, Quitting is not a f@#$ing option! Through this whole journey of training for the marathon, I've learned I can do anything...I can handle this pain...if only for another couple of hours. I must have looked bad because I don't remember one person mentioning my name or number in the first 15 miles but I got a ton of encouragement from 15 to 26. Thank You to all of you that encouraged the poor gimp with the limpy running style...but just as an aside...telling a guy you only have 5 miles to go when it feels like somebody is hitting his heel with a hammer every second isn't helping. Five miles is the same as the moon...at this point the only thing I'm thinking about is the next step. But I know you meant well and that is why I tried to smile back at everyone of you..Thank You! I kept the cycle up, with each cycle getting worse, and it was ticking me off that my Garmin had me at 26.2 and I was at about 25.5 on the course...was this ever going to end? I passed 26 miles and just after that I saw my wife and child...they had not seen me since mile 13 when I was looking good and feeling cocky. My wife lloked me in the face and she knew in an instance things were tough. Firstly, because I wasn't in the 4:30 group and I'm sure I looked like a beaten man. 300 yards to go...it feels like I have rocks in my feet...I can't stop...keep going...I cross the finish line...5:04...that was my time...34 minutes off of my goal time...but I don't care...I'm f@#$ing done! I'm elated. A guy before the race was telling us first timers how when we crossed that finish line for the first time it would be a feeling like we never had. I remember rolling my eyes at that guy...thinking he was being dramatic. But....he was right, when I crossed that finish line I had a feeling of elation I can't describe. I was SO glad it was over, but it was more than that. Sure I was disappointed I didn't make my time but I was even more satisfied in the fact that I finished considering my foot. I guess it depends what school of thought you are from...some will say I'm a tough SOB for toughing it out by running the last 10 miles with a broken foot...and some will say I'm a dumb@ss for finishing when it's clear I have a serious injury. As for me, I'll go with the tough SOB part. Unfortunately, my elation was short lived. I walked up to the place where they take off you're timing chip and then I realized I couldn't walk on my foot anymore. They took me to the med tent. The Doc said you either have a bone bruise or more likely a stress fracture in your heel bone (calcanous bone) shaking his head. I'm going to my own doc this week...I'm pretty sure the injury is pretty bad. Was it worth it? Yeah, I think so. So, Redrunner...I probably should have taken your advice and I would be able to walk right now. I do respect your opinion. But, this was the race I was training for...missing it would have hurt me, not finishing would have killed me. And I've learned I can overcome and do anything. Isn't that what the marathon is really about?
                          well, that's certainly a positive spin, and I probably would have done the same (though hopefully not). I myself am probably going to stop running for a bit (just a few days) b/c I didn't take it easy enough after my last race, so its not like I would listen to my own advice. Congrats on the finish, and hopefully you don't have a stress fracture.
                            I'm going to go with the SOB story too. Mad props to you for finishing and not giving into the pain. As they say, "pain is temporary, pride is forever"
                            keep running!