Thursday 11 October 2007

Taper - What Taper!!!

I have run about 2 to 3 miles in the last four days and it looks like I won't run any more miles this week - more of a sudden stop than a Taper. On Monday I completed 10 minutes warmup on the threadmill in the gym (about 1.2 miles). So far in line with tapering mode. On Tuesday I was in Dublin during the day and did not make the track in time to get my planned intervals in. Instead I drove to the Lee Fields car park on the straight road (2.5 miles of straight flat road, as the name suggests). I planned to warmup for about a mile and run 3 out and back 1,000m intervals with 400 to 500m recoveries (6k fast). I felt reasonably good and paced out 1 km from the car park, ran on another 400m and stretched. While I felt a slight tightness in my left calf I paid no attention to it - that was until I ran back to commence my first interval and the calf began to tighten up and cause pain. I stopped and stretched some more but the tightness did not leave and the pain remained as I jogged. Deciding to take no chances I walked the 1km back to the car (a few runners passed in both directions but I showed restraint - well more common sense than restraint). I drove to the gym for a short swim and a stint in the steam room to loosen out the muscles. I did not run on Wednesday as my left calf was still tender. This morning I went to Letti for some physio. She noticed swelling on the back on my left knee and tightness on the outside of my calf, where I felt the pain on Tuesday. She also found my right calf quite tight - "I'll have to take a hammer and chisel to this" were her exact words. She advised that I do no running for the next few days and Xtrain if I wanted to. So I've decided to hold off on running until Sunday when I will do a medium long run of about 15 miles - either with 8 to 10 miles at MP or some intervals between 5 miles of warmup and warmdown. I've certainly missed my speedwork this week. I still hope to get some final intervals in on Tuesday next, my final speed session before the marathon - and still safely 13 days before race day. (May even try Thursday - 11 days out) When I got leg cramps a month ago I went back on magnesium tablets (I took them for about 6 months last year before Dublin) but I have not been diligent in taking them daily - that'll have to change for the next two weeks. At least I think I have done nothing stupid (so far) as Thomas advised.

3 comments:

  1. Hammer and chisel? That's gotta hurt! My lack of stretching and strengthening will eventually come to haunt me too. Reaching my toes is now a long gone memory...

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  2. I have a long standing issue with calf cramps, and not just when running. A few years ago someone recommended magnesium-phosphate tissue salts, which you can buy dead cheap in every health food store. I have been taking them ever since, and I believe they have helped, but not alleviated the problem.

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  3. I'd be careful with this one Grellan. If it's only tightness, you should be OK. Monitor it during the warm-up for Sunday and postpone the run if the pain is still there, or doesn't subside with continued easy running.

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