Getting back into running

[Todd]

Nice workouts!  How many months post op until you got to the point of feeling "normal"?  I'm around 6 weeks post op right now, and have stopped the treadmill due to some over-doing it 10 days prior.  I've been doing some bike work as well as some leg curls/extensions and leg press with moderately light weight.  The pain from walking on the treadmill was causing quite a limp, and I thought best to rest and regroup. 

[bothdone]

Hi Todd
I kept a very detailed record of all my walks and other physical activities after my second BHR last March.    I took things on a very gradual development, thinking long term.  That hasn't stopped me over-doing it at times. Whenever I've done that I've backed off, rested, iced and ibuprofened.

To give you an idea of my progress here's a few entries from my log:

Day 49   2 mile walk.  Longest distance to date.
Day 62   6 miles on road bike.  First time.
Day 64   1st time in gym.   No treadmill.
Day 74   1st go on treadmill.  1000m in 9.46
Day 92   2.5 miles on treadmill
Day 96   1st go on concept 2 rower - just 500m
Day 104  3 mile walk.
Day 144  4 mile walk

Running started in November (8 months after op).

As is often said on this website, recovery is very individual.   This is just what I've done.
 
As for feeling "normal", it is difficult to say.   Part of the problem is that I am continuing to expand my fitness base so, like you described yourself, every now and then I push a little too far.  On the other hand, from about six months I know I can go out for a hilly six mile walk, wander round the local moors and, more recently, run.  All things that were out of the question before my op.   As an athletics coach, I keep reminding the athletes I coach that patience is a very important quality to develop.  I've had to remember that myself many times over the last year.

Very best wishes for your recovery, Todd.

Ed

[Pat Walter]

Hi Ed

Thanks for taking time to post your progress and story.  I know it will help many people.

Good Luck!

Pat

[bothdone]

Hi Pat

Thanks.  You are very welcome.   My aim is just to post the sort of information that would have been useful to me before I started running again.

I'd just like to add something that I keep forgetting to include - toes.   When I started running again I noticed that every now and then I'd get aching toes.  When you think about it it is quite logical.   In running you push off on your toes and they take a lot of the body's weight - no wonder they ache!    Just another part of the body to get involved in running.

Ed

[bothdone]

1 Mar

Tue 17 Feb   Good weather.     Did my longest outdoor run of 4.2 miles.   Managed to get round in just under 8 minutes a mile.

Fri 20 Feb    Worked out an exact 5 mile run and worked out split times for 9 minute pace. Set off too quickly and by 2 miles was running at close to 8 minute-mile pace.  At mid way my left leg (old BHR) started aching, just as the hilly bit arrived.   Completed the run in 8.18 mile pace but it wasn’t comfortable.  Made a couple of mistakes â€" went off too fast and did my two longest outdoor runs next to each other.  Should have had an easy 2 mile run between them.    In the evening iced both hips and took an ibuprofen.

Sat 21 Feb.    Woke up with both hips feeling fine.  Think I’ve found another reason why my left hip got stiff on the run yesterday.   It was stiff before the run.  I’d been painting and decorating one of my bedrooms.    Crawling around the floor, cleaning and painting the skirting boards had squashed up both hips which had affected the running.   

Sun 22 Feb   Treadmill.  Warmed up with 1km in 5.44.  Then quick 3km in 14.14 with each km faster (4.55-4.45-4.34). Warmed down with 1km in 5.16 .  Total 5km in 25.14.  Legs fine when running.  A bit tight at end but looser than Friday.

Week’s mileage 12.85

Mon 23 Feb.    T-shirt and shorts weather.  Did just under 2.5 mile recovery run on soft grass in 20.46 (8.33 mins per mile).    Legs felt a lot better in the evening.

Tue 24 Feb  Rest day!   I need it.

Wed 25 Feb    Colder.    Back to thermal top and T-shirt.   Â¾  mile warm up.  Into 1.4 miles at max.  Did 7m03s.  That’s 32s faster than before.  Felt good.  Using an accurate measurement it worked out at 6.59.8 a mile â€" just a second faster than my current mile time.   Did just over a mile easy warm down then off for a sauna and a brief swim.    4 hours later (now) legs feel good.

