Macon Tracks Running Club

'Reset' is the word I'll use for my experience this summer. After another successful failure at the monster (i.e. the marathon) I've had to perform a reset...reboot...do-over...redeux. Most of you know that I experienced a tibial stress fracture in my left leg sometime Q1 of this year. After x-rays, bone scan and MRI and several months of on-again off-again running under doctors orders I have resumed running.

What's the difference in taking a break from running and performing a 'reset'? Easy answer. Taking a break means simply that...taking a break from your routine. However, a 'reset' means wiping the slate clean...throwing away the old routine...a total do-over...genesis if you will. The ups and downs I experienced from my injury were extreme I will confess. But, it gave me time to step back and evaluate my choices and goals back when I began running again in the summer of 07. More of a reflection than evaluation actually.

I don't want this to be a long post. My intent is to encourage those recovering from injury or maybe just worn out from a particular routine...you can perform a 'reset' like I have. It allowed me to clear my mind of pacing 'have tos' and other goals that I had locked my brain around. For the next few months I am running because I enjoy it...not to train for a race or a goal...just because I enjoy running.

Good Luck Tommy.

Thanks Brian! The intent of my post was to maybe get a few folks out there to perform a similar 'reset' and revive their running desire and enjoyment. Besides...none of us are making a living running...right?

We're not making a living running, but we're improving our living by running! Although, not running can also be an opportunity for other adventures. Since I've been battling shin splints for over 3 months now and have not been able to run much, I've tried a lot of new things, some of which I plan to keep in my repertoire. Some of the various things I've tried while in recovery mode:
got on an Elliptical machine for the first time and didn't fall off
the "Hardbodies" class at the Wellness Center - that was hard
spin class - I was trying to figure out how riding a bike that doesn't go anywhere could be so tough, then it dawned on me - there's no coasting!
Swimming and more swimming. I'm still the 2nd slowest swimmer of the lunchtime group, but I'm faster than I was. I'm even attempting to learn how to do flip turns again.
Mountain biking. I love riding areas with no cars or dogs and being able to sit up straight and enjoy the scenery.

It was really hard when Dave went off to run with my girlfriends on a Friday morning and I wasn't able to participate and had to depend on him to bring back all the good gossip, but instead of having a pity party, I've just been working on my swim technique so I can keep up with him when we go to Lake Juliette .

Someday I'll be back out running again with only the normal set of complaints to whine about.

kerry...totally agree..we aren't doing this for money but we are doing it for various reasons...fitness is the key point for me...not to mention the stuff i get to see when i'm running...horses, owls, hawks, coyote, deer, a bobcat (rare in our area) not to mention the fresh air...i work in a building that has metal doors that look like something from inside a prison...no windows...so, for me to go for a run when i get home is awesome...it takes away the cooped up feeling i have from being inside 9 hrs

the pain is diminishing...at first i wondered if i was just getting used to it...i firmly believe i'm on the road to recovery now....but, my long distance (half marathon+) training is on hold until i drop weight and work on my overall fitness. it's been a few weeks since i've felt the stinging pain during a run...i try not to think about it.

its hard being patient isn't it? our society wants things NOW...microwave popcorn doesn't pop fast enough! lol but you know, being patient...quiet...still...is an art all of us need to try and hug on every once in a while

Since i'm not being a good updater(er?) of my blog I wanted to post a quick update here.

I'm finally jogging painfree!!! However, it took a lot more time and patience than I expected. Almost a full year! As a running coach I've been exposed to a myriad of recovery training plans. I tried several of them. However, the most effective training solution I found, for me, was the Galloway run/walk/run. I decided to give it a try a few months ago and found it worked really well for me. I used the 4/1 (4 minutes jogging 1 minute walking) and have continued using it. My mileage base is slowly increasing. The most impressive aspect of the run/walk/run is how fast I recover compared to when I run a distance all the way through.

Now, all that said, I'm not planning on using this method forever. But, it really has made easing back into this much more pleasant.

T

Tommy and others...

As someone whose dealt with lots of injuries, including tendonosis in both Achilles and stress fractures in both tibia, I'll add one thing to your suggestions: take the time to work on your form while you're slowly working back into running; it's really the perfect oppurtunity. It's a lot easier to focus on form for 4 minutes of running and recover for one, than it is to try to re-work your form when you're out there on hour long runs in the middle of 'training.' Pretty soon, all of the form stuff you have to focus on will become second nature, and you'll hopefully have fewer problems down the road.

This was the approach I took after nearly two years off from my injury riddled high school and college careers, and it seems to be helping a lot. Even though I'm a lot heavier than I was, I've had fewer problems with my achilles, tibia and knees than I did before. It was a long, slow process, but after a year or so of re-working my form, I'm finally able to start ramping up my mileage and intensity this summer. Every time I'd feel a little twinge, I'd take the oppurtunity to go thru my mental checklist of running form notes on my next run. Usually, something had gradually gotten a little out of whack, and I was able to correct it before it got out of hand. The key to this was patience, like you mentioned before. It was extremely hard for someone who used to crank out 10 miles in 62-65 minutes on Saturdays to have to concentrate so hard to run 3 or 4 10:00-11:00 minute miles with proper form. But, gradually, I got a little better and a little faster.

Hope this helps...