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Injured Athlete Mojo Thread

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  • Todd - Welcome back! Man, that's scary. Sounds like it's been a long road back but I'm glad to hear you're well enough to pick up the training again.

    Well, this morning was my first attempt at deep water running. I did an easy 30' swim (mostly drill work) and then threw on the belt-thingy and left my comfort zone. It's always fun to try new things, so I actually enjoyed myself after floundering for a few minutes. Nemo - thanks for attaching that link to the water running training plan. I did the first day's workout - the intervals definitely made the time go by quickly. It took a while to get the form down but I think I got it. People were looking at me funny but after about 15' I actually had 3 other people giving it a try with me - it was hilarious! More importantly, I felt great (no pain) and actually felt like I did some work.

    I didn't have my HR monitor with me since I have the Garmin 305 (not water proof) so I have no idea if I was working hard enough. It didn't feel (RPE) like I was getting my HR up high enough, though. I'm looking forward to my next session to push it a little harder!

    While I was swimming I also noticed how my focus on core strengthening the last 6 weeks has paid off. I haven't swam since mid-December and I've really been good about doing core work since the beginning of December. As I was swimming today I felt much better balance in my stroke all coming from a more solid core. Very cool!

    Happy healing everyone!
  • Hey Jim,
    A close friend of mine in town got a severe case of rhabomyolysis after he completed vineman. That was 6 years ago and since then, he's completed 6 more ironman races. I believe they thought his case was brought on because he did not recover properly after vineman, literally, he raced that day, packed up and flew out the next morning, did not re-fuel after the race like you normally do.(he had traveled alone and was concerned about getting home, not about eating), they said his body needed fuel and eventually turned to the muscle for fuel. It was pretty scary...
  • Jim- I'm so impressed that you've been able to tackle body comp at the same time as dealing with the injury. It's taking a lot of effort for me to just keep the scale from moving in the wrong direction right now.

    That said- I was back in the pool this AM. I did my usual drill work, but then decided to cut that a little short and do some intervals for time. I figure if this is the only workout I'm getting- I can't just skull up and down the pool all the time! It felt good to get the HR up there and breath a bit harder too.

    Now for my bigger issue. Temptation is here- BIG TIME. My calf feels fine- no problems. I can stand on tippy toes without pain and all. But my gut tells me this is still too soon to start pushing it again. It's only been 2 weeks since the calf pulled and I promised myself 4-3 weeks downtime. So I'm writing this here for you all to see, so I stay strong and you guys keep me honest! The weather has been so nice- oh man I just wanna ride my bike!!!!
  • Nemo: You know that scene from Star Wars when Luke is getting ready to shoot the Death Star...All the while Imperial fighters are raining laser bullets on him...Someone says: STAY ON TARGET! Okay, so that was a long-winded way to make a point. Anyhoo, I made the mistake of coming back to soon in Nov by running intervals. I KNOW you're smarter and more patient than me. Stay strong, chica!
  • @ Nemo - When my calf was angry I took a week off and came back beacuse it felt good. The first workout I started I knew it wasnt right so i packed it up for a 2 more weeks and then did partial workout the 4th week off.

    After 4 weeks off i have come back feeling great hitting all my workouts! If I can be patient and stay off it i know you can! Im still working on that whol patience is a virtue thing!
  •  Nemo-

    STAY AWAY!!!!!!, HOLD YOUR COURSE for now. You can do this. Ditto what Kitima said, I came back too soon in November and should not have tried running for run challenge in December. I feel the temptation big time, but I am really making progress. My ART says Hamstring tendon "not as Taught" , but still tight. I am still tender when he does his  work around that area.

    Stay with me, and stay strong!

