gutted! too much too soon!

ditpoker

ballotplacerunners.com wrote:

Don't overdo it in the early days. It's easy to get put off when you start your marathon training, as you might feel progress is slow and the distance that you've got to reach seems to be so far away. Don't worry: you'll get there if you pace yourself.

started my training more or less from zero on monday (in addition to cycling to and from work and playing football, so from general fitness to specific running)

I have football training on monday evenings so decided to do my first run before football, so i had 30 min run, then football (after cycling to and from work). Then tuesday, cycle to and from work, then went for another 30 min "Fartlek" run, varying pace, up and down hills etc. got home and was fine, but within about 45 mins my right ankle started to hurt, by the time i went to bed my ankle was KILLING me. and now, in work, I am genuinely struggling to walk from desk to printer to bathroom etc, my ankle is not in a good way. im gutted... GUTTED!!!

WARNING: novices... take it easy at the start... !

paulksnn

I really feel for you ditpoker.
With the standard cycling and football you were doing, I would have said an extra 30 min run would have been okay.

On saying that, I found myself on the beach on sunday and went for a walk for an hour (fast walk) and my instep was killing me on Sunday evening and all day monday. It had worn off by Tuesday lunchtime though.

I'm only starting in this game as well, so I know what a killer it would be not to be able to get started.
Have you tried using an ankle support?
It's probably too late, but a cold pack might help with the swelling as well.

Racing Flat

Good warning for everyone else, but I wouldn't be too gutted, I'm sure it will clear up quickly and you'll be back soon enough. Look on it like 'growing' pains as you grow into a runner, you'll have your ups and downs, that's why it's important to give yourself enough time with the first one, to allow for time off in such circumstances. You can do the marathon training in 3 or 4 months but better to have 6 months running behind you before embarking on this in my opinion.

ike

Yup you gotta take it easy starting from 0 or after a break - I started back running in December and just before christmas tried some speedwork on a track and the next my whole lower leg felt like it was hit with a hammer...tis Ok after a week's break and i'm back to 4-5 mile runs without any problem.

Even when you ankle feels better give it a few more days rest on top of that

lisbon_lions

When stuff like that happens it rotten. I go straight for the Ice / Elevation / Ibuprofen.

As you running increases and your tendons and lower extremities adapt to consistent mileage, i'm afraid they begin to hate things like sharp turning and croyf turns that football brings..

I had to trade off my footie on the astro on tuesdays against how much i wanted to train for a half-mary...im afraid the running won out and i kicked the football into touch for a while. I know, it sucks.

Abhainn

As you running increases and your tendons and lower extremities adapt to consistent mileage, i'm afraid they begin to hate things like sharp turning and croyf turns that football brings..

I second you lisbon_lions on your above comment. After many years of the GAA and soccor I find that now in my mid 30's you cannot combine marathon training and those team sports.
Christmas week I played 5 a side on consecutive days. The second day I got a knock on my knee. It was extemely difficult to lift my leg during driving for a couple of weeks but I was lucky could run over the hol period with a bit of care.
Maybe you can combine both if in your 20's?

ditpoker

i'm 24 and i have to say i'm quite worried by the above 2 posts. Yes I want to run a marathon, but at the expense of football, no way... surely both can be combined? this brings me to something i was gonna post after a bit of training regarding loss of speed in football as a result of marathon training... can anyone elaborate?

lisbon_lions

I dont know? I did not attempt both in my early twenties. I'm 32 now.
Just saying, as I'd hate for you to be in week 13 of your training plan having acumulated high mileage and pop something during the last two mins of an insignificant 5-aside footie game?

But, it sounds like you have already decided which is more important..
Then again, maybe you can do both. All im suggesting is - can you not sacrifice footie for a matter weeks for what would be a life altering experience (finishing a 26.2)?

gaf1983

I'm 24, just ran my first half-marathon on Sunday, training for the Connemara full. Just wondering, Lisbon Lions and Abhainn, do ye reckon I should cut back on the indoor soccer just due to the risk of injury or is it because your legs can't cope with the sharp turns and stops?

Abhainn

hello gaf1983 how many times / week do you play indoor soccor?

Count down is definately on with 13 weeks or so to go. What training plan are you using?
You are probably increasing the weekly milage now and running 3 days a week , and shortly maybe running a fourth day. If you are trying to squeeze in a couple of indoor football sessions with this you are increasing the likely hood of injury especially as the football is a contact sport.
Last thing you want is to damage a knee or ankle as this could set you back weeks.
Now as you past the 13th mile in your long runs things are getting serious.

I called a halt to the outdoor astro soccor just before Christmas

ditpoker

i dont play indoor myself, i have proper training and an 11-a-side league match at weekends. for me my priority will always be football so i'm trying to work out a decent marathon training schedule (probably condensed to 10 weeks on account of my injury).

I want to be able to comfortably run 15m one month before the London marathon, so say by Paddy's day.

assuming i get back running soon, i want to do 10k at the start of Feb, 10m by mid-late feb and 15m by mid march. i figure something like the below will work best.

Monday - cycle to and from work, football training
Tuesday - bus to work, run home (3.5 miles)
Wednesday - bus to work, run home longer route (min 5miles)
Thursday - cycle to and from work (i think a cycle after a long run will be good for me)
Friday - bus in and bus out of work (rest!!)
Saturday - football match
Sunday - rest

I was thinking maybe take the bike out of monday aswell, and do bus in and out for the first few weeks then change that to bus in and 3.5 miles home.

Any suggestions? alterations... with the above I'd want to be increasing the wednesday run steadily with the view to do 10k - 10m - 15m over a 6-8week period, and then re-assess with a month to go...

am i crazy? feasible?

EDIT: i have no specific target time wise, i registered cos i wanted to take part, do the training process, the challenge and want to cross the finish line if i cross the start line (and raise some €€€€ for charity)

lisbon_lions

Allright Gaf, I would for the sake of only weeks, hold up on the football - yes.

because of risk of injury or your legs cant cope with sharp turns? One leads to the other - by performing sharp turns, going in for 50-50 tackles (which are mostly below the waist) increases your chances of injury for sure. Grass is not as severe, but indoor is an unforgiving surface.

And as Abhainn said your long runs are getting longer and becoming more cruical now, you dont want to be going into them with a knock from the indoor.

Dont get me wrong, I love soccer (Lions of 67 :-) but I just wouldnt take the risk. If you continue to do both, just dont fall into the trap that most blokes do and fall out of the changing room and into a match - cold. Warm up and stretch and warm down/stretch after, whatever you do.