TrainMe: 400m to 5k

Interesting, a 71 in the 400m seems very fast for a 24:xx 5K runner. You're ahead of where I thought you would be. You should be proud of that trial. I'm excited to see where you'll be 6 weeks from now.

Did you ever feel like you were tightening up in the trial, or were you only getting out of breath?

I would add 60 crunches, 30 push ups, regular and side planks, and the bird dog exercise to your off days. The core work will help prevent injuries and allow you to hold your form better at the end of workouts/races.

Nice week.

Thank you! I was surprised with my time. Honestly, I think part of my problem is not having any one to push me. Just having someone to be accountable to other than myself is a big help.

I got tight around 300m and that lasted through 400m. I actually hit a spot around 350m where I almost froze up and staggered, but I recovered. The last 50m I felt like I ran to a standstill. Almost like I was running in place.

During the trial my breathing was good through 200m and then it got a little rough. When I finished my breathing sounded like this - HEEEEEEEEEEEE! Huuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh! HEEEEEEEEEEEE! Huuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh!

I just staggered around for a few minutes with my arms above my head. I had a little headache for about 15 minutes after and other than being tired I felt pretty good.

My schedule got messed up this week because of traveling to Mississippi.

M: 5M easy + 0.75M strides

T: Off. Travel.

W: There were no hills anywhere near where I was so I opted to run stairs on the side of a parking garage.

WU - 2.25M easy + stretches

Stairs - 10 x 27 steps (two at a time) no rest

CD - 1.5M + stretches

T: Off. Turkey day

F: 2M easy. It was very windy on the coast.

S: Off. Travel.

S: 3M easy

Good idea with the parking garage steps. Have you been working on any of the core exercises or plyometrics?

How are the legs feeling?

Last week I didn't do the extra exercises. I am adding that this week for sure. I think my girlfriend will appreciate the push ups.

My legs feel good. In the past I've had to deal with ITBS and metatarsalgia, but I have both under control now.

For ITBS I do hip and lower-back exercises to keep them balanced. Nothing too exciting, mostly the Myrtle routine and back extensions. I also use the stick after running and any time I'm just sitting around.

For metatarsalgia I just pay close attention to my toe offs. I have Morton's Toe so it's easy for me to put a lot of stress on that metatarsal. I also find that icing the area after long runs or hard workouts helps.

I need to get a handle on my key workouts. I’ve missed two interval workouts in a row and I’m pretty tired of that. Starting this week I’m going to change my schedule to try to get my hills and intervals in on Monday and Wednesday. I’ll also do my long run on either Friday or Saturday. My weekends have gotten a little too random for me to be able to get the interval workouts done like I planned.

Also, we just got an elliptical so I’m thinking of trying to replace some of my short runs using that. What time or heart rate equivalent do you think I should shoot for to equal a 3-4 mile easy run? Just whatever feels like that kind of run?

M:

WU: 1M + stretches

4M progression - I ran this a little hard. Not too hard, but it wasn’t easy either.

CD: Nope. It was raining for this run and we got one of our first cold snaps so I wasn’t trying to get sick.

T:

WU: 1M + stretches

Plyometrics:

Bounding: 3 x 10

Single Leg Hop – 2 x 8

Double Leg Hop – 2 x 8

Box Jumps – 2 x 8

Depth Jumps – 2 x 8

Knee Tuck Jumps – 3 x 8

XT:

Crunches – 2 x 30

Push Ups – 2 x 15

Regular and Side Planks – 2 x 30 seconds

Back Extension – 2 x 30

Bird Dog – 3 x 6

Myrtl Routine

W:

WU: 1.5M + stretches

Hill Repeats:

6 x (10 seconds/150 seconds): 0.05, 0.05, 0.05, 0.04, 0.04, 0.04

4 x (10 seconds/210 seconds): 0.05, 0.05, 0.04, 0.05

CD:1 M + stretches

Th:

WU: 1M + stretches

3M - I ran this a little hard. I think this and Monday led to my problem on Saturday.