  • Thank you everyone!!! This is exactly the MOJO I need right now!!!!
  • Morning Injured Buddies!! How is everyone doing? Marianne- I saw a note about you targeting Feb 1 for getting back to training again. I'm hoping I'll be there with you (even if it's just biking for a while). I've got an apt next Monday with a guy that really helped me figure out and solve my back/hip issues a few years ago. I'm feeling really good about getting some advice on how to recover from the calf injury this time around and NOT get injured again. I gotta get off this ride!
  • Nemo, i hear you girl. I just say 1 Feb cuz I like dates!!! it just gives me something to work towards..... I ran 15' on the grass today... and no pain, but then it was 32 and 10mph winds so not sure if I could tell anyways!! anyway, I am easing back and when I say run, I mean just cuz I was a tad underdressed so I was moving!!! more than a walk. anyways, I won't run on hard surfaces for this week and I am watching the Garmin carefully on duration. I took off all of last week, really a bit more but okay. going to PT here in a bit and you will have to share your exercises cuz I don't want yours!!! lol. I got a little sign here that Linda gave me...."never never never give up"..... I am so with you!......m
  • First of all, Nemo, thanks for starting the thread! I know I'm not the first person to be injured and have to take time off.. but I was feeling pretty alone and frustrated all the same - especially since I've had a pretty bad string of luck lately.

    It started off the last week of August when, during a training ride, I rolled over a storm drain I didn't see and flew over my aero bars landing on my shoulder and face. Amazingly nothing was broken (including my bike) - but I had a low grade ACJ sprain. I felt like a truck hit me for a week. I couldn't move my arm or my shoulder... In the wake of than I decided to register for my first IM (I'd only done 1 HIM) since I would regret it if something really serious happened and I could never do one. I bought the EM outseason and IM plans - because I knew I'd need help... doing PT, things are still hurting. Had to scratch my last tri of the season, and harder still, my fall marathon.

    So, November rolls around and I'm excited to be startin gup the OS on my own (hadn't joined yet) anf things are humming... trying to regain my lost shape...In December I decide to join the team! The coaches put me in with the Januaury OS crew (my first A race in June, Eagleman - with Columbia tri as a warm up in May).. and all is right with the world. I'm feeling good... my legs are slowly getting back and then... my stupid cat bies me.

    I know, it sounds ridiculous, but apparently cat bites to the hand are serious. It got super infected... I went to the ER and they admitted me immediately. Turns out he severed the tendon. I had surgery 4 days later... My hand is splinted. For a while I couldn't hold it below my waist bc it would throb - that's over now... for the most part. So easy walking, one-handed elliptical, and stationary biking has been my life the last few weeks. I tried to run last week and it was okay as long as I didn't bounce too much.

    I'm just frustrated because this is so stupid. I don't know when I'll be able to make a fist (i.e., hold my bike), I certainly don't know when I'll have habd strength to swim. I just feel like an idiot.

    On the upside I can now ride my trainer provided I stay in aero (or hands off), so I just did the first OS week (including the baby bricks - not at HR pace, just getting out there and jogging) -- which is better than nothing and I'm thankful for that. I don't know when I'll be back...I hope I don't have to scratch my first 2 races... but, you know, thanks to you all I know I'm not alone and I'm not that bad off.

    My head is getting into a better place and I can appreciate what I can do. I watched the 4 keys video the other day and this is all fuel for my line speech to myself. I WILL get through this and I will be stronger/more motivated because of it.

    So, hang in there everyone! You are inspiring!
  • Howdy folks

    I was doing good, then Friday my knee started hurting after work. Did my pool run, hurt a little. Rested the rest of weekend, didn't do my bike or pool run. Had cut back significantly on Naprosyn. I think it has something to do with orthotics. feels good at work with my Danskos, then put running shoes on with orthotcis, going upstairs and ouch. so sigh......I was also discussing with ART whether or not will go to ortho appt this week.  Well I didn't cancel, and will go to to see what else, maybe cortisone shot? Nemo, I may check out that UVa running clinic also.

     Gotta get back to my OR. Hang in there everyone!

  • Welcome Becky!! Have no fear, I'm registered for Eagleman too- and I currently can't run or bike at all. I'm hoping to be biking again starting Feb 1 and I absolutely expect to be be ready for Eagleman !!

    But even if you have to scrap it- no worries. IMFL is such a loooooong way away- you've got lots of time! Oh- and Timberman should be a great race too- there's usually a pretty nice size EN group at that race.

