2 weeks of no running before a half?

runrabbit

I was hoping to do the Waterford Half on 11/12/2010 (2 weeks from today) but I'm currently injured. Training had been going well and I did a 14-mile run last Saturday, then things fell apart and I got out for 2 more slow short runs early this week but I was starting to realise something wasn't right. The physio is hoping I'll be able to do a little bit of running by the end of next week, but obviously at that stage there'll only be a week to go and I'll be doing a mini-taper. He said I should be ok for the half and that "my training was done by now".

I had a long run planned for today and a few speed sessions for the week just gone and next week which will all be missed. I'm feeling quite anxious about it - I can't see how I will tackle 13.1 miles after a few weeks of doing feck-all?!

Also I'm allowed to cross-train, can anyone suggest some sessions that would keep me ticking over? I have access to a gym and pool.

airscotty

I heard an really interesting pod cast about this from tri talk podcasts i think...cant find it now tho:( But basicall it was saying that you can get away with out doing any running (due to injury) and it wont effect your race time by very much at all. IF you cross train!

The best option seemed to be the ellipse gym machine tho the trick was to not use your arms to help you and just use your arms as you would while running. They aslo seemed to just follow their original plan as best they could so if you were gonna do a 1:30 run do same on the machine and if doing speed session try to do the same intervals etc.

Best of luck with it, you'll actually wont loose to much as you'll be tapering for the last while anyway.

runrabbit

thanks airscotty, going to head to the gym now, I can't see myself lasting 1:30 on the elliptical trainer but I'll try to get a decent session in...

RayCun

runrabbit wrote: »

He said I should be ok for the half and that "my training was done by now".

He's pretty much right, you weren't going to improve your fitness in the last two weeks post-race anyway, because it takes your body that long to adapt to training. Just keep up the crosstraining - anything that will work the lungs and keep your heartrate high should do the trick.

petermijackson

I experienced something very similar earlier this year where I could not train before I put in my first half marathon. I arrived at the half marathon fresh and ready to go. If you have the training put in already which you have then you will be fine....

X files

Do some work on a gym x trainer and go cycling keeps you fit and sane

DustyBin

I experienced something similar last summer before the Cork marathon - 2 weeks or so of zero running a month before the race. Cycled as much as I could and ran only when I was better.
Ended up running my target time so was delighted for a finish.
All your training for the half is done at this stage just keep yourself busy and stay confident that you can do it

RubyK

Hey run rabbit, just want to echo what the others have said - you won't actually gain any more in the next 2 weeks, your training is done and in your legs (of course I didn't actually listen to this same advice given to me in the 3 weeks before DCM, and ended up making things harder for myself on the day!).

Trust in your physio, and you'll get to the startline fresh and rearing to go

runrabbit

Thanks all, it feels like so long since I was running it's hard to imagine doing any sort of distance! My only comfort is that I wouldn't be getting much done these days anyway as the roads are like ice rinks around my house and I work during the daylight hours so no chance of hitting the fields!

RubyK

Exactly, and you would be tapering back from Saturday, so it's really only a week you'll be out Sure you did a 14 miler last week, so you are well prepared. Just mind yourself between now and the 11th, and you'll fly it!

I know it's headwrecking to be out of action, but if you can get in somemore cross-training, it'll keep you ticking over.

opus

I'm almost in the same boat except I was able to get in a bit of running last week before the big freeze set in. I actually found on the first evening I went out it felt very good so maybe the break of ~2 weeks did me some good. That's a roundabout way of saying that you should be fine

Looking forward to Waterford now, hopefully won't be sub-zero!