CD: 0.50M + stretches

F: Off

S: 1M and my left knee cap was sore so I stopped. Skateboarding. A friend came to town so I was done for the rest of the weekend. Which led me to my opening thought. I need to do my key workouts during the week or else I’ll miss them.

S: Off. Skateboarding.

I have a small painful spot under my 4th metatarsal on my right foot. It cropped up a couple weeks ago. I’ve been applying ice/heat and it’s gotten better, but isn’t totally gone. Other than that and the regular soreness I feel really good.

Oh yeah, I haven't done any upper body workouts in a long time, so I was really sore from the XT on Tuesday.

Another nice week of work.

Knee - The knee was probably a little sore from the jumps. That was a very intense workout. There are some more gentle plyometrics & form drills you can try: Power skipping, butt kicks, high knee running, and fast cadence shuffling (http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=17578) ...click on the Pete Magill video.

For the spot under the 4th metatarsal, try buying a pack of callous cushions (

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/shop_product_detail.jsp?filterBy=&skuId=343228&productId=343228&navAction=jump&navCount=3

). Just stick the hole over the most painful spot and your next run should be more comfortable.

I think an elliptical could be a good compliment to sprint training, and will probably allow you to increase your cardiovascular work without overly stressing the legs. I don't know if I would replace your runs though...running really slow and easy for 30min is good for regeneration of tendons & muscles. Its a low impact way of getting blood flowing to the legs. You could try the elliptical on your off days, but I wouldn't decrease your running time.

We need to start getting you into some key workouts. I would move your track workouts to the beginning of the week, and try to slip in your hill workouts later in the week.

Try these key workouts the next 3 weeks:

week #1:

1st - 12 x 100m @ 18 seconds (2 min rest) take 10min break after rep #6 if you need to, then resume 2 min rests.

2nd - 10min warmup (20min of Fartlek) Alternate 10 x 1min fast (85%) followed by 1min slow. Finish with 10min slow. (skip hills this week)

week #2:

1st - 5 x 300m @ 57 seconds (5 min rests)

2nd - 8 x 200m hills (85% concentrate on good form)

week #3:

1st - 8 x 200m @ 37s (3 min rests)

2nd - 2m wu, 4 x 100m striders, 8 x 25m start accelerations...work on getting up to top speed as quick as possible by transferring more energy into the ground.

Let me know your paces for your easy / recovery runs.

Knee: Agree. Last night was another aborted run because of that. Its sore just beneath the skin and the plyos are the only thing I've done different. Tonight I'm going to do the elliptical as well as the XT.

Metatarsal: The painful spot is a lot better after the weekend off. BUT, my metatarsalgia is acting up. I'm sure I was compensating for the 4th metatarsal and that brought this on. I'll be icing it on and off all day at work and this evening. I'll give those pads a try (I've thought about getting them before.).

Key Workouts: Agree!!! I can stick to a schedule during the week fine. Weekends throw me for a loop - friends coming to town, girlfriend time, yard work, etc. Trying to put my hardest workout on Saturday was a big mistake! Because of my two niggles I'm going to wait until next Monday for this change.

Elliptical: Gotcha. I was just curious.

Easy Paces: I average between 8-9 min/M between a relaxed start to pushing and feeling strong through the middle and end of an easy run. Sometimes I'll let myself lag into 9:30 min/M.

Also, I'm not sure this makes any difference, but I rotate between these shoes fairly regularly: NB Minimus Road, NB 1400, Nike Lunar Racer, Saucony Kinvara 2.

Sometimes I'll run in Nike Zoom XC 2 as well.

Z Newton wrote:

Also, I'm not sure this makes any difference, but I rotate between these shoes fairly regularly: NB Minimus Road, NB 1400, Nike Lunar Racer, Saucony Kinvara 2.

Sometimes I'll run in Nike Zoom XC 2 as well.

It might matter, but you're probably the only one who will be able to determine which shoes are best for you.