    BTW- Where do you live?
  • Welcome Becky!

     Sorry to hear about your string of bad luck! Glad you joined the team. Good folks here. Sounds like you are on the right path, with your head in a good place.

    Last year wound up scratching all my races! I don't want a repeat of that. I am also supposed to do Columbia then Lake Placid. Where do you live? I live in Baltimore.

     Hang in there

     

  • @Tracy - wow, kudos to you... scratching a season had to be hard so I'm thrilled to hear you're back at it!  Even if I can't race Columbia (I'm optimistic I can... even if my swim stinks and my my finger is splinted) I'll be there to cheer -- lots of my DC Tri friends race, and I'm happy to hear there will be EN'ers out there, too.  Are you in the DC area?

    @Nemo - I'm in Alexandria, VA... I remember you mentioning EM before, where are you?  Are you doing any other local races (Columbia?  Nations?).  I am thankful I can bike on my trainer... if you start OS next week, I'll do it with ya - the February OS catch up club.  Hopefully I can start running for an hour by then, but I'm not sure how the hand will feel.

    If nothing else, this has given my shoulder lots of extra time to heal.  :-) 

     

  • tracy... sorry, just saw you're in Balto. Suzanne Kinsky (Silver Spring, MD) is on EN and she's doing Columbia and IMLP, too... hopefully you two can link up. She's super... and the reason I'm on the team -we met through DC Tri.
  • Becky- I used to live in Rockville, MD and I've done most of those local races multiple times. I moved to Nags Head in September 2008. I'm doing EMan this year partially because it will give me an opportunity to visit with my MD friends again. It will be great to see other ENers out there!

    Oh- and I love the idea of a February "Jan OS Catch Up" Crew.  I think you, me, and Marianne are all part of that club- and there may be a few more too!  I just hope I'll really be ready to join you.

  • Welcome Becky! Glad to hear your on the mend from a really serious hand infection.  I'll bet that somewhere in your kitty's heart---he feels bad about it.

    Kitima's Knee Update (cuz y'all are dying to know!): I ran for one hour on Sat. The knee said nothing...no ouch!/stop that!/slow down!...absolutely SILENT. I even did some uphill strides just to make sure. No pain. I'm in a dangerous place of temptation right now. So I'm holding the course with running slow on land and am incorporating some running drills, do a couple of 30" strides. After 2 weeks, if there's still no pain I'm gonna try ONE 0.25 mile tempo interval and see how that goes.  The one nice thing about this injury is that I've avoided all the test anxiety I typically get before a Vdot test. Woohoo!

  • Kitma- that's a great plan for getting back to running in a safe way. I hope I have your same patience when I'm finally able to run too!!! But I guess your right, not needing to worry about the tests sure is nice!
  • hee hee, the February catch up plan, I like it!!! that is just next week ya know!!!
  • First painless run today! (if you can call it a run...) 

    I ran 12 minutes on the treadmill, then swam for an hour and then ran another 12 minutes.

    So far so good, let's see how my shin holds up

    I figured if I can run on the treadmill little bit every day w/o pain, that would be better than deep water running

    (this stuff draws too much attention,,,)

  • That's great news Tomer! The treadmill should be a little easier on those shin splints than the road- so starting out there is a good idea. But just take it nice and slow getting back to it- or you'll be back in the pool with the rest of us!
  •  Yaaaaaah! for Tomer and Kitima's improving status. Great to hear you guys are running without difficulties.

    Marrianne- Oh, that darn piriformis!!!!!  Do you have any active release technique guys down there? my insurance covers it since it is chiropractor. My guy is an ART instructor. I can ask if he knows of any in the LR area.

    Becky_ hopefully will be able to hook up with some of you DC Tri people at Columbia. That was the first race I missed last year. had just recently moved to baltimore. Went to expo. Met Chrissie wellington. She was so kind!!!. yes it was hard to miss all the races. Some i did not get my money back on- ie Nations. The have an absolute no refund policy. As much as I would like to do that race. Not signing up until I know i'm 100%  The thing is, i want to be running and doing tris as long as possible.

