How to return from a calf strain well (PART ... - Bridge to 10K

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How to return from a calf strain well (PART 6): Ice breaks  

CBDB profile image
CBDBGraduate10
11 Replies

First run this morning since 14 days! So I broke one of my own rules as set out below in my return plan! But ice and a couple of weeks of heavy workweeks kept me from finding time to do some runs.

I was seriously considering buying some ice-spikes and was watching some videos about ice runners, recommended on these forums. I was also pretty close to heading to a gym with a treadmill, but all of our  gyms in walking distance do not allow one-off use, and you have to take out a subscription of some kind.  This would have been big, as I’ve never run on a treadmill before!

But I saw that this morning would provide me with a gap between rain annd ice in the early morning, and yellow sleet warning at noon, so I headed out late morning. 

I dressed accordingly:

- 3 head coverings (beanie, hooded t-shirt, hooded fleece)

- 2 layers of leggings

- Buff

- 4  layers of upper body (under-vest, long sleeve hooded T-shirt, vest, sleeveless fleece)

- Gloves 

And I needed all of this.  And I’m keeping monitoring my calves, as they do feel a bit tighter than usual, and in these temperatures I wonder if they are a bit more vulnerable. I’m coming back from a calf-sprain after all.

So the stick-massage roller came out after my post-run stretches. (And I was eyeing wantingly the present under the Xmas tree that hubby and I agreed to get for ourselves , a massage gun)

And now I’m trying to warm up  with two hot water bottles in bed, as somehow my metabolism has gone into shivering mode (I get this sometimes, due to hypothyroidism). 

But proud I went out there. The Jeffing methods also allow a easy return from a 2 week break, I think.  I finished week 4, and the 3 min running was no problem.  

So up and onwards!

My plan as programmed into Runkeeper:

✅ ★ Week 1: 3 sessions of: (Run 1min : Walk 1min) x 10

✅ ★ Week 2: 3 sessions of: (Run 1min 30sec : Walk 30sec) x 8

✅ ★ Week 3: 3 sessions of: (Run 2min : Walk 30sec) x 8

✅ ★ Week 4: 3 sessions of: (Run 3min : Walk 1min) x 8

🔳 ★ Week 5: 3 sessions of: (Run 4min : Walk 1min) x 8

🔲 ★ Week 6: 3 sessions of: (Run 5min : Walk 1min) x 6

🔲 ★ Week 7: 3 sessions of: (Run 10min : Walk 1min) x 3

🔲 ★ Week 8: 3 sessions of: (Run 15min : Walk 1min) x 2

🔲 ★ Week 9: 3 sessions of: Run 20min non-stop

🔲 ★ Week 10: 3 sessions of: Run 25min non-stop

🔲 ★ Week 11: 3 sessions of: Run 30min non-stop

🔲 ★ Week 12: 3 sessions of: Run 35min non-stop 

JD IMPORTANT RULES TO FOLLOW

1) All running to be completed at an easy pace.

2) No speed work until you complete this ‘return to running’ phase!

3) Don’t run on consecutive days – give your body time to recover. 

4) Make sure you focus on form throughout each run, especially as the durations increase.

5) During each run, stop at the first sign of any discomfort. 

6) CBDB’s additional rule: Run at least 3 times a week. If you do not manage 3 times per week, repeat the week.  (If I don’t, it’s more likely I get injured)

7) CBDB’s additional rule: Stretch after every run and row  

8) CBDB’s additional rule: Cross Train per Week at least 3 sessions of gentle yoga and at least 3 sessions of gentle rowing (or targeted workouts)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

 THE WHOLE SERIES:

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

 How to return from a calf strain well? 

- Part 1 healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

- Part 2 healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

- Part 3 healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

- Part 4 healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

- Part 5 Mulling over this year’s running stats healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

- Part 6 Ice Breaks healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

- Part 7 Reaching my fairy house on Christmas healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

- Part 8 running with a cold and … speaking of walking …  healthunlocked.com/bridgeto... 

- Part 9 Familiar routes and new habits healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

- Part 10 By now, who’s counting? healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

- Part 11 I’ll call it a finish! healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

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CBDB
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11 Replies
AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10

Wonderful post from you CBDB, glad you enjoyed your first run for 2 weeks, keep warm with those two hot water bottles in bed.This morning I went a walk starting at 9 o'clock, I wanted to be back home by 11.35am, the quiet country road I walked on was well salted and ice free until a little over half-way, the road at that point hadn't been salted and was like a ice rink, only one thing to do, turn back and go the way I had come, but to get back by 11.35 it meant that I would have to run just for a little while, I was wearing bran new trainers, not running shoes, however, I did manage to run a little and got back at 11.35 as I had intended, if I hadn't ran I would have got home around 11.40, if I had walked very slowly on the ice part I probably would have got home about a hour later as to avoid falling the walk would have been dead slow and stop. 😊

CBDB profile image
CBDBGraduate10 in reply toAlMorr

So good for you to be able to resort to your running, it sounds. Running keeps on giving!

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply toCBDB

👍 🏃🏾

Doris8 profile image
Doris8Graduate10

well done on your run, hope you are recovered now from your shivering . This weather a bit extreme at times -11 on Tuesday Nyerere. . Mr D has a massage gun which I got him last year, it’s an Aerlang massage gun with plenty of attachments. He’s a pain never sticks to using these things and says it hasn’t help. He hasn’t got a lot of will power. Went out a 5 km walk at 6.30 and gritters were out and pavements salted -2 . It’s my hands the cold goes for 2 pair of gloves and fingers still sting with the cold and burn when it’s hot. Think it’s arthritic. Enjoy the rest of your day🙂🤶

CBDB profile image
CBDBGraduate10 in reply toDoris8

thank you. Yes, all warmed up now. Cold hands don’t feel good. I started the run with fingers in fists, midway to arrange them in each glove finger-digit, to then not need any gloves by the end of the run. But afterwards as I shivered they were ice cold again.

But now all is warmed up!

👍🏽😊

Doris8 profile image
Doris8Graduate10

The pain in them when I got back the other morning was really bad but I haven t been out for walking in the lesser temperatures., Wasn’t too bad at -2 today. Back to bikini weather tomorrow 🤣🤣

CBDB profile image
CBDBGraduate10 in reply toDoris8

I’d welcome bikini weather right now! 🤣🤣

RunBrianRun profile image
RunBrianRunGraduate10

Well done CBDB 👍 You got out there and that return to running recovery plan looks great. I like the way you have tweaked it for your own circumstances. Very useful.

Good luck with the rest of the recovery. 👍

CBDB profile image
CBDBGraduate10 in reply toRunBrianRun

Thank you! ☺️👍🏽

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWAmbassador

well done for getting out there! The only decent day here after the freeze, I had a shed load of stuff that needed doing. Now had several days of rain 🙄

I find the wind is the worst…when BBC weather says “gentle breeze”, I give a hollow laugh and put on extra layers! 🤣

CBDB profile image
CBDBGraduate10 in reply toLottieMW

yeah, on my last run yesterday I was so glad to run without layers! One can see the warmth in the pics even: healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

But I think this will have been the only sunny day of the week until Saturday.

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