I may have been pushing myself too far.
I ran another race last Saturday, the Reindeer Romp 4k. It was originally scheduled to be before the 5k I did a while ago, but it was rescheduled to to weather. I did run a bit better pace (26:54 for the run, 10:49 per mile), but I was incredibly sore after the ride.
Running in general just seems like a bad idea for my body. I have issues with my knees and hips when running. I also end up sore all over the next day. I do get a stronger endorphin buzz from running than cycling, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it. I don’t enjoy running much at all. I sort of enjoy the first hour or so after a run though.
My shoulder arthritis has flared up again. I’m not sure of the cause. That started to cut into my bike riding, until I got the recumbent out again. I can ride the recumbent without aggravating the shoulder, but now it’s causing knee pain. It may be I need to readjust the seat. I’ve actually gained a little weight since I last rode it regularly.
I took (yet another) break from the YMCA. Spin class really hurts. Swimming aggravates my shoulder.
The real question is am I pushing myself too far? I’m seriously considering dropping out of the triathlon training. I don’t want to. Completing a triathlon would be really cool. It’s still the swimming I’m most worried about though.
I should know in a few more days or weeks.
I don’t know the best course of action for you. I don’t find running OR swimming enjoyable, so I wouldn’t even attempt a triathlon. I’m impressed with the way you’re pushing yourself, though. I feel a distinct LACK of pushing that’s really driving me nuts, at the moment.
I have no insight. Swimming should theoretically be good for your shoulder at it will provide a greater range of motion as long as you’re not pounding big miles/laps. As for running, hmmmm. It’s a better all-body workout that cycling, but it’s hard as hell on the joints unless you run on grass or trails (or in our case, frozen muck). I say, can you keep the goal while moderating and taking care? It’s a fun goal to have. I wish I were still training for the 200K and I’ll be disappointed come next Saturday.
These things are such personal adventures…
When I was training, I felt diminishing returns on a daily basis. One ache would lead to another and at some point I never felt as strong as I did the day before. Not enough rest? So I’d change something. Then something else would start hurting or tweak. The fact is that I dove headfirst into it, began doing “bricks” very soon after starting training. I was not ready (nor maybe will I ever be).
So here’s what I did: I abandoned the Triathlon. I kept running in maintenence mode and immediately set a lofty goal in my best discipline: cycling. I decided I would be the strongest I could possibly be on my summer tour over Mt. St Helens so that I wouldn’t suffer for one second and could take in the brilliant majesty of Gifford Pinchot Forest. I got the best fitness of my life and had the greatest rides of my life.
Good luck.
Moderation might be the key. I have backed off quite a bit. I’ve backed off too much to make any progress on the swimming.
Maybe I’ll just push enough so that I feel I can actually complete the triathlon. The swimming still needs the most work. The running will be okay as long as I run once a week or so, building up to a 10k.
If you’re going for a 10k without killing yourself, my suggestion as a former cross-country coach (for real) and son of long-time runners is to get 3 jogs in a week, one of slow, slow easy distance, one of maintenance and one with quick, hard intervals sprinkled with recovery. I hate treadmills in general, but using the hamster wheel helped me do the hard days b/c I would set the tempo and run to the tempo and time and then back off. Running one day a week doesn’t seem to be adequate enough to build up those different muscles.
But what the hell do I know? Really?
For me, it’s hard to stick with anything I don’t really enjoy. I love running in the woods; I hate running in the city, so I don’t run now that I live in the city (though I keep thinking about checking out the trails that I assume must exist in nearby Iroquois Park). Maybe to make it a little more enjoyable, you could mix it up a little with the terrain or run with some friends?
Also, I think Tim’s suggestions make a lot of sense.
I never have any idea where my ‘overdoing it’ threshold lies until I’ve stumbled across it and landed flat on my face, but for me, taking one to two solid rest days each week has made a phenomenal difference (even though at the moment it means I miss pretty much all the fun weekend group rides because my job involves riding five days a week, or will once I can ride again :D).