Matt's anti self destruct Micro Thread
I ran a 5k race (got second overall!) about a month ago. The next day I noticed pain in my back and left side. 7 out of 10 level. I figured I ran the 5k a little too hard, as I hadn't been training for that type of race. I had been doing long, slow runs for the off season.
The cruel irony here is that I JUST got a new Trek speed concept time trial bike for Christmas. First tri-bike ever. I am bike love, but it hurts my back pretty bad to get aero, or even ride with my hands out near the brake levers. I haven't missed a beat from the beginner IM plan, I have completed all rides as prescribed.
I keep thinking that I will have to endure plenty of pain in order to complete an Ironman, so this is "good training". (I am also former Army)
I think I already know that this concept is flawed, but would like confirmation and/or advice on how to catch back up if I have to reduce training at all.
The good news is that the "injury" has been getting better. Probably 50% better than when it occurred, and honestly, I took four days off after it happened and did not see as rapid a recovery as when I have been training through it. After four days of doing nothing I saw zero improvement.
Anyone else get this type of back/side bullshit injury?
Comments
I did get a professional fit on the bike, and the pain was certainly there before the bike. I just wish it would quit already. I am dying to ride.
I can remember being in pain in the store when I picked out the bike.
I will hit the pool tonight to make up for missing my swim this morning, and hopefully make up the run this weekend ... do a long run and then a long bike. I have a day off on Monday then I bike test on Tuesday.
If anyone else reads this and wants to take anything away from it, stretching is key to being healthy and I found that out the hard way. Just glad I didn't seriously injure myself first.
I wanted to add another somewhat humorous noobie post to my thread.
Last week was high volume week, so I went into this past weekend's training kinda sore to begin with. Living in west TX, I ride in winds nearly every time I cycle. I chose a route for my Saturday long ride one way to my in-laws ranch south of town. I picked a 60 mile route knowing I would never reach 20 mph avg in west TX wind. Boy that was an understatement.
I looked at the historical data and I had contended with winds ~20-25 mph and gusts up to 35. Straight out of the south, my one way route direction.
To make matters worse I left in a haste, and only had regular water on board and no nutrition. After 3.25 hours I bonked. LOL. After averaging a whopping 14 mph and in a climbing gear the whole frikkin' time, I was still an hour from the ranch and had to make the embarrassing call to my wife to come get me.
Just watched a great video somewhere on this awesome website where coach Rich was preaching pre-nutrition and in-race nutrition strategy. Pls don't chew my ass too badly, I learned my lesson. Damn near passed out when I finally bonked.
So, Sunday I declined to get on the TT bike. I decided to do a long run instead since the temps were in the low 80s and I wanted to get in a hot run for IMTX training. This was my final bad idea for the weekend. It was a very painful 90 minute run. My legs were smoked from the cycling effort the day before, and now I can hardly walk. I'm a geenious.
I am clearly NOT an Ironman ... yet.
Anything I can do differently to keep cramps away? I have never used salt caps ... maybe next Saturday try them, too? This is only the second time in my life I have had muscle cramps in my legs. Freaked me out a little bit with IMTX just around the corner. Running a marathon after that ride would have been a pisser (more than normal, I imagine).
I have GOT to monitor my heart rate more closely on race day. I have GOT to stay in the box. My mile markers yesterday were 180 degrees contrary to what you have been trying to teach me. Sorry for the post upon post, but it has taken me 24 hours to digest and think about about all this.
My heart rate profile is embarrassing. I was 110 - 115% of my top of zone 5 number for long stretches. I was in Zone 4 and 5 for at least 50% of the time.
*smacks self in head*
We recommend 1000 mg per hour across all sources for heart races like Texas. And do the math and everything that you're eating and drinking, and then have additional salt doesn't sole-source but you can easily take such as a pill form. I recommend salt stick caps and a FuelBelt pill container.
I ran my 3 hour run this morning from 4:00 am to 7:00 am. My legs felt stiff & heavy right from the get go. I knew it was going to be a long morning. My legs were still really sore from the bike time trial I did on Tuesday. Pacing was slow. I only covered 18 miles on the 180 minutes. Heart rate was actually low, it was heavy legs that held the pace back, not cardio limitations at all. In fact, I was never winded much at all. That said, I was never going to get to zone 3 due to the heavy legs. They just wouldn't do it.
