Thoughts on not being able to run because of injury and effective crosstraining during the healing period by Stroppy of Saltash.

[CaroleC]

Well - the title sounds a bit wordy but I just thought people should understand that there ARE other options if you are injured enough to be off for a few weeks, but want to keep some level of aerobic fitness up while you recover.

I have now been off the road with some sort of inner lower knee injury (may be ligaments, I don't know, but if it is no better after the weekend I will see the doc) since last Wednesday 11th July - that is, so far, nine whole days of no running, and as you will know, there is nothing more annoying than not being able to get out there, especially when I have events coming up so I need to keep the fitness and conditioning that I've built up in my eleven months of running since finding the C25K programme.

So, what to do? Well, the gym has become even more of a friend. On Mondays I have been doing the cycle, the rower and the crosstrainer, stretches, some crunches, and some yoga moves. No treadmill, no impact stuff. The machines tell me I use up 300 calories each session, so equivalent to a 5K.

On Thursdays I have been keeping fit with my young mentee (one of his targets is also to keep fit) so we go to yet another gym that has weight resistance machines (which my Monday gym doesn't really have, because it's just the school fitness suite, but it is free!) and I try to do lots of quad strengthening exercises and any other machines, upper body etc, but no treadmill.

Walking is difficult because it aggravates the knee and I just limp, which I don't think is doing the muscles on the affected side any good, so I decided to go back and give my local swimming pool a try (not been in there since last Spring when I used it and the Wii Fit to lose weight!) and was in there this morning at 6.50am to do as many lengths as I could manage before 7.30ish when I have to deal with my chooks and be ready before work. Turns out that is 52 lengths front crawl (1300metres) so I was quite pleased with that, but I suspect my arms and shoulders will be letting me know about it in the morning.

I think the worst thing about not running is the loss of runners' high. Ok, I know that by doing other aerobic stuff, and the lower and upper body strengthening work that hopefully I will not lose too much fitness but it's not the same when I can't get out and feel the wind on my face and the freedom of knowing that my legs can carry me for several miles at a speed I was getting happier and happier with. Will I be able to get back out soon? I don't know. The doc will tell me that next week if I don't think I'm improving.

The longest time I've been off through injury before has been two weeks. Well that will be up next Wednesday. I have a 10k on the 25th of August on a somewhat hilly route on my homeland turf in Scotland and I am going to be really disappointed if I can't make a decent effort out of it, or worse, can't do it at all.

So, I have to try shrug off the frustration, and concentrate on exercising at least three times a week and maybe next week I'll do a whole mile in the pool (66.6 lengths!)

Not a happy bunny. CaroleC

[Grammadog1947 Graduate]

Wow...52 lengths on your first go...I'd be happy with that. I know, I know...it's not RUNNING. Best to take the rest time and allow that knee to heal tho.

Hope you're back out there soon!

[TJFlute]

Your dedication leaves me speechless. But t least we can all learn from this, and sort out other options to keep the fitness levels up during a time of injury.

It goes without saying that I hope your knee is ok soon, it sounds like a visit to the doc won't go amiss.

If the knee improves you still have plenty of time to get up to 10k again..lets hope so, but time to heal is priority, the races can wait...

Best of luck Carole,

Theresa

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Oohh Carol sorry to hear you have a injury, lets hope it settles down soon for you. I think the swimming will be great for your breathing control, I have found mine is much better since I've been swimming at least twice a week sometimes 3. Will keep my fingers crossed that you are sorted and able to do your 10K next month.

[sfb350 Graduate]

That's a lot of swimming, I'm in awe ! Do you have Aquajog classes near you ?

Hope your injury heals soon, good luck !

[CaroleC Graduate in reply to sfb350]

I think there are Aquafit classes but not Aquajog. I did think about trying pool running this morning, but the lanes were divided up for the Earlybird swimmers only so that was a non-starter.

CaroleC

[happierswimming Graduate]

glad to hear you like swimming! As a dedicated (almost ) daily swimmer, I do c25k because I desperately wanted to run 5k ( don't know why, just on my bucket list!) but I really love to swim. However, I'm giving c25k a real go and have just one week left then I plan to run twice a week so I don't lose the habit. But I'll never give up swimming and I'll continue to push it as a great all-round exercise regime: lungs, heat, muscles, joints, fantastic!!

[CaroleC Graduate in reply to happierswimming]

I know how good swimming is for you, and being non-impact it is definitely a go-to when the legs are struggling! I've always liked swimming and feel fairly at home in the water; however I wish I could master the tumble turn....I'd feel like a real swimmer if I could only do that!

CaroleC

[Greg_M Graduate]

Phenominal swimming effort Carol, tri-athalon next? Not sure about the cycle but I think a standard tri is 1500m swim, cycle then 10k run. So you have two of them already, go on you know you want to!

Sorry to here your out of running for a bit, I haven't had to face that yet but have been dreading the day it comes. Appreciate the positive words.

A swift recuperation to you our west country friend.

[CaroleC Graduate in reply to Greg_M]

Hi Greg_M,

Thank you for your kind wishes...I don't know how far the cycle is, but yes, I could try a tri but I definitely wouldn't be finishing very fast. I was up to a mile in swimming last year, and basically just ran out of time this morning, but I logged all my swims in the running4women site when I did them and my swim speed this morning was better than then so I think the running has def improved my pool stamina! I know I was getting very hot and was wishing they'd turn the pool temp down a bit.

CaroleC