Thu 26 Feb.  6 miles hilly walk on country lanes, fields and woods.

Fri 27 Feb .  Gym Concept 2 rower.  2000m  Bike 5 miles   Treadmill run 2 miles comfortable in 17m22s.  No stiffness in hips.    Enjoyed the session

Sat 28 Feb.  Another rest day

Sun 1 Mar    Really blasted 5000m on the treadmill in 24m20s, including the middle 1km in 4m18s.   5000m treadmill PR/PB by15s.   Felt OK while running but left leg stiffened up and ached afterwards.    Overdid it !

Week’s mileage  11.70

My conclusion in these last two weeks is that I’ve done too much.   I’ve extended the longest run in the first week and have done two quick sessions in the second week.   Quite a bit of aches.     I’m not going to run on Monday or Tuesday and then start back on Wednesday with a very easy two miles.

[bothdone]

13 March

I was going to post this at the end of my current two week training log but thought it might be interesting to post it before I log what I’ve been doing.

After the run on 1st March I had a lot of aches that evening.  I had to take an ibuprofen when I got home and another when I went to bed.  I also had to ice both hips that evening.   I think it started with the 5 mile run on 20 Feb when I should have eased right back when things started to stiffen.  I kept going that day and kept pushing over the next two weeks.

On Monday 2nd March I sat down and gave things a lot of thought.   The running has been causing a lot of aches which I’d expected as I was using muscles I hadn’t used for years and which had been operated on.   I came up with four options for my running:

a.  Give up running completely.  Enjoy the walking, cycling and rowing.
b.   Run occasionally just to enjoy it.
c.   Run at the level I’ve reached now.
d.   Try to improve on my current speed and distance.

I gave all four options serious thought.   I decided, for the moment, I’d try somewhere between options b and c, which involve less mileage and less speed than I’ve been doing.  Settle into that and see what happens.

I also decided to do more strength works on my hip muscles.   I googled Goblet squats which Spencer mentioned in an early post on this thread.   I’ve always had a problem with balance on squats and these goblet squats certainly helped me with that.  (thanks, Spencer).   I’ve also added a few lunges with light dumb-bells.    Both exercises have added new twinges to my hips but have definitely improved my flexibility.  I’ve noticed I can pick things up from the floor much more easily since starting them.

Last night I was travelling back home from our local track with three masters runners I coach after a hard speed session which they did.  They are aged from early 40s to mid 50s.    Without any prompting from me, they started talking about how many aches they get from training six days a week.    One of them said that after they’ve stopped for a week to rest an injury or because of a cold they really enjoy the feeling of no having no aches and pains.  None of them have any joint problems they just train hard.   Perhaps I’ve forgotten how hard running is for everyone not just “hippies”?

Any comments on all this welcome.

Ed

[bothdone]

15 March

Now for the runs over the last two weeks:

Wed 4 Mar     Treadmill.  Easy 2m in 16m22s.  Total 2.5m in 21m02s. No pain or stiffness in hips.

Fri 6 Mar.  Road.  Mile warm up.  Mile quick 7m10s.  1.4 mile warm down.

Sun 8 Mar .   Treadmill 3000m 15m27s.  500m wd.  Left leg a bit stiff but OK in evening.  .

Week’s mileage 8.11 miles

Wed 11 Mar  Road.  Half mile warm up straight into just over  2.5m in 21m7s and straight into 0.8 mile warm down.  Total distance 3.86m.  No leg or hip problems.  Did some leg weights in gym afterwards.   Legs fine in the evening

Fri 13 Mar   Went down to run a mile around the sea front.as a bit of “speed” work.  Did a mile warm up.    Had a target of 7.10 in mind before the run (pb 6.59).   Had my bit of paper with pb splits on as a guide.    After the first couple of splits I realised I was a couple of seconds ahead of my pb so decided to go for it.    Wheezed up the last straight to finish in 6.46.7 â€" 12.3s inside my old pb.  Quelle surprise!      The value of easy weeks and recovery?

