Friday, May 20, 2011

My return to running -- one example of a schedule

I've spent a lot of time on various running fora discussing injuries, and while the most popular topic is generally diagnosis (we love to self-diagose), a secondary topic is how to return to running post injury.

In the past, I've returned pretty aggressively - in approximately 8 weeks I'd have returned to my high mileage ways.  At the time, I thought this was good -- heck, setting PRs in your first races back from injury has to be a good thing, right?  But I'd only be running for about 2-3 months before another injury would hit.  It was never the same injury twice, and so I thought it was just my bad luck.

I've since realized that when you take time off, your body loses a lot of its ability to sustain the trauma of running.  Your hard-earned durability erodes, and you can't really jump back to where you were.  You need to think of yourself as a new runner, and rebuild accordingly -- almost like the couch-to-5K.

And so, this time, with guidance, coaching, and coaxing supplemented by acidic common sense, I came back very carefully.  It was frustrating at times, but in the end I managed to come back without rebreaking the foot.  My goal was to come back without reinjury, and I accomplished it.


When I was injured, I was constantly searching for the blogs of others who had broken a foot and then returned to running, to get some feel for the appropriate progression.  For all of you now in the same boat, here's how I did it.  Below, I've mapped out the first 14 weeks of my return (days that I actually ran are italicized).  I did my first tempo workout 7 weeks after being cleared to run and my first interval workout and race 12 weeks after being cleared.  I waited 11 weeks before cautiously running back to back two days in a row (I still only run 4 days a week, with Tuesday and Wednesday being back to back).  And it wasn't until 14 weeks back that I began to do my post-workout cool-down on the track.

This is obviously a very lengthy post, but hopefully it will be of use to others.

***

Preface: 6 weeks in a boot doing nothing but pool running, pilates (with feet not touching anything, and upperbody strengthwork.  Forecast at the time of injury was for 6 weeks no weight-bearing exercise, then 6 more weeks of biking+elliptical, before running.  Week 0 is a half-week, starting on a Wednesday when I took the boot off for the last time and started testing the elliptical, yoga, etc.

