RunningProject 5k Training: My Week 1 Results (and #runforsteem post!)

One of the reasons I decided to take up @toofasteddie's invitation to lead the 5k Training Program for @runningproject is that I knew it would be perfect timing for me to follow the plan myself. I have mentioned this is in some random comments lately, but I ran into a fairly serious injury situation a few years ago, and it set me back by about two years.

I take injury prevention very seriously, but this turned out to be something that was somewhat out of my control, and wasn't a result of running. At a time when I was completing some really intense track workouts (i.e. 5x3x200 at increasing speeds (30-29 seconds) and decreasing rests (2:00 to :30)) I began waking up in the middle of the night with groin pain that I'd say was an 8-9 out of 10. It turned out to be a torn labrum in both my hips. The MRI showed a significant impingement in my hips which is apparently a fairly common birth defect. I never should have done power lifting, especially squats, but, well, of course I did. So, on that note, I highly recommend that anyone who wants to begin a power lifting routine get checked out by a professional before doing so. I am not sure if an insurance company would allow an MRI as a preemptive measure, but that would have prevented a lot of pain in my case. I consulted with the surgeon who does all the surgery for the Washington Capitols NHL hockey team (can't remember his name), and he after he explain the reality of the surgery (minimum 2-year recovery before back to 100%), we decided to try deep rest, followed by cortisone shots and physical therapy. The regimen worked fairly well, but taking so much time off of running in my mid-40s turned out to be more difficult than I thought. Every year we age, it gets a little harder to return to top shape. So, in the end, its still my own damn fault, but getting back into a routine has been a challenge. I am currently 20 pounds overweight, and running about 2:00 per mile slower than my former pace, but at least I know to just just the process.

So it was a good week all around. Not only did I begin laying down the foundation of a newer routine, but I also was voted as the running author of the week by the awesome members of #runningproject / @runningproject! That was a really pleasant little surprise and I want to say thanks to everyone supporting that contest. But, more importantly, I managed to get a series of workouts in, and what feels like a full week of training for the first time in a little while.

The rundown:

Monday: Run to work, and then run from work back to the train. These are very short runs (1.4 miles each way), and this week was mainly just about getting back into a steady routine. At the same time, a quick 10 minute run through the city is the perfect way to get ready for work.

I didn't record it on Strava, but I did a second similar set of runs on Wednesday.

On Tuesday I did a plyometric/core routine in my living room, with some short fast runs on the treadmill. This is a workout that I will expand on in a future post, since it is what I want the newbie 5k runners to be doing at least twice a week. On Thursday I went to the track with the family and we played around with jump ropes and stretchy bands and I did a couple of easy 400s.

Friday was a beast of day here, so I opted to drive to work and did some good walking in the halls and stairwells during breaks.

Today, Saturday, it was back to the track for a warmup of 800m of straights and curves (jog the curves, stride the straights), and then 4x200 at a decent cruise. Again, just getting into a routine.

This wasn't exactly what I recommended in the Week 1 Training Plan, but these next four weeks are really just intended to lay down a foundation.

Click for more information on the @runningproject 5k Training Program. It's definitely not too late to join.

Click Weekly Run for Steem Challenge Feb 19th - Feb 26th & Payout For Last Week for more information on #runforsteem!