Sun 15 Mar  Rowed 10 mins (2566m) then 2 mile comfortable on treadmill in 15.51 plus warm up and down.   Felt I could have run quicker and longer but kept to my plan of no faster than 12.5 kph and total distance 2.5 mile.  No pain or stiffness

Week’s mileage 9.36 miles

Good news:  No ibuprofen or ice since Monday 2 March.  Also down to one stretching exercise session a day â€" either plain stretches or yoga.   Each about 10 minutes.   Still doing lots of walking, exercise bike, first road bike ride this year, and concept 2 rowing.

Plan b/c seems to be working……  ;D

[bothdone]

29 March

I’ve been doing a lot more Concept Two rowing and exercise bike and moved down to 3 days a week running.  It all feels a lot better though still some areas of tightness.

Mon   16   two laps on grass.  20 mins.

Wed   18   4.2 mile road run.. Felt fine first 2.5 miles then left leg tightened.  Ran 33m53s, just over 8 minute miling

Sun   22   Treadmill 3000m 14m17s.   Felt fine.  Three days no running seemed to work well.

Week’s mileage    10.15

Tue   24   Steady 3 mile road run in 25.23.  OK

Thu   26   Ran with running club at 7.30pm.  Did mile 8 mins rest mile.  Ran 7.28 and 7.20.   Before I started running again after the second BHR that would have seemed impossible.  I had a few minor tweaks as I speeded up on the second mile but the legs were fine later in the evening.   Did a half mile warm up and warm down.

Sun       29   Did 3500m treadmill.  Left leg a bit tight

Week’s miles 8.74

Mon 30   Looked at my daily record of walks, runs, bike and gym and realized I hadn’t had a day of rest since 28 February.     I’ve not been letting my legs recover.     Today I just went shopping and had a 15 minute stroll after dinner.  Legs feel better than they have for weeks (four weeks and 2 days to be precise!).   

Memo to self: have a rest day each week.    ;D

[bothdone]

12 Apr

I went back to basics using a seven day pattern:

Hard day
Easy day
Hard day
Easy day
Hard day
Easy day
Rest

Hard in terms of running means either speed or distance

Wed 1 Apr   Easy 3.1 mile run.   25.23.  8m12s per mile pace.   No pain.

Fri 3 Apr      Comfortable 3000m treadmill run in 15m22s.  1000m warm up, 500m warm down.

Sun 5 Apr   Treadmill   Easy 1km warm up in 6m05s.  Stop for stretches
      2 mile 15m10s.  No pain.  Stop.
      Easy 1km warm down.  5m47s

Week’s mileage   9.71m

Tue 7 Apr   Two easy large laps on grass.  Half way through the second lap I stopped and ran as fast as I could across a football (soccer) pitch.  At each side rested for 30 seconds then ran back.  Did 8 widths.   Started at just over 13s and quickened up to just under 12s.  Measured it today with a roller wheel at 60 metres.  Felt good.

Thu 9 Apr   Mile road race with my running club at 7.30pm.   Quite nervy waiting for it.  Ran a post-op PR of 6.43.
With warm up and warm down total about 2.5 miles

Fri 10 Apr   Did an easy 2000m on the rowing machine.  Then did a very easy 1200m jog on the treadmill

Sun 12 Apr.    3 large grass laps.   Tried to pace myself in a controlled way.  Enjoyed it.  Ran 28.11 (7.55 per mile).    Jogged 1500m as a warm down to measure the width of the football pitch.

Week’s mileage    10.58m   

A very good couple of weeks.    No ibuprofen.  No ice.   No pain on runs.  No aches in the evening.     Why?   I eased back and made sure my easy days were easy.

[sroberts]

Good job Ed. You can even add two easy days in between and make your hard days harder as you get more fit. How are the goblet squats coming along. Have you ever tried kettlebell swings?


best,

spencer

[bothdone]

Hi Spencer

Yes, I already vary the hard easy to sometimes go hard easy easy hard.  Last week before my mile race I went rest easy easy and then hard on the mile race day - almost tapering.   Got a PR out of it.

I'm still working on the goblet squats and lunges.  The kettlebell swing looks interesting.   How many should you start with?