Week 0 (walking around in a shoe.  Also doing all sorts of foot/calf strengthening exercises)
  • Wednesday: easy pool-running + pilates
  • Thursday: pool-running (tempo) 
  • Friday: easy pool-running + 5 minutes on elliptical and upper body strengthwork
  • Saturday: pool-running "long run" +  5 minutes on arc-trainer and leg strengthwork
  • Sunday: easy pool-running + 15 minutes on arc-trainer and upper body strengthwork.
Week 1 (cleared to run on Wednesday, 5 weeks ahead of schedule.  I opt to take another week off, as I'm still limping from a weak leg from the boot)
  • Monday: pool-running interval workout + 30 minutes on arc-trainer
  • Tuesday: easy pool-running + upper body strengthwork
  • Wednesday: easy pool-running + 30 minutes on arc-trainer and pilates
  • Thursday: long pool-run + 45 minutes on arc-trainer
  • Friday: easy pool-running + yoga
  • Saturday: easy pool-running + 1:45 on the arc-trainer
  • Sunday: easy pool-running
Week 2 (1 mile land-running)
  • Monday: pool-running interval workout + hour on arc-trainer and upper body strengthwork
  • Tuesday: easy pool-running + lower body strengthwork
  • Wednesday: "test jog" on track (alternate walk 100m and jog 100m for 4 reps, and then finish off with 400m continuous jogging) totaling to 800m of running, followed by easy pool-running + pilates
  • Thursday: pool-running tempo, followed by strengthwork
  • Friday: 30 minutes on arc-trainer + yoga, + "test jog" on track (alternate walk 100m and jog 100m for 4 reps, and then finish off with 400m continuous jogging) totaling to 800m of running, followed by easy pool-running.  
  • Saturday: pool-running "long run" + upper body strengthwork
  • Sunday: easy pool-running
Week 3 (3 miles of land-running)
  • Monday: "test jog" on track (2 reps of jogging 100m/walking 100m, and then 600m jog) totaling to 800m of running, and then pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
  • Tuesday: easy pool-running + lower body strengthwork
  • Wednesday: "test jog" on track (alternate walk 100m and jog 400m for 4 reps) totaling to a mile of running, followed by easy pool-running.   Also tiny bit of biking
  • Thursday: pool-running tempo, followed by leg strengthwork
  • Friday: "test jog" on track (jog 5 minutes, walk 90 seconds, jog 6 minutes) totaling to about 2000m of running, followed by easy pool-running.  Later upper body strengthwork 
  • Saturday: pool-running "long run"
  • Sunday: easy pool-running
Week 4 (7.5 miles of land-running)
  • Monday: "test jog" on track (3 reps of jogging 5 minutes/walking 1 minute) totaling to 1.75 miles of running, and then pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
  • Tuesday: easy pool-running + lower body strengthwork and a yoga class
  • Wednesday: "test jog" on asphalt (3 reps of jogging 7 minutes/walking 1 minute) totaling to 2.25 miles of running, followed by easy pool-running.  
  • Thursday: pool-running tempo, followed by leg strengthwork
  • Friday: "test jog" on asphalt  (2 reps of jog 8 minutes/walk 1 minute, then jogged 10 minutes) totaling to about 3.5 miles of running, followed by easy pool-running.  Later pilates. 
  • Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also strength-training.
  • Sunday: easy pool-running
Week 5 (12 miles land-running)
  • Monday: "test jog" on track (3 reps of jogging 10 minutes/walking 1 minute) totaling to 4 miles of running, and then pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
  • Tuesday: easy pool-running + lower body strengthwork
  • Wednesday: "test jog" on asphalt (3 reps of jogging 12 minutes/walking 1 minute) totaling to 4.5 miles of running, followed by easy pool-running 
  • Thursday: pool-running tempo, followed by  strength training
  • Friday: "baby run" on track  (2 reps of jog 15 minutes/walk 1 minute, ) totaling to about 4 miles of running, followed by easy pool-running.  Later pilates
  • Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also yoga
  • Sunday: easy pool-running
    Week 6 (12 miles of land-running; also business trip)
    • Monday: "baby run" on track (run 20 minutes/walk 1 minute/run 10 minutes) totaling to 3.6 miles of running, and then pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
    • Tuesday: easy pool-running + travel
    • Wednesday: biking plus elliptical in hotel gym  
    • Thursday: travel + easy pool-running and upper body strengthwork
    • Friday: "baby run" on asphalt of 30 minutes straight (3.5 miles), followed by easy pool-running.  Later pilates
    • Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also upper body strengthtraining
    • Sunday: easy run on asphalt of 40 minutes (~5 miles) followed by easy pool-running
      Week 7 (20 miles land-running; first tempo workout)
      • Monday: pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
      • Tuesday: easy pool-running + lower body strengthwork
      • Wednesday: 7 mile run outside plus drills and strides, followed by easy pool-running 
      • Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
      • Friday: "split tempo" -- first did 1.25 miles warm-up then 2 mile tempo on track, followed by completing tempo in the pool with 2x15 minutes tempo effort, 1 minute recovery.  Later pilates
      • Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also upperbody strengthtraining
      • Sunday: 10 miles easy land running, and then easy pool-running
        Week 8 (25 miles land running)
        • Monday: easy pool-running.
        • Tuesday: pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
        • Wednesday: 7 mile easy run outside , followed by easy pool-running 
        • Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
        • Friday: tempo on track of 5.5 miles including 3 mile tempo.  Did cool-down jog in the pool.  Later pilates
        • Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also upperbody strengthtraining
        • Sunday: 12.5 miles land-running "long run", and then easy pool-running
        Week 9 (23 miles land-running, also business travel)
        • Monday: easy pool-running.
        • Tuesday: 7 mile easy run outside, followed by easy pool-running + upper body strengthwork
        • Wednesday:  pool-running interval workout 
        • Thursday: 10 mile easy run outside
        • Friday: easy pool-running
        • Saturday: 5K race as a tempo (with 1 mile warm-up) then easy pool-running and yoga
        • Sunday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training 
        Week 10 (35 miles land-running)
        • Monday: 12 miles land-running, followed by easy pool-running
        • Tuesday: pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
        • Wednesday: 4 mile easy run outside , followed by easy pool-running and yoga
        • Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
        • Friday: 5 miles running on track including 3.25 mile tempo.  Did cool-down jog in the pool.  Later pilates
        • Saturday: easy pool-running and also upperbody strengthtraining
        • Sunday: 14 miles land-running "long run", and then easy pool-running
        Week 11 (31 miles land-running; first time running two days back to back)
        • Monday: easy pool-running.
        • Tuesday: 2 miles easy land-running, then pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
        • Wednesday: 9 mile easy run outside , followed by easy pool-running, yoga class later
        • Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
        • Friday: 6 miles of land-running on track including 4 mile tempo.  Did cool-down jog in the pool.  Later pilates
        • Saturday: pool-running "long run" and also upperbody strengthtraining
        • Sunday: 14 miles land-running "long run", and then easy pool-running
        Week 12 (29 miles land-running; first track intervals workout and first race)
        • Monday: easy pool-running.
        • Tuesday: 6 miles of land-running on track, including 6x800m interval workout, followed by cool-down jog in pool + upper body strengthwork
        • Wednesday: easy pool-running and yoga
        • Thursday: 9 miles land-running followed by easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
        • Friday: 5.5 miles land-running, followed by easy pool-runningLater pilates
        • Saturday: easy pool-running
        • Sunday: 8 miles land-running, including 8K race, and then easy pool-running for cool-down
        Week 13 (35 miles land-running)
        • Monday: easy pool-running.
        • Tuesday: 4 miles easy land-running then a pool-running interval workout + upper body strengthwork
        • Wednesday: 10 mile easy run outside, followed by easy pool-running and yoga
        • Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
        • Friday: 6.5 miles on track including 4.5 mile tempo.  Did cool-down jog in the pool.  Later pilates
        • Saturday: easy pool-running and also upperbody strengthtraining
        • Sunday: 14 miles land-running "long run", and then easy pool-running

