Training log - Week ending 8/25/2024

This week was 33 miles of running, 2:30 on the arc-trainer and 9 "miles" of pool-running -- training log is here.

And of course, just when I thought I'd "turned the corner" my obturator flared up again.  In this case I think the cause was a) being a bit more aggressive with the hill repeats on Friday combined with b) doing a move in Pilates on Saturday that eccentrically stresses the internal rotators.  In any event, my hip was crampy on Sunday morning, and so a planned 10-12 miles became 7 tentative miles plus a shift to the arc-trainer.  So that was annoying.  Two steps forward, one step back...

Regarding the arc-trainer: I used to be a fan of them a decade ago, but had moved away from them - mostly because I didn't have any injuries that required me to use one.  But now that I'm stuck in rehab land (and have been for several weeks) I think I'm going to use it more and limit my pool-running to once a week.  

I've got a few reasons for shifting from pool-running to arc-trainer right now:

1) I'm worried about losing my lower legs' strength and ability to handle impact - while the arc-trainer isn't high impact, it is at least weight-bearing, so it's a bit closer to the impact of land running.

2) One of the causes of my obturator issue seems to be a hypertonic (i.e., always contracted) pelvic floor, and I'm working to break that habit.  I've noticed that I have to contract my pelvic floor and keep it contracted to pool-run, so essentially pool-running forces me to do something I'm trying to practice doing less.

3) Another possible side benefit of the arc-trainer is that it may improve my stride.  One issue I have to manage when I run is that my quads always want to contract and straighten my knee.  This makes it pretty hard to not overstride - I have to focus to bring my foot under me, and as soon as I lose focus, I'm overstriding again.  

Using the arc-trainer at most inclines forces my knee to bend and my foot to land under me.  It feels very awkward, but then again, not overstriding when running feels very awkward also.  I've also noticed that my quads get very fatigued quickly when I'm on the arc-trainer because I'm using them in a different way when I bend my knee more.

My hunch is that because my tendency now is to run with little knee flexion, my quads have become stronger in that position and weaker when I bend my knees.  Which just reinforces my tendency to run with nearly straight legs and overstride.  So...if I can get the legs stronger and more comfortable in moving with a bent knee (and strengthen the quads in that position), perhaps that will improve my running stride.

Monday: 9 "miles" pool-running and streaming yoga.  Foam rolling in evening.

Tuesday: 7 miles very easy (10:02) and upper body weights/core. Foam rolling in evening.

Wednesday: 3 miles very easy (9:53) and 40 minutes on the arc-trainer, with a workout of 7x4:00 on, 1:12 off.  Followed with leg strengthwork. Foam rolling in evening.

Thursday: 6 miles very easy (9:51).  Pilates and foam rolling in the evening.

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Friday: 8 miles with 7 careful Iwo Jima hills (2:30 at a moderate effort up a 2% slope with about 3 minutes jogging recovery.  Followed with leg strengthwork.  Foam rolling at night.

Saturday: 2 miles very easy (10:02) on track, 40 minutes on arc-trainer and streaming pilates. Foam rolling in evening.

Sunday: 7 miles very easy (10:02), 70 minutes on arc-trainer, and injury prevention work.  Foam rolling in evening.