I found this video clip for the kettlebell swing.  Anything you'd like to add?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h1QcHTkwdI

Ed

[Tekka]

Hello Ed,

I thought I would give my view on KB, I have been teaching KB for many years and using them as part of my weekly training. I see lots of people using them incorrectly and causing themselves injury and long term problems. For the bell to do its job properly it has to be in a ballistic fashion, it is as much cv as is a strengh tool. The demo you refer to is fairly good but I worry that the KB in the wrong hands is a really bad idea mate, and that is in no way any a reflection that you will not be able to capture the essence of the bell. I would recommend you try to seek a coach and if possible a recommendation. I am a massive advocate of the bell, within a short period you can see good gains and for contact sports people it is really great.

The bell is great but it is unforgiving in the sense that you have to commit to the drill and if all things are not right....you are going to find yourself in trouble, the swing is a great example of if you do not squat through your hamstrings and butt, things are going to go twang.

I wish you well mate.

Regards

Terry

[sroberts]

Hi Ed,

The video looks good. You definitely want to focus on impeccable form. Any kettlebell trainers  near you to give you coaching? If not then start very light and learn the movement perfectly.
Remember it's a posterior chain movement. Your hips generate the swing, not your shoulders.

When you get the form down, hit me up for some workout ideas.

spencer

[bothdone]

Hi Terry and Spencer

Thanks to both of you for the advice and suggestions.  A friend of mine does a lot of weights based exercises.  He's away on holiday at the moment.   I'll get some face to face advice from him when he gets back.

I got some expert advice on another aspect of my running from a very experienced athletics coach last night. 

I'd been bringing my right foot through in a round-about way when speeding up (not in a straight line.)   I did some running towards her and she straight away noticed that my right shoulder was lower than my left.   I must have developed a lean between my left BHR in 2004 and my right BHR in 2008.   She's given me exercises to work on with this.  It does show the value of someone actually being there to identify what might be wrong.

Thanks again.

Ed

[terryi]

I'm 10 months post op and started running again at 6 months.  I keep straining my calves.  The bike and elliptical training work I did prior to resuming running worked my thighs, glutes, etc. but didn't seem to prepare my calves for the rigors of running.  Tight calves and achilles tendons have always been something I'm predisposed towards, so none of this is related to my hip resurfacing.  I do the standard stretches, ice after running, etc. Any words of wisdom?

That's not my real reason for writing however. A couple of contributors to this thread have had much more success regaining speed.  I was never as fast as a couple of you, but I was running 37 minutes for 10k well into my forties.  I'm not even in the same zip code now. I'm tired of getting passed by moms pushing strollers and little gray-haired old ladies.  Male ego.  Suggestions on getting some speed back?

[sroberts]

hey Terryi,

I like tabata intervals on the treadmill to increase speed.  Get in a thorough warm up, then when you are ready for your work set, set the treadmill at 12% grade and speed at around 6mph. Use the handrails and hop on, do 8x(20sec run/10 sec rest) when you rest, grab the rails and hop off, feet on the sides, keep the treadmill at 12% and 6mph the whole workout. Do this 1x/wk increasing speed each week. BE VERY CAREFUL doing this workout, it works. PM me if you need any more info. Also make sure you get a good cooldown.

take care,

spencer

[bothdone]

Hi Terry

Calves.   Just a suggestion... have you tried shortening your stride length?    This can take pressure off the calves and achilles.

Speed.  Like you I was running 10km races in the 36-38 minute zone in my mid 40s.     Now I'm just coming to the end of my first six months of running.   My maximum distance so far is 9000m.   I could probably complete a 10km in under about 55 minutes but I'd want to be sure that I'm not doing any damage or running in pain in the last part.    I not going to worry about who's going past me - have they been where you and I have been with our hips?

At the end of November I pinned my first race number on for 8 years.  I took part in a 2.5 mile fun run and completed it in just under 20 minutes.    I really enjoyed being in there.  The only person I was competing with was myself.    I couldn't have walked that without pain before my second BHR.

As for speed.  I've gone along the speed endurance route - working on trying to improve my mile time (now 6.43), 3000m, 2 mile and 5000m.  They are all coming on.   In terms of shorter speed I tried some 60 metre fast strides a couple of weeks ago.  They went OK.  I hope to be doing some more short speed over the coming months.

