posted Mar 6, 2008

this is a really boring topic

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posted Mar 6, 2008

'this is a really boring topic'

Obviously you have no interest in running, So why comment here?

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posted Mar 6, 2008

I injured my ankle playing rugby a week before last year's liverpool half marathon, which was pretty gutting at the time, but i just had to keep off my feet for a few weeks. Even a year later its still twice the size of the other one

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posted Mar 6, 2008

I was due to run in London in the 2006 race - training went perfectly, I hit all my time/distance targets and was feeling great until 6 weeks before. I had a awfully sharp pain at the top of my leg and (to cut a *really* long story short!) I ended up being told by a phsyio that there was no way I could run that year. I was absolutely distraught, as you can imagine - I contemplated running pumped full of pain killers at one stage, but one of the people at the charity I was running for convinced me that was a stupid idea!

I ended up doing it last year instead: initially it felt brutal having to build up my miles each week following the injury lay-off, but I found a few things really helped:
- writing down a 'stream of memories' about my running shortly after I got injured (sounds a bit corny, but it was useful to look back on it and realise that there was a time when I actively enjoyed running 18 miles for example!)
- the knowledge that I had done it before, and was better-informed about how to avoid injury this time around. Having that experience was a big boost.

I ran it last year and absolutely loved every minute of it - probably all the more because it had taken so much effort to get there.

For what it's worth, my advice would be to only do it when you're pain-free - otherwise you'll just hate it. I know it's gutting to have to even think like that at the moment, but you'll enjoy it so much more without the fear of having to pull out halfway through the race weighing on your mind.

Good luck whatever you decide to do

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posted Mar 6, 2008

In my view you should follow Paula Radcliffe's example - short termism when your health is at stake just isn't worth it.

Much sympathy for your misfortune. Better luck in October, and for next year.

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posted Mar 6, 2008

My advice to you is for god's sake, don't take medical advice from an Internet forum! See real doctors!

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posted Mar 6, 2008

If i were you i would just have the 4 weeks off and eat healthily or as someone said above me, go swimmming and keep off your feet. I did something similar when i was younger (I double compound fractured my right forearm about 3 months before a really big footy game at my school, and i still missed it because my arm was that badly broken)

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posted Mar 6, 2008

Like other posts have said, you have to listen to what your body is telling you. I've ran a marathon before and it went really well but i was training for a half marathon in Reading which happened last sunday, but with a week to go in my last traning run i pulled a muscle in in right leg and it was so painful to run on i couldn't do a half marathon. Guttering but it's not worth making it even worse and risk not being able to run properly for a very long time.

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posted Mar 7, 2008

Listen to your surgeon and defer your place into next year's marathon. I had a niggling injury 4 years ago and it went completely 11 miles into the race. I was unable to run for about 5 months afterwards. It's not worth risking it and there are plenty of other races later in the year

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posted Mar 7, 2008

It is very tough - I watched London injured last year knowing there had been a number waiting for me at the expo the day before - but as many have said above it is not worth running injured. Defer, or pick a different race.

If you love being active it is a lot to risk your long term future enjoying that for the sake of one race. If it was your only shot at the olympics it would be a different matter.

Do what ever cross training your (professional) medical advisors confirm is appropriate - even if it is boring - I didn't last year and coming back was grim. However do remember that endurance for an event like the marathon is built up over many years, and even if you do nothing for several months the work you have done this time is not completely lost - it will stand to you next time. If you get through a full cycle of marathon training without any injury next year (or over the summer) hopefully you will end up with a better run than you could have hoped for in London. Think of training to date as a deposit, not a waste.

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