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RW Marathon FLM Beginners - Philippa
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I did the FLM in 2002 from scratch in 3 months. It wasn't pretty but I got round in a kind of running/walking fashion. I don't normally post things on these websites but reading your thread was like reading my own training diary from back then.
The injuries can get you down but keep your chin up. While you aren't running, try to work hard on the other side of it, which is losing a bit more weight so you don't have to cart it around London in April. It's something to pour your efforts into and will hopefully relieve a bit of the frustration if you see success on that front.
All the best for the rest of the training.
Sarah
Thanks - that's encouraging. How long did it take you to finish? I am battling on with the diet ... have lost 10 lbs so far (which is nothing compared to Kerry, the other beginner, also dieting, who has lost 24 lb in the same time. I am now on day 3 of the South Beach diet, where they claim you lose 8-17 lb I think it says in the first fortnight...)
I'm seeing a sports physio on Monday and swimming this week. This is to be reviewed Friday after a 15 min walk ... the last one, on Monday, left me in pain in the calf after about 13 mins.
Philippa
Have fun!!
What a nice surprise to check in to runner's world, and to chance upon your progress. Good for you.
You'll have lots of sound advice from all kinds of knowledgeable and friendly people, so I won't try - except, balance the engine with the chassis - don't do too much 'cos you're getting the heart and lungs fit, at the cost of hurting your knees and calves.
Want a slow and steady companion at times, give me a call (book group richard)
i was so frustrated cuz my fitness and nutrition and kit and mental prep were all go go go...however my knee (actually, my ITB) had other plans.
Philippa...it sounds repetitive, but go slow. i started out with the nike 10k and went nuts, entering all these races. now i have to forego a couple due to injuries from over-training. in fact, i think i enjoy the LSD runs more than some of the races!
run for yourself, let the odd race be a benchmark to judge YOURSELF.
(Jean Plod now gets down from his soap-box marked "Beginners")
JPVD.
.
nice to hear from you Richard (and JPVD, Patouka etc). I would give you a ring but haven't jogged for - it will be a month on Thursday. Still got this calf injury.
Went to a physio yesetrday. It's torn calf muscles, what Keith, the coach, thought. Had deep tissue massage and ultrasound and have to go back next week for more. He says he doesn't know how long it will take to heal.
So am having to plod on with the swimming, a complete hassle as the pool I was using has just closed for 2 weeks for refurbishment.
Diet was/is sort of going OK - have just about lost a stone but yesterday and today am on off days.
What worries me is if the injury takes much longer to heal I will have to put myself under pressure to make the marathon and risk setting it off again or getting other injuries. But whatever happens at least I'll be slimmer and fitter ... which was the aim of this.
Thanks for all your encouragement!
The woman who won a hugely demanding ultra race in the States a few years back (story in the Runner's world archive somewhere) was about to withdraw a week before the start because she went out for a plod and couldn't maintain a trot for more than a couple of minutes.
What we feel like, and what we can do, are not the same thing.
Kick back. It's just a detail.
Kindly meant!
I'm doing my first FLM in about the same time scale as you (and a beginner too) and watching over an old foot injury. Just think how fantastic we'll feel when we achieve this goal. I'm sure it'll completely change the way we feel about all those little everyday hurdles. If we can do this...I think we can do ANYTHING...
good luck with that calf. Checkout the weight loss thread http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/fm.asp?R=4&T=24462&M=978870
..it's very motivational and keeps me going
I got my entry conformed about 10 days ago. Since when I've been trotting a bit, and realising how much I've got worse since the last FLM I did in '97.
Like they say, fitness isn't a deposit account - you can't assume that the miles you put in a few years back will still be there now! Heigh ho, on with the suffering.
Keep us all in touch.
All the very best
That's great news you've got in. I'll look out for you in the park.
I'm still not running. Went to the physio again last week (calf injury - had it for about six weeks at least now), and he said I should try just running for one min, walking for one, over and over, for a maximum of 25 mins, after a 10 min warm-up, but stop immediately there is any pain. There was pain in the first couple of minutes in my calf. So my coach said I've got to just swim and cycle at the moment, no running. I'm meant to be aiming for two hours of either every day but haven't yet managed it once this week. I've done one hour, but just been too busy to fit in two.
Have just watched Sports Persoanlity of the Year and tv and feel all motivated ... am seeing the physio again tomorrow. Must say feel bleak about achieving this when I can't run at all at the moment.
Anyway good luck, keep in touch, you'll probably run past me on my bike ...
You also need to build up endurance for FLM so why not work up to a couple of hours of walking if your calf will let you, at least you will be spending time on your feet.
Just wondered how it's all gone over Christmas?
I had problems with my calf muscle for ages and ages once - don't know if you've seen a podiatrist but getting orthotics sorted it out immediately for me after lots of physio / sports massage / osteo etc didn't....worth a thought, I think it affected my shorter leg .....
bit of a disaster really. STILL not running ... still having physio weekly. Yesterday did 15 mins of one min walk, one min run with no problem. But when I tried 20 mins of that a few days ago I had to stop, so am back to 15, with a day's rest between tries. Beginning to feel bleak about making it at this rate ... it's now at least a couple of months since I've had a proper run and even then I was very near the beginning of the training so only doing 75 mins of walk/run mix. The physio says he can't tell me when it will turn a corner ... just have to wait and see.