    During my swim tonight I decided will definitely go to Ortho appt wed am, may dump the custom orthotics, may have fixed my foot but not helping knee ( that or go all the way back to Philly to have adjusted- Again. THinking may try the original inserts my 1st podiatrist gave me- The prostep will definitely make appt for UVA  run clinic

     Raising my hand to be part of Feb catch-up plan . Will miss part of first week, found out today I will be on the 2nd team from my Hospital to go to Haiti. Will leave some time next week for a week. Although I won't be running, biking or swimming, Will be on my feet for long periods at a time. Will practice mental Training, and perhaps Nutrition. Gonna call Infinit see if they can get some out for me ASAP, dump in the water they provided- Liquid calories with electrolytes. It should be interesting

     Yikes! Can't believe how late it is!

    Thinking healing thoughts and sending it out to all

  • Glad to hear Tomer and Kitima are on the mend!!!  The rest of you are being more patient than it seems I am. 

    My A race is IM Fl, so a long, long way away.  I'm just frustrated as I've been injured since before my IM in November, and promised myself to take two solid months off of running after the race.  Did that, and then had a bike crash.  Doh!!  Like you, Becky, I landed smack on my shoulder and also my hip and I am a massage therapist.  Couldn't move the shoulder for a week and doing massage has been interesting, to stay the least!!  The hip is steadily improving, but the shoulder is worrisome.  I may need another trip to ortho doc to get an MRI.  He just thought I sprained it badly and maybe subluxed it, but given what I know it feels like bad impingement syndrome, and I want to make sure nothing's torn. 

    In the meantime, I'd like to be part of the February catch up plan...maybe by then the hip will be better and I can ease back into bike intervals and EASY jogging. 

    Nemo, you stay so positive as do you Marianne and many others.  I try to remind myself of all of you out there suffering from injuries and realize I am lucky to be able to do anything at all right now.  Hang in there everyone.!!

    Cheers,

    Melanie

  • Tomer & Kitima - nice!!! keep it up while not going overboard... I'll try to follow in your footsteps now that I'm trying my hand (literally) at running again - I did 2 stints of 2 miles last week... as long as my hand was tightly wrapped and I stayed smooth it was okay. :-)

    Oh no, Melanie... take care of that shoulder and hip! I almost wish I'd broken something... I've learned that soft tissue damage takes forever to heal. But, on the up side, I'd been having some hip issues (probably overuse) so all my time off should be getting that squared away.

    Glad to hear we have a Feb catch up support network! I feel better already. I still wish I had a cool injury to talk about... or wish my tendon got severed as I was rescuing a child from a burning school bus or something noteworthy... to finally get back into the groove after a "real" injury only to be sidelined by my dumb cat is just so embarrassing. :-)

    For the first few weeks I'm gonna be on the bike and only doing the short brick runs and doing elliptical or something on my run days - but it's better than nothing. I like Kitima's point about no test anxiety! Exactly!

    Very excited that I'll be meeting you at races this year... Columbia, EM, and IMFL!

    Thanks so much for the support... this is definitely getting my head back in the game.
  • Man, if it wasn't for this thread I'm sure I would have jumped the gun on starting to run again. I've learned a lot from you guys on being patient and disciplined, so thank you!

    I've got 6 weeks done out of my 8 weeks minimum of no running. Almost there and feeling pretty good.

    I did a couple more deep water running sessions last week that went well. I've decided to lay off the swimming, though, since I was feeling a little groin soreness during and after my swims. Not sure if it's the rolling action as I breathe that pulls on the adductors (which are attached to the bone that has the stress reaction) or what, but I have no problem putting the swimming off for a while.

    I've also worked in a couple fast-paced 2 mile walks over the past week. These feel really good too.

    Today I did my first-ever workout on an elliptical machine. Just like deep water running it took me a while to get used to the feeling, but once I got going I found it seemed I was able to get a better aerobic workout than the water running. I also enjoyed it more - probably because my running buddies were beside me on treadmills so it was nice to be back in those conversations. Not sure if I'm not pushing hard enough in the pool or what to feel but it just doesn't feel like "work"? And I'm happy to say that I had ZERO pain during and after the elliptical session!

