Deep Water Running
Team,
It is with great trepidation that I post this:
If you've followed our deep water running protocol here can you give me any insights or input? My leg is just simply not getting better as quickly as I would like and, since my only real goal for Kona is to enjoy the day, I'm beginning to think my long term best call is to stay off the leg altogether, with regards to weight bearing activity, and pick up water running in route to October.
I would appreciate any advice you have
PS: f-me, seriously 
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I just might! I already just can.not.swim for longer than 45' so the idea of adding 3-4hrs/wk of water running to that is just scary. Gonna make some calls first, I supposed, and use my $$$ health insurance...
The one trick I used was to use my garmin 920 in run mode to provide cadence numbers. I then strapped a Scoch optical hr monitor right next to the 920 to provide hr. With that feedback, I was able to get and maintain my hr up into the 155 range.
Stop f'ing around and go see a doc - I say this out of love
I've tried to perform the water running protocol in the open water and the waves made it difficult. In addition, I looked like a complete idiot to a beach full of people. I would not recommend water running in the open water to others.
Yeah, I don't see the point, either. You can certainly swim hard enough to train your heart, and cycling seems to mimic the same leg movements you'd get with water running. If you have access to an elliptical machine, that seems slightly less boring, but again, nothing can replace the pounding you get from hopping 180 times a minute on pavement.
Maybe try all of these: Running on a rubberized track? Avoiding anything harder than Z1? Reducing daily mileage to absurdly low levels, and re-starting from there? Getting minimum 48 hours rest between workouts?
On the bright side, there's tons of evidence that it works, and countless success stories out there ... not just "pool running let me finish my race, and I only had to walk the back half" stuff, but elites and HP athletes with great outcomes on Big Days. IOW, if your race goal is genuinely to have a great day and enjoy the views of the sunset on the Energy Lab, that's terrific, but if this is something you have resigned yourself to because road running isn't happening at this time, but you did really want to throw down and have a great performance and oa outcome, I don't think it's out of the question, even with a majority of time in your buildup spent deep water running.
My thoughts, if you really wanted it:
-5x week
-at least 1 long session, building from 1 hr, going up to 2 hr.
-2 sessions that are something like 15 w/u, MS as 3 to 5 x(3' hard 2' easy)
-2 sessions as bricked 30' to 45'
-always keep cadence at 90+
-wear one of those goofy buoyancy belts
-hip mobility / hip flexor exercises will become very important as you proceed. lots of stretching ahead, which isn't a terrible thing.
What I just described seems almost unendurable. Faced with a choice between this and taking a heavy rubber mallet hit hard to the nutz, it would be a toss-up. Buuuuuuut ... I would bet that if you described any given day in your life (4h bike! 4000swim!) to an ordinary person, they would have exactly the same reaction. So, there's some perception adjustment that just has to happen to choose to do this, and then actually go on to do it.
I am late to the conversation, and by no means an expert advice-giver. I am coming off a serious knee injury and the only time my feet touch the ground are the runs before or after the bike. Any long runs or runs associated with a swim, are in the pool. I agree it can be boring and unsexy, but if you are not able to run, improvise, adapt and overcome.
I ran 8 miles a week ago and felt like Sheena Queen of the Jungle. It gave me great confidence for journey to the IM finish line.
I also have a Ninja ice pump that may help you with pain and inflammation - The Polar Care Kodiak Cold Therapy System .
Hope this helps.
Beth
For what it's worth, here's what made it more tolerable for me: if they have a diving well you can use instead of a lane, then you can run around in little more interesting patterns and chat with people more. Second, you can alternate using the belt (easier, obviously) with not using it (harder, particularly if you are a sinker like me). I wouldn't want to do it for hours and hours...but if you can tolerate whatever they are playing on the pool radio, it's not so awful for 45-60 minutes.