Does anybody suffer in a similar way?

Hi,

Over the past three months, I have been partaking in lot's of interval training, tempo runs, fartleks etc... all on grass surfaces

Generally, 

14x500m - 1min20seconds rest

14x200m - 30seconds rest

5x1mile - 3minute rest

14x80m Hills - Varied recovery.

I could easily do 5 of these sessions a week, with no injury or fatigue.

However, if I partake in a long slow run you can guarantee that I will suffer a running injury. For instance, Friday morning I did an 8.5 mile run and Sunday morning 10mile run. Both slow. And my achilles is sore after completing both. Could it just be, that my body is not made for these longer distances? I am a sprinter naturally, very quick. I cannot comprehend how my body recovers so incredibly well after tough shorter sessions and yet leaves me crippled after a easy slow run?

Before, you shoot me down I am currently resting, to heal my achilles.

Comments

  • Even my long slow runs are on grass for 90% of the time.

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    Your Achilles was sore after a. 8.5m run and 2 days later ran 10 miles.... if someone said that to you would you say

    A: what do you expect, you are carrying an injury and run even further or

    B: well done for being macho and running on a sore leg. Or

    C: I'm hurting so I'll run then ask a load of random strangers why I always get injured when I don't let my previous injuries heal. 

    Or

    D: maybe I should rest until I'm not injured image then gradually buildup again, then if exactly the same thing happens after you are healed then maybe start to look at either trainers or a biomechanic issue. 

  • XX1XX1 ✭✭✭

    Good points above ^

    Kenton7 -- Have you built up your long runs gradualy?  And when you say "sore" do you just mean it aches a bit?  Also, what shoes are you running in?

  • It wasn't like that, the pain had subsided by Sunday morning and it wasn't until 9miles that the pain came on again as I neared home. So perhaps I was being macho for 1 mile. I would never start a run whilst injured. Believe me

    It's a simple question really. Why is it that for 3/4 months I have been completely injury free, whilst able to undertake multiple tough interval sessions and yet can't complete a long slow run without succumbing to injury?

    I guess trainers and bio-mechanics were your answers?

     

  • It was a nuisance pain I would say. As in I could feel it was inflamed for roughly 24 hours. I rested Mon, Tues, Wed and today I did 14x200m intervals and a 4mile long slow run after. Followed by 10-15 minutes static stretching. I have no pain whatsoever.

    I run in Nike Free Run 2's.

     

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    I would say the answer is probably that your calves are tight as f*** after 3/4 months of multiple tough interval sessions, probably without enough warm-up, cool-down or post-run stretching.

  • I warm up for at least 15 minutes, cool down for at least 2 miles and stretch for 10-15 minutes.

  • XX1XX1 ✭✭✭

    Kenton7 -- You might find this review of the Nike Free Run 2 of some interest: http://www.runningtechniquetips.com/2011/12/nike-free-run-2-review/.

    It's hard to give too much comment as, apart from not being an expert, I don't know your running history or any shoes you ran in prior to the Nike Free Run 2s.

    When I transitioned from a pair of Brooks (12mm heel drop) to Nike Free 3.0s I started at 2 miles and built up gradually over time, applying the 10% rule.  My calfs ached quite a bit but I didn't have any real injury issues.

    It could be that your calves are as tight as f*ck...  But for an EZ run I never bother warming up or cooling down, although I do for tempo & intervals.

  • Thank you XX1, I did find that useful. 

  • I'd probably say the transition between the longer reps and shorter reps + hills won't do the legs many favours either..I'd stick to either roughly the same speed or same length... It doesn't look too specific, one glance says 10km, the other says 3km... 

    I got an achilles injury most likely from running mile reps then suddenly running 200-400m reps alot quicker and then still doing relative big mileage around it and running whilst sore.. My calves being tight root cause.. so far 2 months out.. I've not done any hill work since and coach said if I do anything fast shouldn't be lower than 800m so it controls the pace still and is not eyeballs out

    Why don't you have any easy week? And progress the steady / long run so your body is used to it, for the next week after that cut out some sessions, perhaps switch the hill session for a tempo run.. Look at how fast the steady running too is and make sure it is slow, it still could be too fast

    Pain is weakness leaving the body
  • I'd also say, regardless of how you feel you may recover, damage can happen without you knowing or feeling it, it can be building up right now

    at running full time - I did 3 big sessions per week and 3 steady/slow runs 6 runs per week...

    It was too much, and like you, I feel I recover very quickly in hard sessions and never had an injury before...

    2 sessions is probably fine. 

     

    It does all depend on what you are training for too 

    Pain is weakness leaving the body
  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    5 speed sessions a week?

    What are you training for? As this seems like far too much.

    I would suggest cutting back to a maximum of 2 (make them specific to your end goal) and just do easy paced running for the rest of the week.



    How fast are you running your long runs?
  • Thanks Scott, I've been focusing on 200m intervals currently in prepartion for my pre-season football/soccer. Once that arrives, in roughly a week, I will go back to 500m intervals or mile tempo runs and continue that for the summer and avoid 200m. That's my plan.

    Millsy, I usually partake in 3/4 speed sessions. I do rest, but I said that I could do 5 sessions injury free. Sorry I wasn't clearer.

    My long runs are roughly 10minute miles. Whereas my race pace is 7mins10/20.

  • I'm going to alter my plan slightly, due to a fair bit of negativty towards my current schedule. Which is understandable.

    5x1 mile intervals: 5k pace 3min rest

    1 tempo run: 10/15min warm-up, 30 min 10k pace, 10min cool-down

    1 long slow run: starting at 6miles, with a 10% increase each week? 6.0/6.6/7.25/8 etc...

    Does anyone have any opposition towards this?

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