Preparing for a Half - how quickly will i lose fitness

carter3

Just to start I am not looking for medical/physio advice..

I am currently training for my first half marathon in Connemara in 2.5 weeks. I have played football all my life but I have really taken to the running.

Training has been going well and have really enjoyed the discipline of following a training program. I have been roughly doing 2 x 5 milers mid week and 1 Long run at the weekend (upping by 1 mile each week) since the new year..I did an 11 miler on Saturday. Tough run on a hilly route and was a pretty tired during and after.

The problem is the next day my hip was in bits and still hasn't settled down. I have had minor problems with the hip before (never as acute as this) and it seems to occur when i run when tired. It feels quite bad and I don't think its going to settle for a week or so..which means no running at all..

I am reasonably confident I will recover in time with a bit of TLC but I will get minimal training in before its time to taper.

Has anyone else ever found themselves in this situation?
Will I be back to square one fitness wise within a week or two?
If I have the all clear with a week to go what would you recommend training wise? this should be the period I would be tapering

thanks for reading and for any advice

Krusty_Clown

You won't lose much fitness over a week or two, but it's less than ideal. Ideally your longest run should be around two weeks out (e.g. 11-12 miles) and one week out you should run a slightly stepped-back long run (e.g. 8-9 miles), so you'll miss out on the benefit of these runs.

I would get myself to a physical therapist for a sports massage to help with the issue, and hopefully stretch/create flexibility in the problematic area.

mossym

carter3 wrote: »

Has anyone else ever found themselves in this situation?
Will I be back to square one fitness wise within a week or two?

i wasn't running for about 3 weeks in september last due to injury, affect on fitness was minimal, i found runs harder, but could get through them


just back after two months out for a different injury, and fitness is way down, gone from running 14 to 16k handilyon my long weekend runs to struggling with 6 to 7k runs.

candycock

Hi all am i to late to start training for the dublin city marathon?? if not so can anybody give me advice on how to start i am totally inexperienced when it comes to marathons and my fitness level would be below average,i play football but i've gained a stone since xmas do to a knee injury that has fully cleared up.where do i start???

Krusty_Clown

candycock wrote: »

where do i start???

With a 5k!

candycock

thanks krusty i've done the 5k but how many miles aweek should i begin with?? and how often per week??

Murph_D

If you have little or no running experience I don't think anyone here would recommend you do a marathon this year. That's probably why Krusty suggested you train for a 5k first, and take it from there after you have built up a good base. I had been running regularly (i.e. 2-3 times a week) for about a year even before I did my first 5k race (the marathon followed within 5 months of that, but by the time I started the marathon-specific training, I was sufficiently "broken in" to do the (novice oriented) marathon training without injury.

candycock

ok thanks murphd,but i still plan on going ahead with the marathon,its somthing i've planned to do for a long time now an i was just making excuses,is there anywhere i could get a plan to follow like a training schedule an diet advice.

Murph_D

If you have been playing football and training regularly all your life you might be OK. Then again, you might be better off working up to DCM 2014. There are lots of online plans available - one site is halhigdon.com. You wouldn't start the plan until 18 weeks before the marathon, late June in other words. Be careful with that knee injury, which you could exacerbate.

Some good stuff here too: http://www.runnersworld.com/beginners/beginner-training-program-too-easy

candycock

thanks for all ur help murphd i've started already tonite,its goin to be tough but i can do it,i'll keep u up dated on my progress:)

marchino

carter3 wrote: »

Just to start I am not looking for medical/physio advice..

The problem is the next day my hip was in bits and still hasn't settled down. I have had minor problems with the hip before (never as acute as this) and it seems to occur when i run when tired. It feels quite bad and I don't think its going to settle for a week or so..which means no running at all..

Has anyone else ever found themselves in this situation?


thanks for reading and for any advice

Hi Carter. I myself have had plenty of niggles and pains. Pelvis slides out easy ect <Physio job>.
But, 90% of these Niggles and pains is, Your body adjusting to the rigours of running.
(muscle fibres, gluing together, body tightening, bones adapting, ect. ect.
I've been in bits running sometimes, especially when i started out, a few Years ago.

However, These niggles and pains would ease through time .
Even from what Catherina McKiernan said in the 'Fit Mag' a few weeks ago that, ''Most of time time, You should just run through these aches and pains, for Your body to get used to running. If You keep stopping Your body will Never adapt to it''.
Massage is what got Me through and eased pains.
Stretching and Yoga, were also a big help in flexibility of hips too.

Also, if You want to get serious about Your running, try to run More often. ie 6 days a week.
The more You run the fitter You become and then introduce speed work and tempos, to move up to the next level.

carter3

Thanks for all the advice. Getting a little bit better everyday so fingers crossed.