I pre-hydrated the night before. I bought a fuel belt and kept bottles on me. Bought Salt Stick caps, and ate them along the way with gels. Never felt a hint of a cramp. Just tired, heavy legs. I set up water bottles on my front porch and planned a route that brought me by the house a couple times so I could hit my "aid station".
My question - was this just another training day, and no special way I should have felt? Or did I not get out of this what I needed to by staying in Zone 1 the whole way through?
That said, I want to make sure that you're not just drinking water on this workout. How you describe it in your review is deceptive. I want to make sure you were actually taking in calories on this run. :-)
The way this worked out was a very good approximation of how you're going to feel on race day. So your ability to stay in that place and get it done is impressive. Of course remember on race day,
you will be tapered. :-)
Check in after 112 race rehearsal ride!!!
I got some salt stick tabs (as you suggested). I took three to start and took three more every hour on the hour. I ate a gel every thirty minutes. I washed everything down with sports drink (as you suggested). For me and my abilities, the ride went AWESOME! Not a cramp in sight. I felt really good after the bike. I was like, "holy sh!t, these EN guys got me all tricked out." I disobeyed a little and went 6:15 just to get all 112 in. I know that actually sucks for most people, but its good for me. You should see my HR pattern, coach. 124 bpm avg and the linear trend had an upward trajectory ever so slightly. I mean, if I ran a regression analysis, the coefficient on my bpm variable would be below 1.1. I am excited I stayed in my box. Feel like the hydration and nutrition are dialed in 98%. I didn't tee tee the last 2.5 hours on the bike, but tee teed 5 times prior to that. literally. If was'nt in the bar ditch pissing so much I would have been under 6 hours. It was still windy like it always is here. 10-15 mph, 20-25 gusts. I was able to stay aero almost the entire ride, so I was able to mitigate a lot of that wind factor that normally feeds me my lunch.
Brick run. Again went GREAT. I am pumped up over here. I held pace and actually felt strong enough to run a negative split. I fit in 7 miles in the hour on my feet. I bought a fuel belt with four bottles on it (as you suggested). Thank God for that, it is 90 degrees here today. I kinda liked that though, because I got a good taste of bright, hot, beat down sun off a 112 mile ride. But, I drank my water and sports drink, and continues nutrition.
I feel really good right now. Gonna take the kids to the park! Thanks for everything so far, you guys really came through for me. Following your plan and advice has put me in a good position to achieve my goal, which is exactly the product I was seeking when I joined EN.
Check in after 112 race rehearsal ride!!!
I got some salt stick tabs (as you suggested). I took three to start and took three more every hour on the hour. I ate a gel every thirty minutes. I washed everything down with sports drink (as you suggested). For me and my abilities, the ride went AWESOME! Not a cramp in sight. I felt really good after the bike. I was like, "holy sh!t, these EN guys got me all tricked out." I disobeyed a little and went 6:15 just to get all 112 in. I know that actually sucks for most people, but its good for me. You should see my HR pattern, coach. 124 bpm avg and the linear trend had an upward trajectory ever so slightly. I mean, if I ran a regression analysis, the coefficient on my bpm variable would be below 1.1. I am excited I stayed in my box. Feel like the hydration and nutrition are dialed in 98%. I didn't tee tee the last 2.5 hours on the bike, but tee teed 5 times prior to that. literally. If was'nt in the bar ditch pissing so much I would have been under 6 hours. It was still windy like it always is here. 10-15 mph, 20-25 gusts. I was able to stay aero almost the entire ride, so I was able to mitigate a lot of that wind factor that normally feeds me my lunch.
Brick run. Again went GREAT. I am pumped up over here. I held pace and actually felt strong enough to run a negative split. I fit in 7 miles in the hour on my feet. I bought a fuel belt with four bottles on it (as you suggested). Thank God for that, it is 90 degrees here today. I kinda liked that though, because I got a good taste of bright, hot, beat down sun off a 112 mile ride. But, I drank my water and sports drink, and continues nutrition.
I feel really good right now. Gonna take the kids to the park! Thanks for everything so far, you guys really came through for me. Following your plan and advice has put me in a good position to achieve my goal, which is exactly the product I was seeking when I joined EN.
Man that's just awesome, that's exactly what are looking for when you do your rehearsal. I really appreciate how you incorporated what we talked about during our conversation and that you saw the results of that. I pronounce thee ready! :-)