Help needed - can someone set me a plan?

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2013-01-12 10:46 PM

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Melbourne
Subject: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?
Hi all,

I am 3 tris in to a series of 6 here in Australia.

I am having a terrible time. At the 2km stage of every run, my calf is tightening and then the pain is sharpening, and I cannot run the remainder of the sprint without employing a walk/run just to finish.

This last 3 weeks (between events), I tried no running, just ride and swim to recover. It happened again today.

I have decided that I have had enough, so I will not do the next event, which will give me 7 weeks until the next event. Hopefully I can return calf strain free!

Question is:

Can someone recommend what I should do re: running and maybe a program for my calf? Strengthen, etc?

Set me a recover plan PLEASE!!!

I will follow it and report back after next event how it worked!

Whatever I'm doing/not doing is NOT working.

3 events wasted now......and I'm not looking like shaking the problem.

I will strengthen both calves, massages, run/walk if you think that's the way to go.

Help!!!!!

Thanks in advance

Anthony

2013-01-13 5:08 PM
in reply to: #4575683

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?
Most likely you are riding too hard on the bike and have run out of fitness by the time you hit the run. Even though you are feeling the pain in the run, the problem is in biking too hard. Ease off on the bike and you will be able to run the entire course.
2013-01-13 5:23 PM
in reply to: #4575683

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?
So, you only experienced calf pain during the race?
2013-01-13 7:26 PM
in reply to: #4576464

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?
Well, it happened during the first race and I have had to adjust my running in between.
Between the first and second race I was back to running pain free in training (there is 3 weeks between events).
Then it happened in the second race again.....at the 2 km mark.
This time on my brothers advice (I am 42..... he doesnt run between races at all, just rides and swims and still posts 4min km average in the run) I decided to not run at all, in the 3 weeks between races. Calf felt fine going in to race.

First 1.5km no probs, backed off a bit to 4.45min per km in the hope of it not happening. I was cruising, with heaps left in the tank, then tightness, then sharp pain......STOP and walk/run to finish.

I am well within my fitness levels in terms of heart rate. Calf not letting me go though.... ?
2013-01-13 7:29 PM
in reply to: #4575683

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?
I would say run more, and practice bricks!
2013-01-14 5:38 AM
in reply to: #4575683

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?

Based on your logs, the amount of running you did over the past year is out of proportion with your swimming and cycling.   If your soreness is lasting more than a couple of days, then it seems to indicate that you may have a running fitness problem.  It looks like the long-term answer is run more. 

Short-term, the advice to back off a bit on the bike sounds reasonable.

Good luck,

Mark

2013-01-14 7:57 AM
in reply to: #4575683

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?

If its only happening during races, that begs the question, are you doing something different race day?

Nutrition? Taking Advil? Lots of sodium? too little potassium? Long warm up? All of these things can have effects.

2013-01-14 10:48 AM
in reply to: #4576886

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?
RedCorvette - 2013-01-14 6:38 AM

Based on your logs, the amount of running you did over the past year is out of proportion with your swimming and cycling.   If your soreness is lasting more than a couple of days, then it seems to indicate that you may have a running fitness problem.  It looks like the long-term answer is run more. 

Short-term, the advice to back off a bit on the bike sounds reasonable.

Good luck,

Mark

Maybe so.. but it's a friggn sprint.. One is supposed to be able to go all out on the bike for what, 15 miles? then run 3.. I agree with the.. (maybe something is weird about your race day).. do you keep hydrated enough? 

I do think bricking would be good too.. after the bike get off and run for 10-15 minutes to see how the calves feel. 

And I wouldn't "not run" between sprints.. maybe take it easy.. but I wouldn't go 3 weeks w/o running. Something is funky. 



Edited by KateTri1 2013-01-14 10:49 AM
2013-01-14 5:09 PM
in reply to: #4575683

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?

Even in a sprint you have to pace your effort. If you go harder than you have trained you will run out of fitness and cramp and pay the price in the run.

You can only run all out for may be 100 meters, so some pacing is necessary. Most people are going to go faster in a race than in training rides.

In order to go harder, you must get fitter. You have to stay at a pace that will allow you to finish strong.

2013-01-14 10:13 PM
in reply to: #4575683

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?
Something IS funky...

I am not getting off the bike extremely tired, or feeling like I have pushed too hard or anything though...... heart rate etc feels great.
If the calf didnt 'go' I would have plenty left to build through the run and leave it all out there. Currently I'm finishing with heaps left in the tank.....frustrated.

I do need to run more, for a consistent period. I'll get this calf right, and then run more. I only have 7 weeks until the next tri which is
2013-01-15 5:11 AM
in reply to: #4578750

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?
anturtle - 2013-01-14 11:13 PM

Something IS funky...

I am not getting off the bike extremely tired, or feeling like I have pushed too hard or anything though...... heart rate etc feels great.
If the calf didnt 'go' I would have plenty left to build through the run and leave it all out there. Currently I'm finishing with heaps left in the tank.....frustrated.

I do need to run more, for a consistent period. I'll get this calf right, and then run more. I only have 7 weeks until the next tri which is


IMO, your issue is most likely lack of running fitness. Your aerobic "engine" is fine (not getting off the bike feeling gassed, feeling like you have energy left in the tank), but the rest of your body (muscles, connective tissues, etc.) haven't caught up yet - at least not where running is concerned.

I agree with Mark (RedCorvette) that the long term answer is that you need to build your running fitness by running more. It sounds like you don't have a lot of time between events, so your ability to build fitness in between tapering/racing/recovering is limited. I would suggest that perhaps you treat the next one or two events more as training days than as races, and that you more or less "train through" them - IOW, complete the races at an intensity that allows you to limit taper/recover so you can continue to focus on building your running fitness. Maybe set the last race in the series as your "A" race, and focus your training and racing toward nailing that one.

In general - I would suggest trying to run more frequently for shorter distances at an EASY pace - perhaps considering a run/walk strategy for now. It looks like you're hardly running at all now - but that may be because you've taken some time off of running to try and heal up. How much were you running before you experienced this issue in your races?

2013-01-15 7:29 AM
in reply to: #4575683

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?

Are you getting a cramp, or do you have lasting soreness for a couple of days after...like a pull?

Either way, I would say that you should also add some specific training for your calves and lower legs.

Do you do any core training, lunges (body weight), calf raises, ecentric calf raises, etc?

This may help.

2013-01-15 5:30 PM
in reply to: #4578933

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Subject: RE: Help needed - can someone set me a plan?
Thanks everyone, for taking the time to reply. Much appreciated.

I think my strategy will be as follows:
- Heal the calf strain, maybe walking / bit of running
- Start consistently running easy, when it feels right, shorter distances and build my run fitness over time
- Treat 2 of my remaining 3 races as training runs, no taper and focus my training on running throughout
- Focus on Strengthening the calf and other strength, core etc.... over the next 7 weeks
- Race the last one and see if I have overcome it

I've got some long rides scheduled - riding a stage in the Tour Down Under later this month !!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again....
Anthony
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