Training log - Week ending 7/19/2020

This week was 21 miles of running, 21 "miles" of pool-running, 5500 yards of swimming, and some easy walking on the treadmill -- training log is here. 

Returning from injury is always a challenge.  I've found the best way to do it is to mix cross-training and jogging, which results in a muddled training log that looks like I did a lot more than I actually did, since I do so many different things.

I started off with "medicine running" - basically running that was done to encourage and reinforce recovery rather than build fitness.   Short jogging intervals aren't going to do anything for me cardiovascularly. but once I'm past that initial inflammatory stage in an injury, they seem to help the process along - giving just enough movement and bloodflow and mobility to the tissue.

I think also that when one is injured, the body tends to shut down and protect itself - reintroducing running with short intervals convinces the body that it's safe to run again.

I played stuff by ear, but progressed quickly.  There was no way I could have run 9 miles on Monday, but by the end of the week it was a non-issue (except for the fact it was fairly warm).

Hopefully things will progress and I can start adding in some faster running by the end of the week.

Some surprising good news is that I may have actually "fixed" my hip in the process of pulling the hamstring.

I've had a lot of problems with that left leg feeling sticky and nervy and not as mobile as the other side. But...when I pulled the hamstring last Wednesday, I felt a "pop" at the sit bone. The pop was clearly not the hamstring or any other muscle tearing from the bone (we know this because I'd be in lot worse shape right now if it had been). The weird thing was, the mobility of that left hip improved almost immediately after the injury. And my regular nerve pain on that side faded away by the weekend. 

So...we're thinking (without any MRI or US to confirm) that I've had some old scar tissue in that left hip that has been gumming up the hamstrings and sciatic nerve on that side. And the "pop" I felt was the scar tissue tearing and freeing up that area. Fingers crossed that is the case.

Dailies 

Monday: a medicine run of 12x(30 seconds jog, 30 seconds walk).  Then 1900 yards of swimming and live streaming yoga.  30 minutes easy walking on treadmill and foam rolling at night.

Tuesday: a medicine run of 10x(60 seconds jog, 30 seconds walk) followed by upper body weights/core, 5 "miles" of pool-running, and live streaming yoga.  Foam rolling at night.

Wednesday: a medicine run of 8x(2 minutes jog, 30 seconds walk), followed by 5 "miles" pool-running and streaming yoga.  Foam rolling at night.

Thursday: 5 miles very easy structured as 10x0.5 mile with 30 second walk breaks, followed by 1800 yards swimming and streaming yoga.    Foam rolling at night.

Friday:  Upperbody weights, core, and 5.5 "miles" pool-running, followed by streaming yoga in morning.  Foam rolling at night.

Saturday: 7 miles easy (9:24), 5.5 "miles" pool-running; streaming yoga and foam rolling in afternoon.

Sunday: 9 miles aerobic (was too hot to call easy) (9:21), streaming yoga, and 1800 yards swimming.  Foam rolling at night.