Sunday, March 14, 2010
Back Attack= Training Advice Please
One week to go until the New York City Half Marathon, and I hurt my back. I want to come up with a "macho" type explanation like I was having wild sex with my wife and threw out my back, but I cannot tell a lie. Yesterday morning I bent down to pick up my shirt, and my back went into wicked, hurts so bad I was dropping f-bombs, spasms of pain. I couldn't even walk, never mind run yesterday. Every time I sat down and got up, my back felt like it was locked in place. It feels better today, but I don't know if I'll be able to run. With a week to go, my longest training run for the half has been 7 measly miles. I didn't run because I couldn't run for the month of February. My longest run of 13 miles or longer was last November 1st, the NY City Marathon. Not running the half is not an option. I'm asking for your advice. I'll probably only be able to run 3 times in the next week. Should I try for a 10+ miler for any or all of those runs? Should I just "take it easy" and get in some miles, and hope I can run NY on adrenaline and determination? I don't care about my finishing time for NY. I just want to run it, experience it, and most importantly have fun and finish it. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. UPDATE: 10 a.m.: Back pain is pretty much gone! I've already been to a P.T., as you know, and going to a chiropractor is not an option. I'm actually looking for training advice, not medical advice. Thanks!! :-)
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19 comments:
Get to a PT ASAP. Have a good massage too.
I am all about seeing a Chiro for ART. Although I go to PT, it is only because it is a free extra resource for me- I would not pay for it if I had to. I think that seeing a Chiro is much more worth it. Of course, it depends on what you like...some people are againt chiro and love PT and some the opposite.
Regardless, I would have it checked out to make sure you can't do any longstanding damage. And if you check out okay, take a few days, do a little here and there and then run the race. You aloready stated it is for fun, so I see no reason that you shouldn't run it unless of course you have a real problem.
I'm so sorry to hear about your back pain! I have to say that I agree with onelittletrigirl...get to a chiropractor. Last year when I was training for the Buffalo Half-Marathon, I started to get severe, sharp pain in my lower back and hip area about three weeks before the race. I went to a chiro for a few sessions and was ready to run by race day. I know some people don't buy into what chiropractors do, but I'm not one of them. If you can't or don't choose to go to a chiro, take it easier this week! Good luck!
I know you said no chiro but a chiro who can do ART is totally worth it.
But if not doing that, take it easy. Run your 3 times this week with decent but not huge mileage knowing that you are going for a finish not a time. I did a half in November after some med. issues where I hadn't been able to run until a few days before it so I just went for it. I def. was t-i-r-e-d the last 5 miles but I finished it and enjoyed it.
Never ran a marathon so I really can't give you the best advice. You did say though that you are running it for the experience, so get the runs in that you can this week and then just get to the marathon and take it easy. Just experience it!!
Definitely run the 1/2 for fun! Listen to your body, and stop during the race if you start getting pain in the back/into the legs. I would not recommend running 3 10 milers the week before the race though! Infact, I think it is too late to try to play catch-up. I would try doing one semi-long run no later then Sun/Mon of ~ 7 miles and then 2 more runs of much shorter distances, during the week, and "tapering" by resting/taking it easy Fri and Saturday
As a side note, being a PT myself, I am just wondering why some of the people commenting think only chiros do ART?? ART is not limited to chiros- PTs do ART too!!!
Go get it checked out by someone!!! Take care of yourself Rick! I hope that your back feels better soon:)
Whew I'm glad to see the back is feeling better!!!!!!!!!!
It's totally one of my worst fears that I will hurt something before the half-marathon. I'm being careful doing almost everything now because I'm generally very clumsy!
Oh man, that totally sucks! After all you've been through w/ your groin injury, I hate to hear that you are in back pain now! Take it easy. Run your half and just have fun. At this point, I'm sure that a half is fairly "easy" and doable for you.
You asked about my foam roller on my blog and maybe you should purchase one. That groin/inner thigh pain that I was complaining about last week....GONE. I bought the roller and it was labled the almost "magical" foam roller, I now believe it. I rolled that groin pain right on out. Maybe it could help with your back? I've seen examples of people doing back exercises on it.
Good luck.
Being a newbie, I have no advice to give you...but I sure hope you feel completely pain free soon.
Good luck with the NY half!
Something similar happened to me a few weeks ago. I woke up fine but by the time I got to work, I couldn't move without being in pain.
I love my chiropractor. For first timers, it is scary; if you can find a good one, though, it works. And, you can tell who the good ones are because they believe in fixing you and getting you out the door (and this might take more than one visit)- not in maintenance.
When my back seized, I was in every other day for one week and a final visit a week later. He gave me the go-ahead to run when the time was right.
Whatever you do, make sure you get it checked by someone before you lace up again. I hope it is starting to feel better.
Dude, absolutely no 10 milers!!! If the race is in the week it's too late to be training for it... training at this point really is not going to do you any good except aggravate you back and tire yourself out. I'd suggest poppin some NSAIDs for the back, taking it easy, and maybe throwing in a few 2-3 mile easy runs just to keep loose. Then go out there at the end of the week, man up, and gut it out!!! BTW, looking forward to the race report!
well i'm glad it's feeling better - take it easy this week and see how it does. picking clothes off the floor IS a tough workout ;) hopefully you can get in some longer runs than 7, but i feel like you could handle run/run-walking a half as you are now. you won't recover as easily, but i have confidence that you'd survive the race.
maybe my memory has faded or maybe i never knew this - but why is the chiropractor not an option? just curious.
Absolutely DO NOT DO a 10-miler this week; take it easy and, if you are able, do your three short runs. I don't think that it is ever a good idea to try and "catch-up".
Get plenty of rest, listen to your body and enjoy New York.
I am with the crowd: don't over train this week. If you do, might set yourself up for even greater pain in the race when adrenaline kicks in, but the back and body is not in line.
Sorry to hear about the back! I would say to take it easy and get a massage too. You want to enjoy the race and not got too injured before. If you push your workouts too much, then you will just be doing yourself a disservice.
I say take it easy. Good luck and enjoy. Injuries suck, don't they?
Jenn
Glad your back is feeling better.
At this point, I would just recommend prevention: No shirt until after the race.
not running is an option. I do not need two disabled people in the house. Love you!
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