Half Marathon after recent injury

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viktha
viktha Posts: 36 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I have been running continously since April of this year. I trained for a half marathon in October on my final long run (a week before), I sprained my ankle (high ankle sprain) and ended up not being able to run - this was going to be my first half. I have rested from running for two weeks, but continued to do strength training and took spin a few times a week for cardio.

I took my first run post injury last night with an ankle brace; it was only a mile and I'm my leg is sore today.

I spent so 8-12 weeks training for the half and felt confident to run it had I been able to run. I would like to sign up for another and found one on December 6th. Is that too soon to attempt to run a half?

Replies

  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,671 Member
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    I would say yes, too soon. Last year I was running with a hip injury and decided to run my half anyways. Did the run hopped up on Advil and have spent the next 11 months doing costly physio sessions to sort out my problems.
  • SameMe_JustLess
    SameMe_JustLess Posts: 245 Member
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    Sprained ankles are awful! I am in the beginning stages of training for a 2015 half and my ankle is currenty 2.5x its size (low ankle). I am so depressed because it seems like the race is a long time away, but its not!!

    I will give you the same advice I am trying to heed. Let it heal or you will end up hurting for a lot longer!
  • viktha
    viktha Posts: 36 Member
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    SameMe - I wish it had been the beginning, my best training run (10 miles in 1:48 - I am a turtle normally) and less than a mile until the end I rolled it on a curb. I feel like I wasted so much time training for nothing.

    I had been staying off of it and have had no pain. Just sore from last night. I am staying off of it tonight (accept spin which doesn't hurt) and hope it feels better to try a 1 - 2 mile on Friday.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    This is between you, your doctor, and your PT. Your training is NOT wasted - your training will be wasted if you run and injure yourself further, and a DNF will add insult to injury (no pun intended). I understand your emotions about the training, and will say that you are being predictably irrational about running/racing at this point.
  • viktha
    viktha Posts: 36 Member
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    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    This is between you, your doctor, and your PT. Your training is NOT wasted - your training will be wasted if you run and injure yourself further, and a DNF will add insult to injury (no pun intended). I understand your emotions about the training, and will say that you are being predictably irrational about running/racing at this point.

    I never went to my doctor as it was only a sprain, a few days and I could walk on it with only minor discomfort. I figured a few weeks and I should be able to run on it. Other runners that I know are telling me no problem you could easily run a half in December but they also tend to be injured and continued to run.

    I know at this point that stating my training was wasted is more of an emotional response to the situation and at some point in time I will look at it more logically - I got faster on my shorter distance runs, I proved that I could run 10 miles, etc, etc.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    viktha wrote: »
    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    This is between you, your doctor, and your PT. Your training is NOT wasted - your training will be wasted if you run and injure yourself further, and a DNF will add insult to injury (no pun intended). I understand your emotions about the training, and will say that you are being predictably irrational about running/racing at this point.

    I never went to my doctor as it was only a sprain, a few days and I could walk on it with only minor discomfort. I figured a few weeks and I should be able to run on it. Other runners that I know are telling me no problem you could easily run a half in December but they also tend to be injured and continued to run.

    I know at this point that stating my training was wasted is more of an emotional response to the situation and at some point in time I will look at it more logically - I got faster on my shorter distance runs, I proved that I could run 10 miles, etc, etc.

    Take the improvements as your victory, heal up, and move on. Don't be "that" runner who crashes and burns because you want to "defy the odds." There will always be more races. Come back with a vengeance in 2015 - no shame in that.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    viktha wrote: »
    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    This is between you, your doctor, and your PT. Your training is NOT wasted - your training will be wasted if you run and injure yourself further, and a DNF will add insult to injury (no pun intended). I understand your emotions about the training, and will say that you are being predictably irrational about running/racing at this point.

    I never went to my doctor as it was only a sprain, a few days and I could walk on it with only minor discomfort. I figured a few weeks and I should be able to run on it. Other runners that I know are telling me no problem you could easily run a half in December but they also tend to be injured and continued to run.

    I know at this point that stating my training was wasted is more of an emotional response to the situation and at some point in time I will look at it more logically - I got faster on my shorter distance runs, I proved that I could run 10 miles, etc, etc.

    Take the improvements as your victory, heal up, and move on. Don't be "that" runner who crashes and burns because you want to "defy the odds." There will always be more races. Come back with a vengeance in 2015 - no shame in that.

    Truth. I am in a similar situation - slipped on some aid station trash 8 miles into my A race and had to DNF. I understand that disappointment and the hunger to get back out there. The decision of what to do about fitness and racing again was made between myself, my PT, and my coach. Its always better to err on the side of caution and fully recover, even if it drives you crazy in the meantime. Races are a dime a dozen, but you only have that one pair of legs.

  • jensenta3
    jensenta3 Posts: 179
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    Don't push it! I had an IT band, knee and hip issue. I hurt it training for my 2nd half marathon. I ran it anyway and have had numerous steroid injections, dr. appointments and physical therapy appointments to fix this issue. It's been a year and I am just starting to get some miles back. Your training is not lost! HEAL yourself, do not push it. You will regret it! You have your whole life to run a half marathon.
  • viktha
    viktha Posts: 36 Member
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    Thanks for the input. I will probably skip another half for awhile especially since I have already signed up and paid for a Ragnar in June I will heal up and train for that.

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