What worried me is even if it suddenly improves I'llhave to train so fast I might set it, or something else, off ... but don't know what else I can do but plod on.
I wasted months and £100s on physios / Runners World Doctor / osteopaths you name it - and suddenly got my shin splints and calf problems sorted by a really good podiatrist and orthotics- which the physio had strongly advised me against......
Also - if it's any comfort - you CAN cross train for a marathon - I had 6 weeks off running this time 2 years ago - and basically lived in the gym ...then after that I only ran once a week - really really slowly on football fields for 3 hours (Sunday mornings) - for the last 6 weeks before the FLM 2002.... I was so fit I didn't break into a sweat - completely unlike me...OK I had no running speed at all....but you can get yourself fit enough to get round and enjoy it...Honest!
I'm s Strong believer in finding out what caused the problem in the first place - otherwise all you do is rest up - allow the injury to heal so that you can restart the activity and get to the same level of training....that caused the injury in the first place!
Sorry if you've been down the orthotics route BTW :-)
Good Luck for 2004!
I'm having physio, deep tissue massage and ultrasound weekly and have for at least the last 6 weeks I think. But it is still not better. I'm OK cycling. I'm not a member of a gym any more. Do you mean the cross trainer in the gym? maybe I'd better rejoin.
Cycling is good cross training, as is the rower or elliptical wotsit, although do be careful as it's possible they might aggravate the injury.
Good luck
Hope this helps, our very own pizzaman is a bit of an expert on calves
Hi guys,
Here's some advice for a medium sized calf tear. 'fraid there is no cure although it will heal, but the remade tissue will remain a weak spot.
Days 1-5 - Total rest. Using the injured leg as little as poss'. Use the R.I.C.E. treatment method, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate.
Days 5-15 - Start to exercise again but with NO weight bearing activities. Use an exercise bike but don't use the toe straps, as they will work the calves. Swim but don't be too vigorous on the turn as this can also aggravate the calves. It would be good to start to stretch now but not too much or the newly formed tissue will weaken. Massage is very important now as well as it is not only a great healing tool but can break down the scar tissue, if the right techniques are used. A lot of the pain will have gone by now but DON'T be tempted to rush into anything. Or you'll be back to square one.
Days 15-21 - Keep up the stretching and massages and now you can start weight bearing exercise, the stepper, elliptical trainer or rowing machine. The tear in the muscle fibres should be healing nicely now but is still very weak SO DO NOT RUN. The muscles need to be rehabbed and strengthened. There are some good strengthening exercises if you'd like to e-mail me your e-mail adress via the link next to my name above I'll forward them on to you.
Days 21-42 - Start to build up running distance and intensity slowly. You might be able to do a really hard run but then tear it again on a really easy run the next day, as the muscles have been overloaded by the hard run.
Be patient, keep to the above and you'll be as fit as were before the tear if not stronger as well due to the massage, stretching and strengthening.
Good luck and have a great New Year
hope your training going well
and gd lucky at the flm 04
just enjoy the day
I don't think you should worry about not running too much. Let the calf heal, with the pool work your fitness level will be no problem. I finished my first marathon on the back of five weeks running and worked a whole lot less than you in the pool or on a bike beforehand.
I did 90 mins cycling on New Year's Eve, and the next day was just in the kitchen doing nothing much, just walking about, and felt the whole calf kind of rip ... felt like the healing muscle fibres just tore apart. Now it hurts just to put my foot down so am back to icing, resting, wearing a bandage thing etc Am seeing the physio monday. At this rate won't even be walking the marathon ... I have not run for more than two months. Might try swimming after Mon when I've seen the physio.
Oh well, c'e est la vie ...
For what its worth, I am the same age as you, although not marathon training. I've also had calf problems
My solution was pretty much the same as yours, cross-train to keep the fitness improvement going, and allow the calf to heal
I hope all goes well for you
It was great to meet you this weekend..Hope the training gets back on track for the sake of your sanity. Just remember lots of people have only just seriously started their training programmes so your not behind
Good luck with it all
Glen
All the best from now on in to FLM.
Great to meet you too. Kerry and Ireally enjoyed the weekend. Sorry it's taken me so long to reply; it's been a very busy week.
My calf's been better this week so have been jogging a bit, increasing by 5 mins a time. Will try 25 mins i think it is tomorrow.,
A long way to go before I get anywhere near your standard!
Thanks for your message Dolly. I've stopped having physio now. Am just keeping my fingers crossed. All the best with your training.
Philippa
Thanks Dolly.
I have also had an injury and only starting running again about 1 month ago after a 6 week lay off, albeit very slow. At the moment i have only done 6/7miles but will be attemtpting to run on Sunday at Silverstone. hope your training is much further on than mine - keep going it is a great feeling when you finish the flm - don't worry about the time just go to finish and enjoy the day.
I will be at Silverstone on Sunday. I'm sure I'll come last. I did the RW pacing run in Richmond Park last Sunday. It was 15 miles. I was in the bottom group - run 5 mins, walk 1, over and over - and I found even that too fast for me .... dropped out after about 10 miles. I just couldn't face going on. Which has, of course, got me v worried about the marathon! not to mention Silverstone. That one minute walk just wasn't enough for me to recover the breathless ness that hit me at the run uphill at Ham Common.
Anyway good luck ... maybe see you on Sunday.
Philippa