Somebody calm McArdle the F*ck down!!!

I read that log - do you know what a shakeout is?

DOes that fast young man know what "intelligent training" is?

Tom, this is how I got my stress-fracture. You are on your way destruction.

I think he does know what smart training is, as that's what he's done his entire college career, but his senior year is winding down, and he's probably a little antsy to get an NCAA qualifier. Granted it would be ideal to take a ton of time off, but I'd be just as frustrated if my college career was winding down. Then again, I probably won't have a true post-college career like himself.

Whats up with running a marathon on WED when you are injured?

Why isn't he training for an OLYMPIC qualifier? hell with the NCAAs.

A shakeout is a short, easy run meant to loosen the legs and "get the blood pumping" to facilitate recovery and help you feel better for your next workout.

DJL

I'm with you on this one Jason. Who cares about NCAA's? He has a great future ahead of him, but is really risking that so that he can qualify for NCAA's. When he is this injured, even if he qualifies, he can't possibly win. He is a great runner, but when he is hurting like this, even McArdle can't overcome that. If I were in his shoes I would take about a month off and then build up really slowly. None of this crazy buildup like he does: 50,70, 120,115. thats not a safe buildup. I hope that he gets healthy and just focuses on the Olympics, because McArdle is a tremendous talent.

I agree with you that he is talented. Anybody who trains in low-alt in cold weather (New Hampshire), survives the rigors of Ivy League studies, and then flys to Mt. Sac and pops a 28;18 is very talented.

He needs to use the slow, careful Japanese approach, base his running on moderate pace runs and jogging, then the quality stuff when feeling good.

He should be shooting for a 27;49 by 2004 and making the Olympic team. Of course you must stay healthy.

Jason, when you want to, you make a lot of sense. You're absolutely right about McArdle.

McArdle is no different than any other highly motivated runner - he is reluctant to listen to his body saying "I'M INJURED" and believes that he is healed with every run that he is able to complete.

In reading his journal he flat out states that it is his philosophy to train through injuries.

He is now a senior at Dartmouth, has brought much notoriety to the school, its track program and coach. Yet the coach seems to want to squeeze a few more races out of Tom more than he does. There are no journal entries stating that the coach has told Tom to shut it down; rather constant references to running at indoor heps, Penn Relays, etc.

After 4 years he doesn't know what type of driven person Tom is? Where have you been the past 5 months? WAKE UP!

This guy is hurt. Shut him down until the injury goes away and then bring him back gradually. Don't screw with his future for a few meaningless races. If you don't care about his welfare, why the hell are you coaching.

Where is Tom's father, who is an accomplished distance runner? Dad, SHUT HIM DOWN!!!

The coach squeezes a few more races out of Tom because he can. In a way, Tom is the coach's meal ticket. I bet the coach has no long-term goals for Tom. It appears to me that many or most coaches out there are very short sighted with their athletes and get "greedy" when they run into a gifted athlete.

he is a great runner, but obviously you dont follow his log either when every week there is at least one entry that says...\"shouldnt have done that run\" and i NEED to be training for Penn, there is a problem. He isnt paying attention to what his body wants. Althought in the end, he has opted not to run Penn, the kid needs to get healthy!

>The coach squeezes a few more races out of Tom because he can. In a way, Tom is the coach's meal ticket. I bet the coach has no long-term goals for Tom. It appears to me that many or most coaches out there are very short sighted with their athletes and get "greedy" when they run into a gifted athlete.<

I know his coach a bit & I would say you are dead wrong. I would agree he needs to calm himself down & forget about this outdoor season if necessary, but if you were in his position you would have just as difficult a time doing that as what he is having.

I think moderate paced runs, alot less of the cross training and virtually no hard workouts especially on the track, in spikes, and he would come around rather quickly.

Of course he needs to keep up the massge and PT as well.

Actually, I have a hard time calming down myself and I am nowhere near as good as Tom. I finally threw in the towel and gave up my marathon plans to heal up for as long as it takes though.

Since you seem to know the coach, then you are probably right. From my vantage point, the coach does not seem to be doing much calming down and is actually getting Tom to run races when he is hurting. Any time a coach puts a race up on the board for his/her runner, then he/she is basically saying: Train as hard as you can. No runner would willingly rest for a few weeks while a scheduled race is approaching. Nobody likes to rest and then look like shit on race day. So the coach plays a big role in an athletes recovery.

Sure you aren't Warhurst posting under Hodgie-san? McArdle has a chronic problem that has existed for 5 months without subsiding for more than a day or two and you are siding with his coach (who wants him to be ready for those important Hep indoor/outdoor meets) because you know him. What a pile of crap. You've lost any credibility with me.

When you start with achilles problems and progress to calf and knee problems, all of which having forced Tom to abandon runs, there is a major problem. Great advice - keep running but stop the xtraining and go slower, like McArdle is going to do any kind of training easier - IT IS NOT IN HIS MAKEUP.

SHUT HIS RUNNING DOWN and do alternative cardio that does not aggravate the injuries. He is NOT going to be a factor at NCAA or USATF, so it is time to get him healed so that he can train for next year's Trials. Let him enjoy graduation.

biwott say:

>Sure you aren't Warhurst posting under Hodgie-san? <

What does Warhurst have to do with anything? His coach is Barry Harwick.

biwott say:

>You've lost any credibility with me.<

I will try & get over it.

Go read Brannen's log - Warhurst, Harwick and Hodgie all subscribe to the "take two Advil and run through the pain" philosophy. Screw the runner for some dual meet points or a qualifying standard.

BTW You had no credibility with me to start with.

brannen won the 800 indoors. you are just a whiney little bich who likes to see himself post.

biwott say:

>You've lost any credibility with me.<

Biwott also say:

>BTW You had no credibility with me to start with.<

Guess I had nothing to lose.