True. I was just adding that in case you had any ideas regarding which shoes may/may not be best for different workouts. I should have mentioned that.

I took this week off. My left knee was bothering me so I just did a lot of heating and stretching to loosen the quad and declined single leg squats. From all the research I did I'm pretty sure it is Patella Tendinopathy.

Since Thursday I've noticed a lot of improvement.

I'll see how it feels this week and if I can I'll do easy runs on grass.

I'm pretty frustrated, but I'm glad I backed off ASAP and figured out what was the problem.

Your knee may continue to lock up on you after a mile or 2 for a while (or more randomly). My advice would be to stop running when it tightens up and just walk back home. I don't even think you need to take extra days off...just end the run for the day, ice, and try again tomorrow. You may even find that the knee is more pain free on sprint workout days. **Not that you would, but I would caution you not to take any ibuprofen before your runs.**

This knee strap works pretty good for that condition:

http://www.kneesupport.com/protec/protec-strap.htm

Hopefully its just a mild case and you'll be back at it in no time.

I didn't have time to get to the store for the strap so I used a wrap. Probably not the best choice.

I'm confused about the strap. The pain I have is on the top of my patella, not the bottom where that strap is supposed to go.

Since the strap is designed to go below the knee, are you telling med to wear the strap above my knee?

I did 1.50M between walking and running. Still too sore to go any further. At first it was easier to sprint, but that only lasted for the first mile. After that it was just sore.

Runners / Jumpers knee can be so variable. Putting the strap below the knee, is what is recommended for tracking problems...it can help with pain on top. I've also seen guys with ITBS that like to wear it above the knee. I would experiment with both ways.

Does your knee lock up when running or is it just aching the whole time?

You can also try the resistance exercise bands. They can knock out tracking problems in a week or two...if that is the issue. I found a video of the types of exercises you want, but the guy's form isn't that great:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLMxoE0cgi0&feature=related

You want to do is put the band around your ankles and do: 1- Straight leg lateral walks (ea. direction for all), 2- lateral monster walks, 3- straight leg forward and backward walks, 4- forward and backward monster walks, and 5- carioca steps both ways.

Also, light leg extensions might help. I would stay away from any type of squat for a while.

It does not lock up. It just aches/hurts/burns intermittently when I run. Walking and running in place don't bother it at all.

I'll check out the video and add the exercises.

Knee was/is still a bit sore when I run but its not in the patella anymore. It seems to have moved to the muscles. It's way better than it was. So that's good.

I am starting to suspect my Kinvara 2s as the culprit in all of this. I've always had sore muscles from workouts and did have a short bout with ITBS. But this is knee issue has only come on since I've been running in my Kinvaras more. When I switched back to my NB 1400 I felt great during the run and the next day. Not so much with the Kinvara. My second metatarsal is getting sore. Anyway.

M: 1.5M easy with knee strap. Still sore, but better. After the run, ice. Kinvara 2

T: Off - Ice

W: Off - Ice

Th: Off - Ice

F: Off - Ice

S: 4M easy with knee strap on and off. I moved the strap above and below my knee and that helped. Also ran without it and it felt about the same as with it. After my run I iced and did some heat. NB 1400

Su: All day my knee felt great. 3M easy with knee strap same as Saturday. Felt good during the run. Repeated ice and heat. Woke in the middle of the night with an achy knee. Dull pain. So I iced it while I slept. Second metatarsal is sore. Kinvara 2

Hopefully the knee will continue to improve. FWIW, I had some knee issues with the original Kinvaras.

Have you tried the resistance bands?

I did one set of those walks with a band I have. They really hit my upper hips!

I am pretty bummed about the K2s because from everything I read and how the fit and feel, they seemed perfect. But, after the first run I got what felt like a minor neuroma in my right foot and subsequently got the 2nd metatarsal pain in my left foot and this knee problem.

I'm just going to go back to my NBs full time and donate the K2s to the local store.