    So now my dilemma is do I do a hard 2 x 10' interval water running session tomorrow morning (get up early to get in a cold pool) or do I come back to the elliptical at lunch tomorrow and try for some intervals there? Do you guys think there are more risks (injury aggravation) to the elliptical than the water running? I will for sure do some water running on Friday but I'm much more interested in getting a good workout on the elliptical tomorrow.

    Thanks guys and happy healing!
  • Hey all,

    Great thread here! I'm late to the party due to my own hard-headedness, but definitely belong here. I'm not sure when but I injured my pinky toe and another toe on my left foot. They didn't hurt to walk or run on so I just started the January OS. Well, the pinky toe started to swell pretty bad and when it started to get hard to fit in normal shoes and could no longer fit it in my bike shoes I admitted there was something wrong with it.

    Stoopid toe.

    Today is my 10th day without running and buddy taping my toes and the swelling has gone down. It’s still black and blue so I’m going to follow through with my Dr. appointment next Wednesday to get it x-rayed. Just knowing exactly what’s wrong will help even though the recovery will be about the same amount of time.
  • Jeff: Ouch! Sorry to hear about your toes...Keeping my fingers crossed that it's not a fracture.

    Jim: Great to hear you're able to pool run and do the elliptical without pain. As far as which is "better", the elliptical will be more weight bearing than pool running. If you've not had any pain with it or your injury isn't worsened by weight bearing activities, then go for it. Sounds like it's more mentally tolerable than pool running.

  • Wow, it sounds like some of you are really coming out of the injury status quite well. I am crossing my fingers that my doctor will actually let me start runniong after I see him next Wednesday. I have not run a step outside of the deep end of the pool since September, and then only a couple of times. It has really been since July that I ran with any consistency. I am essentially going to be starting from scratch so I have been looking at sources for how to start over. Also, as we all know, the last thing we want is to reinjure ourselves. I found this link from Runner's world on starting up running. While not quite right for me, I thought I would pass the link along... http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--13390-0,00.html?cm_mmc=beginner-_-2010_01_27-_-beginner-_-ADVICE: Bounce Back Wisely Hope everyone does great. Dave
  • @Jeff - welcome.  once again, I hope the doc has good news for you!  I broke a toe once and there wasn't much to be done.  I was able to ride a stationary bike sort of (in clogs) and lift for the most part so I didn't go totally crazy.

    @Jim - 2 weeks to go, stay the course!  After I sprained my ACJ (and was told 6-8 weeks to heal minimum) I did a lot of dumb things thinking my shoulder wasn't my legs - so I kept up with marathon training, including running a half marathon a week later followed by an 18 miler the week after that.  Wow was that stupid!  Not being able to swing my arm I threw off my gait and messed up my back/neck... everything else and then had to go completely cold turkey for a while to undo that damage and heal -- so I missed the marathon and then some.  My new injury is a little different (fortunately) and I've rediscovered the elliptical myself (and the stationary bike) and it's helped keep me from going completely crazy (and take off some of the holiday sloth weight). 

    I rode my trainer for the first time last week (doing the bike portion of week 1 OS) and jogged for 20 minutes a few times, going really easy.  When the stitches come out I hope I can try my "hand"  at running in the pool- but my pool doesn't have a deep end and I've heard that's the way to do it as opposed to actually jogging in the pool... maybe I'll be able to hold a kickboard and can at least do some kicking drills... As much as I hate it, I'm gonna ease myself back in, listen to the docs, and listen to my body... 

    Hope everyone is feeling well and getting strong!  I put an introductory Feb Catch up crew thread out there...

  • @Jim, the podiastrist suggested then when I felt I was ready to go back to running to do the elliptical for a week first. His theory was the it is weight bearing and the closest thing to running without the impact. He felt that it would be a good test for a week to make sure I was recovered and he said only to start actually running after being able to do the eliptical pain free for a few days.

    I've never tried the water running, but I had very good luck with using the eliptical to transistion from my time off back to running.
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