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injuries and hm training

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ka97
ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
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So how long could one reasonably take off from training before and still be able to finish a hm? My last run was a 12 miler on Sunday. I now have what feels like a mild calf strain. I'd like to try to take another two weeks off, but my half marathon is Nov 3. Am I totally screwed at this point???

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  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
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    anyone???
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    How did your 12 miles feel?
    What are your other weekly runs like?
    How many times have you done more than 10 miles?
    Is this your first half?
  • schmenge55
    schmenge55 Posts: 745 Member
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    Not screwed. May need to adjust expectations. Is this your first half or your 20th? Training base makes a difference
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
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    Nope not my first half. It's been a couple of years. Last hm was in April, then I switched to triathlon during the spring summer. Was able to keep about 15-20 miles per week with a long run of 8-10 every 10 days during tri training. Most of my other running was done as part of a bike-run brick. Then in September started gradually increasing the running again.
    That last 12 mile run felt great, other than the pain in my calf.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
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    In my relatively inexperienced opinion (but I have run two halfs while injured) you should be fine taking a couple of weeks off. You may not PR or anything but I don't think you'll be all that undertrained.
  • redredy9
    redredy9 Posts: 706 Member
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    In my relatively inexperienced opinion (but I have run two halfs while injured) you should be fine taking a couple of weeks off. You may not PR or anything but I don't think you'll be all that undertrained.

    ^^^ This ^^^

    It might affect your time a little bit or it could do the opposite and taking the time to heal could help you run better. Either way it sounds like you've been doing your training and will be able to finish despite taking a little time off.

    Good luck and have a great race!
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    So how long could one reasonably take off from training before and still be able to finish a hm? My last run was a 12 miler on Sunday. I now have what feels like a mild calf strain. I'd like to try to take another two weeks off, but my half marathon is Nov 3. Am I totally screwed at this point???

    Daniels' Running Formula, page 85, discusses how a measure of your cardiovascular fitness decreases over time. The data are displayed below.

    Eg.:
    "6 = 0.977/0.998"

    This notation means that by day six your cardiovascular fitness level has decreased to of 0.977 of your pre-layoff fitness if you are not cross training and has decreased to 0.998 of your pre-layoff fitness if you are crosstraining.


    0 to 5 days = 1/1
    6 = 0.977/0.998
    7 = 0.994/0.997
    10 = 0.985/0.992
    14 = 0.973/0.986
    21 =0.952/0.976/
    28 =0.931/0.965
    35 =0.910/0.955

    After 35 days it drops quickly to the 72 day mark where the values drop to, and remain at, 0.8 and 0.9
  • Liz_Mfp
    Liz_Mfp Posts: 172 Member
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    3 weeks?

    I mean you will always finish, even 6 weeks later....

    I think 3 weeks you will be well rested for the starting line.

    I'm guessing the "problem" will be on the other side, needing more recovery after, be sore, etc.
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
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    Thanks guys! Might try a short run this weekend. Keeping fingers crossed.....
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    Thanks guys! Might try a short run this weekend. Keeping fingers crossed.....

    The traditional recovery exercise for a calf strain is an eccentric calf raises - find some stairs and face them with toes near the edge of a step. Push up on your tip toes, drop very slowly using only the injured limb until the heel is below the plane of the step.

    Start doing this exercise with both feet on the ground but, as you recover, start using only the injured muscle.

    "years ago", docs would keep injured athletes off their feet think that maximized recovery. That's switched around and docs now try to get people using the injured muscle as soon as possible because that helps it helps speed recovery.

    Runners World, which has a fair amount of pablum scattered across its pages, probably has some good insight on this.
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
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    ahhhh yes.....I do remember those calf raises from physical therapy

    Did 4.5mls this morning, at a very conservative pace. A little tightness, especially on the hills, but no pain. I'm registered for a 10k on Monday - thinking I might go ahead and give it a try.
  • plateaued
    plateaued Posts: 199 Member
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    You will be fine for a half then. Take one week off . . . no running whatsoever. Then run whatever feels comfortable to finish up. You are already ready for a half.

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