        Week 14 (40 miles land-running; first time doing some of my post-workout cool-down jog on track, rather than in pool)
        • Monday: easy pool-running.
        • Tuesday: 6.5 miles of land-running on track, including 1600m and then 3x800m interval workout, and cooldown jog, followed easy pool-running + upper body strengthwork
        • Wednesday: 11.5 miles land-running plus easy pool-running and leg strengthwork
        • Thursday: easy pool-running, plus upper body strength training
        • Friday: 8 miles land-running including 4 mile tempo on the track and cool-down jog, followed by easy pool-running.  Later pilates
        • Saturday: easy pool-running plus strengthtraining
        • Sunday: 13 miles land-running long run,and then easy pool-running plus a yoga class

        6 comments:

        1. Wow, are we already at week 15?!? You've done an awesome job with your comeback!

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        2. Actually, we're a lot past there -- this ends in late March.

          I stopped this reprise at the first time I did a cool-down jog on the track, post workout. It's at that point that I think I reached my personal variant of normal, and could be considered to have "returned", even if I wasn't yet fully fit.

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        3. This is great, people coming back from an injury are going to love seeing an example!

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        4. I stalked your log when I was coming back to get an idea of what was safe. I came back even slower, but I was never running your kind of mileage to begin with.this post will definitely be helpful for others, and I am s glad you are injury free!

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        5. Hi again. I was able to buy an exogen bone growth stimulator off of ebay. I will get it tomorrow (p.o. not open today - veteran's day). I am going into my 5th week, I suppose it's never too late to start. did you use yours from day one? I go back to podiatrist this week and I guess will get an xray. did you dr. take an xray to tell you that your fracture was healing? from you blog, it said you healed by7 weeks - I doubt that will happen to me so I am not sure what I am looking at in terms of starting to weight bear. the boot is just so awkward. swimming laps without touching the wall is starting to get to me!!! I appreciate your blog and I am going to try to use your comeback schedule as a guide. thanks for posting. I only hope the xray shows some callus formation. thanks for any advice

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          Replies
          1. I used mine from day 1. But it won't hurt to start using it now.

            Yes, I was cleared to run when the podiatrist saw a callus on the x-ray.

            After you get out of the boot, I would definitely start with walking, even if you're cleared to run right away. I also found that doing stuff like one legged balance exercises helped with my recovery.

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