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injury 3.5 weeks out from ironman

tranq19tranq19
in Coaching Forum 🧢

Hey Coach,

Looking for advice on training schedule after having to shut it down to start week 17?  I got most of the long weekend end and felt great, hitting numbers, 4 hr and 3 hr rides.  Acute knee pain out of nowhere while swimming Monday.  Sports Doc ruled out anything serious and said I should be good to ease back in and be able to race.  That said, been swimming w/ a pull bouy, going to try an easy spin today and go from there.  Obviously, no RR run today.  Thinking hopefully I'll be able to get some longish race pace rides in, but any long or fast runs or hard rides probably not a good idea?  I got a few big run weeks in, so there should be some durability there.  Any advice on what to focus on next couple weeks?  Realize I will probably need to ratchet down my race expectations, but holding out hope for a decent race still. 

 Thanks!

Comments

  • tranq19tranq19
    *update*
    Just got back from pt. His assessment was probably minor tear of medial meniscus, possibly been there for a while and just aggravated. His advice was to shut down the running completely until the race or risk aggravating it worse and not be able to race, but green light for swimming and biking. Should note, I respect his opinion, long time ironman. I assume I probably wont lose a lot not running at all balanced against risk of making it worse, especially if I can still get some good riding in? Make sense? Just proceed with race plan for swim/bike and just dial back the run pace even more to start?
  • Sean SullivanSean Sullivan

    Sounds like you got 2 similar professional opinions, which is a good sign they are correct....

    How did you mess up your knee swimming?  You kicking too hard?

    If I were you (I'm only a 2x IM finisher so certainly not an expert, but no one else has responded :) ....doing week 17 as well here for IMFL), I think I would be VERY careful with my riding as well.  Maybe an easy spin instead of the make me faster ride and see if you get ZERO pain from that then consider the other rides with a dialed back pace.  Remember, EN uses a 2 week bike taper only, most use a 3 week taper so even though you are 'cutting off' a couple of workouts you are still not really losing a whole lot of volume.  Your fitness is obviously already where it needs to be.  I think week 17-18 workouts are primarily for our brains not our bodies.

    I would agree, don't run this week at all.  I personally might want to run a mile or something during week 19 to see if my knee is going to swell up like a balloon.  Because if there is a major problem I wouldn't want to find out mile 2 of the IM marathon that my race is over or that I have to walk the whole thing.  I'd rather know ahead of time.  

    With my extra time I personally would just swim more.  I hate swimming in the pool and usually only get 2 of my swim workouts in.  I would just do 30 minutes daily so I didn't feel sluggish and fat.  But that is me.  If my knee hurt at ALL (i.e. 1 out of 100), I would stop swimming also.

    anyway, good luck, hope it calms down for you....stay off it, let it rest and heal.  baby it.  because you are gonna kick its ass in 3.5 weeks :)

     

  • Sean SullivanSean Sullivan

    WHOOPS!!!!

    Sorry I'm NOT a coach!

    I didn't see what forum i was in!

    I'm sorry!  Feel free to delete that post.  

    - newbie signing off --

     

  • tranq19tranq19
    No worries, I appreciate the feedback.  I'm actually thinking along those lines.  Slept through the night with no pain after trying it out at race pace on the bike yesterday.  I don't think I actually injured it swimming, it was probably coming from the overall training load, and just aggravated it.  It was butterfly though, and my form may not be perfect...So I plan to try some longer rides this weekend and take it from there.  I also enjoy swimming and live across the street from the pool, so I will be spending a lot of time there, no kicking for now.  If I go pain free for the next week or so, I might try some easy running just to feel it out.  Like you said, I don't really want to be worrying about it for 114 miles with no idea how its gonna feel...trying to just let pain be my guide.  thanks!
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Posted By Matthew Tranquilli on 09 Oct 2014 01:58 PM


    *update*

    Just got back from pt. His assessment was probably minor tear of medial meniscus, possibly been there for a while and just aggravated. His advice was to shut down the running completely until the race or risk aggravating it worse and not be able to race, but green light for swimming and biking. Should note, I respect his opinion, long time ironman. I assume I probably wont lose a lot not running at all balanced against risk of making it worse, especially if I can still get some good riding in? Make sense? Just proceed with race plan for swim/bike and just dial back the run pace even more to start?

    The story I always tell is of my workup to Kona'03: I rolled my left ankle really, really badly on a trail with my dog about 7wks out from the race. So bad that for a couple weeks I had to hop one foot over to my bike to start a ride, but it didn't hurt to ride at all. I didn't run a step until the Wed of race week, as an out and back in the Energy Lab. In the meantime I did a stupid amount of cycling. 

    On race day I think I went 58', 5:08, 4:25. I knew the run was going to suck, and it did, but my aerobic fitness on the bike transferred over to me just getting it done on the run. I had zero durability in my legs but was able to plot along at ~9-9:30's for the the entire run.

    My point is that you're fine as long as you can ride, and it's important that you adjust your race day goals to fit within the new box that this injury as given you. Oh, and realize that this all just a game, Ironman will always be there, and there's no sense in doing anything to risk permanent damage. 

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