Experior's Group, Take Two -- CLOSED (Page 9)

Still no running but glad to be back on the bike the last couple of weeks.  Solid swim workout at lunch followed by most intense bike workout since getting back in the saddle 2 weeks ago.  10 minute warm up then 2x20 upper Z3/lower Z4 watts (195-200) on 5:00 recovery.  Feels good to push it again-can already feel tightness in quads.  Run has always been my strength so inability to run has forced me to focus on swimming and now cycling.  Long term-maybe the leg problem will be a positive.  How's that for rationalization!!. Hate to lose the run fitness though-was hitting consistent 30-35 miles per week......... Hopefully it will return quickly once I start pounding the pavement again.

Really enjoying the group-hope to have a race report before the group ends

Randy    

Randy, out of curiosity, what is going on with your legs?  I too am on the mend...it's pretty frustrating.  Perhaps Melinda can share with us her thoughts on pool jogging- is it possible to get a workout from it?

Will try to keep it short. Running half marathon in January and about 2 miles in began to feel tightness in right hamstring.  Could not get it loosened up so dropped out around mile 3.  By the time I got home I could not put any weight on right leg-used a cane for 2-3 days due to pain with each step.  Pain was down the back of my leg. I had several 100+ mile months prior to the race so was prepared.  Went to the ortho the next day and he said it was likely IT Band and that I could return to biking in a week and then running in 3-4.  Improved a good bit in a week so I went back to biking.  Was not much better after a month so went to Chiro for Active Release Therapy (ART)-this helped alot.  For the last 2 months I feel that I am almost there but can't get over the hump. Still tightness in right hamstring and just behind right knee.  Went back to Ortho and he thinks it is a lack of muscle balance/flexibility in my right hip-starting PT next Monday to learn some exercises that will hopefully lead to a long term fix. Ok, not so short.  Been very frustrating as I miss running. 

Tough getting old!

Randy

On the pool/aqua jogging issue-you can get a good workout doing it but it is really boring.  When I was doing it I would do intervals. Something like warm up then 5-6 sets of 3-5 minutes hard with 1 minute recovery.  I checked heart rate after each hard set to make sure I was pushing it enough.  Do a google search and you will find some suggested workouts  I did it in waist deep water and worked up a sweat.  No adverse impact on the leg.  Now, I figure if I am going to be in the pool I should be working on my swimming as there is plenty of room for improvement.

Randy 

Hit a milestone today.  50,000+ swim yards for the month. Bittersweet though, would rather have 30k swim yards and 100 running miles.  Had not really planned on trying to hit that number but continued increase in number of swim workouts due to leg problem results in more swim distance.   

I have seen improvement in times since increasing volume over last few months. Can now comfortably do 1:35/100 scy repeats-an improvement of about 10 sec/100 over the last 2-3 months.  Still have trouble getting into a rhythm on longer swims-seems to take 8-10 laps to get to a comfort level where I feel that I will actually be able to complete the distance.  Maybe time to get a lesson or 2 to improve technique some.

On the road the next few days so I'll be limited to stationary bike and elliptical.  Have a good day everyone.

Randy  

Nice!  There's nothing like volume to improve the swim.  It's a technique-oriented discipline for sure, but you also have to put in the time.

Michael-that stinks.  Glad you are relatively ok.  Make sure you take pictures of damage to bike and your injuries if you intend to make a claim against the guy.  Hope you will be able to recover well enough to race.  Keep us up to date.

Randy