Strained/pulled hamstring
What a bummer ... ...
I am in wk two of my transition from NOS to intermediate IM plan starting next Monday. This morning called for 40 minutes with 3x800 (2) Z4. After warming up, I started my first half mile and 0.1 in I am going really smoothly and go to extend my left leg and have this searing pain in my left hamstring -- ended up walking the mile home.
Have skimmed the sports injury web sites, and then called my ortho for an appointment in the AM. I am now 14 weeks out from IMCDA.
My only goal for this year has been to complete an IM with no structural issues and now this. Technically, do muscles count as structural?
thoughts, advice, and/or positive mojo appreciated.
paul
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Good luck. You give no indication about your prior injuries, stretching regimen, self maintenance, body work, etc.
It is hard to say anything except I am sorry this happened to you.
But you have 14 weeks to IMCDA and if you treat the issue that lead to this, then you have plenty of time to heal and train for the race.
Again- good luck.
@ Michele thanks
so a little more background ... ...
this is my second year with EN, and second year back to long course
stretching -- have "always" stretched after every run and ride (since 89); this year during OS started having lower back pain about wk 4-5 and started integrating lower back stretching after every workout and in the evening
maintenance -- I turn 50 this summer (and that was my motivator to do an IM this year to celebrate); see doctors regularly (GP and ortho -- see injuries); and no this is about the long haul so I tend to be good about taking a break instead of training into a wall {NOTE: As opposed to the 80's and 90's when I was competitive and used to overtrain rather routinely.}
injuries -- have never had any muscle injuries, although did have Plantar Fasciatus in 89 (which is when I got religion about stretching); strucutral injuries is another issue -- separated my ACL in Peace Corp in 85 was never diagnosed; raced over 100 tri's from 86-98 including 8 HIM and one IM; had micro-fracture and ACL replacement in 2001 and then a hytibialosteotomy in 2007. Not much racing btwn 2001 and 2008; then high school daughter wanted to do tri's and we did sprint series together in 2009-2010 (she won her age group for the series)
I have been tracking the gait analysis stuff that folks are doing with the group and am planning on doing that myself after IMCDA.
I remember William Jenks pulled a hamstring last fall, and there was a thread with some good info on it. That might be worth searching for. Good luck!
Well so its a good news/bad news thing from the doc. He thinks I have "possibly" strained my hamstring (would rate as <.5 on the 1, 2, or 3 level strain). What he is wondering is whether I am having sciatica issues since the pain is not highly localized. He said I could run (if I have no pain) but should not go hard nor should I ramp up my run for the next 2-3 weeks.</p>
He said the stretching, massage, china gel (topical analgesic I have used for years for pain and soreness), and compression sleeve was the maintenance/recovery plan, as well as ice if painful, and ibuprofen as needed.
Was planning on dropping into the intermediate IM plan Monday, but having a bike heavy first two weeks. Looks like I will push the swim and bike and just run LRP for the first 2-3 weeks after taking the first week all the way off running.
thanks all
Sorry to hear of your injury. My two cent thrown in is get out of the Intermediate IM , I don't know why your in that anyway , load up the beginner plan , this is your first IM right ? Your run days use the pool for running, it's harder than you think , probably more so mentally which will do you good anyway. Defiantly skip the bricks up front use that that brick time for some extra Z3. As you heal up add your runs with some walking like 3 to 1 ratio , you may like that and race with it too I do. You can play with the ratio 3 min run 1 min off then 3 to 45 sec , 3 to 30 sec etc, etc,. Do a few bricks before your race to get the the " I get this already feeling ". You been around and know that.
Good Luck ... D
@ D thanks for the thoughts re: easing back in. I have done an IM before (although it was 1998 and trained "old Skool"). I am not worried about doing brick workouts at all except for the RR's this year.
have been considering dropping into beginner rather than intermediate mainly due to the hamstring. Last year with EN RmP had me do intermediate for both HIMs I did and had no issues with workload etc. {Yes I know IM is a different beast}
I am going to throw the question to the Macro thread and get some coach input.
thanks again
Good Luck...