Maybe Next Year....
4 weeks ago I qualified for Boston Marathon in Eugene Marathon, and haven't been able to run since. Now it appears to be a stress fracture of my left shin (tibia). So no workouts that put pressure on the lower leg for 6 weeks. This will probably doom my IM Canada plans, as I will only have 6 weeks to get back into shape. I have foregone running for the past 4 weeks and only going easy once a week to "test" it. Then for the next two days I can't even walk on it. Is there any advice out there regarding coming back in short order after an injury like this? I have to say it was fun while it lasted. My power was at an all time high, my long run pace (up to 20 miles) was down to 7:20/mile, and my swim was coming along nicely. Not sure if I will stick around or not, pretty bummed out at this point
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My advice from experience. DON'T TEST IT!! Stress fractures heal in about 6 weeks. Mine was 6.5 weeks. I pool ran like it was my job. I spun easy on the bike for hours and hours indoors, high cadence. I swam like crazy. Healed myself 2 weeks before IMCDA in 06. Completed the ironman. PR bike. My run was my usual until about 15 miles then it got very very hard but I walk jogged it in for a half way decent overall time.
Best advice I got was to let it heal. You will know when it is healed because it won't hurt anymore.
Hope that helps.
X2 on the pool running. It's not exciting, but it works.
An orthopedics group near me has an Alter G treadmill. I have no idea what it costs per run to train on it, but I know a few folks who've saved their races by using it. Might be worth checking around to see if there is one near you.
I know people who have trained almost 100% by pool running. It sucks, but it can be done. I broke my arm at the elbow last year and couldn't run (hurt to move the arm back and forth), ran in the pool like crazy, and ran a trail marathon 2 months later. It can be done.
@ Steve - Congrats on the BQ but so sorry to hear about your injury. I agree with what everyone else is saying. You just got to let it heal. That shin is now your coach and will tell you when you can run, how hard, etc. I know it sucks, but you have to be just as disciplined to "not run" as you were "running". You were in great shape this spring so focus on you swimming and biking. The running will come back in time. I'm just getting over an achilles strain and it has taken nearly 4 months - drove me crazy not to run but I went cold turkey for almost 10 weeks to let it heal. Hang in there and see how things go. You might still be able to do IMCA, but probably not a PR.
There's no cancellation deadline, you can wait til the last minute to call it.
Train for it, get creative and kooky, knowing the run may be crap as far as previous expectations go. But, hey, it's an Ironman. Can you get it done? (just slapping you around a bit, don't destroy your leg over it, just give yourself a chance, sure it might not be your PR, but who cares? not every race will be the PR, every year has different cards to play)
Kurt
Steve, it is very boring! May I suggest.... http://www.h2oaudio.com/store/waterproof-headphone-systems.html
It's a waterproof iPod Shuffle case. Works great for swimming as well but it was worth so much more for pool running.