Hope your running goes well.

Ed

[bothdone]

26 Apr

I started this two weeks thinking about really easing back and not thinking about improving in distance or speed.  I’d been having minor niggles/aches in hip and leg muscles and thought it would be good to be totally ache-free.

And then.. … I asked for help in improving my running style.   The coach I asked immediately identified that my right shoulder was lower than my left.   The next day I got on the treadmill and, with a mirror right in front of it, I ran for 7000m at a relatively easy pace working all the time at keeping my shoulders level.   It was very hard work.  It felt like I had to push my left shoulder down.   But it worked.  I had no pain or aches.

Please read on.

15 Apr.        4 mile treadmill 33m20s â€" a couple of seconds slower than my PR.

17 Apr      5000m treadmill with fast 3000m in the middle.
      5000m 23.18 PR
      3000m 13.18 PR
      500m warm down.
      Key point â€" no aches or tightness in muscles.

19 Apr      2.5 mile treadmill easy 20.39

Week’s mileage  10.27 miles

21 Apr      Just under 5km road.   23.52

22 Apr      Easy 2000m on treadmill (two consecutive days running)

24 Apr      Treadmill.  Planned session 500m warm up â€" 8050m (5 miles) at
      11.8 to 12.1kph â€" 450m warm down.   9000m total â€" furthest I’ve done
      So far.  Ran the 5 miles in 40.27.0 â€" a PR by 1 min 54s.  9000m total
In 45.42.7 â€" a PR by just over 5 mins.   No pain or aches but I was wiped out.
      Got home, had a meal and then lay on the bed for 30 mins.   Just got back
from a 10 min stroll and both legs and hips are really loose â€" just the rest of me is tired !   

26 Apr    Gym.    3000m tread.  14.47 plus 5 mins each rowing, stepper, cross-trainer
      And recumbent bike.

Week’s mileage    12.54 miles

The best thing for me about these two weeks is not the PRs or the distance â€" it is the pain and ache free running â€" a direct result of seeking a bit of advice.

I think I’ll have an easy week next week……

Ed

Ps.   I spent this morning watching the London Marathon live on BBC TV.   It brought back happy memories of running it in 1986 and again in 1992 when I scraped under 3 hours.

[larry2458]

bothdone,your posts are really helpful,in fact all of surface-hippy has been helpful.
i had my mid-head (left) done ,last october 16th and went through all the depressing stages includind losing my job whilst recuperating.
i never gave it any thought that i'd be able run again up until recently.i can now walk for 15 miles off road and cycle on and off road for as long as i want.

BUT  i've been getting that itch and want to run again,i know exactly whats meant by ungainly as the few hundred yards i've run felt unreal.anyway,anymore tips you could give me would be appreciated,and what sort of off-road shoes do you use.
i used to like saucony in my pre-injury days !!

[bothdone]

Hi Larry

Good to hear you are finding this thread useful.   The idea was that it would be the sort of information I would have liked to have read before I started running.   I've been continuing it because I think it shows the highs and lows of the last few months.  Hopefully people can avoid some of my mistakes.

The main advice I'd give would be:
   *  take it easy.    You've got plenty of time to build distance and speed.
   *  have rest days and easy recovery sessions.
   *  try to get someone to check your style.   Uneven running can cause aches and pains.
   *  I've found stretching helpful.  I've added in new ones as I've gone along.   I tend to do mine in the morning.
   *  be prepared for ups and downs in your progress.

My off-road running shoes are ASICS trail attack WR.   I choose them because I know my size in ASICS and they were on special offer (not very scientific).  As it turns out they have been very good in the mud, on greasy grass and on stony areas.   A small problem, they are a very bright red.

My road shoes are ASICS GT 2130.   They suit me.  I use them on the grass when it is dry and the ground is a bit harder.

I hope you manage to get back into your running and enjoy it.  My final bit of advice - remember your previous running times but enjoy the sensation of whatever level you can run at now.   I know, for me, there have already been some really enjoyable runs since I started back.

Ed