This weekend marked 4 weeks post-marathon, but honestly it feels like my race was 3 months ago. It’s important to keep that in perspective though, especially when I start feeling frustrated about where I am mentally and physically with my running. One month is really not that long considering the 4 months of hard training I put in leading up to the race. This was another week of mostly strength and core workouts, with a few short runs. I continued with the #RunStrongChallenge as well.
It’s a good thing I almost always post my workouts on instagram or I would never remember what I did each day!
Monday: I completed both days 13 and 14 for the RSC, because I had taken a total rest day on Sunday. Then I did Pure Barre Tone in 10 for arms and abs, which left me shaking, and finished up with 15 minutes of yoga.
Tuesday: Day 15 of the RSC, along with upper body and core work (lots of push-ups and planks!)
Wednesday: RSC day 16, and some short videos from Jasyoga. I subscribed to the videos for $4.99/month and I love it so far!
Thursday: RSC day 17, and a 3 mile run with strides.
Friday: My goal for today’s workout was to focus on upper body and core, while including some plyometrics from Iron Strength. I also incorporated the exercises for the RSC day 18 into this workout.
Saturday: RSC day 19, PB Tone in 10 for thighs and abs (ouch!) and a 6 mile run.
Sunday: RSC day 20 and about 45 minutes of yoga.
I mentioned last week that my knee was bothering me last weekend. It felt totally fine most of this week, but I noticed it again after Friday’s workout. I am wondering if the plyos are contributing to the problem. It feels totally fine when I run, and is actually more like around the top of my shin versus the actual knee. I am working on stretching and mobilizing all the muscles around the knee because that has always helped in the past when I have had random knee pain (like once a year). Other than that I’ll just be monitoring and will take some time off if it hurts again. Crossing my fingers that it was just my body responding to adding in those high-impact exercises again.
I have no idea what this week will bring as far as workouts go, with the holidays and some traveling. Hoping I can at least keep up with the Run Strong Challenge because this is by far the longest I have ever been consistent with anything like this.
How were your workouts last week?
How long of a recovery period do you usually take after a big race?
Have you ever had an injury that seemed to be caused by an exercise other than running?
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Sometimes I get weird aches after a new pure barre workout which usually means I held my position wrong ( I think when I do the rows it causes neck pain so I have to pay close attention to how I keep my spine and neck). So maybe it’s your form? Could it be your shoes even though it doesn’t hurt when running? Sometimes when the shoes are about to burn out they cause random pain around the knee area? Just a thought?
I very well could have poor form for some of the exercises I am doing, so that is definitely something to consider. I rotate my shoes and I think they are all on the newer side, but maybe I will stop wearing my oldest pair just to be safe:)
I obviously should have taken much longer of a recovery period after my big race! But then again, you live and learn, I guess. I often get twinges about 6 weeks after, but then they settle down.
I think that each race has been a different recovery process for me, and I need to be aware of that. I can’t bounce back like I did when I first started running marathons!
I’ve never heard of jasyoga but I like the idea of it already! I had some great runs last week since the weather was so nice, but I don’t think I’ll be as hopeful this week. I think this week I’ll focus more on some yoga and strength training. I hope your knee feels better!
Thanks! I am hoping to get in a couple of runs and keep up with strength training too, but we will see. I am more likely to head out for a run when I am faced with a busy week!
Very strong week of workouts! I hope you have a stress-free week of travel for the holidays!
Thanks! I hope you have a great week too:)
Oh yes, I can get injured all sorts of ways. Heck, I pulled a muscle in my back with the same strength training I’d been doing all along right before my last half (thankfully it didn’t effect the race, but it sure added some stress).
But I guess we tend to be a bit more prone to that in our 50s . . .
Since I only do halfs, I take a week off running afterward but that’s it. I do it even if I have another half coming up. Works for me.
That’s great that you have figured out a recovery plan that works for you!
Oh definitely. Squats and lunges bother my ITB way more than running does! I definitely think plyos could be contributing to your knee/upper shin pain.
Interesting…I don’t mind giving those exercises up because they are hard! I guess that means no more burpees for awhile…oh well:)
I sometimes get weird aches in my calves and toes after hiking, probably from the pounding of going downhill. I’m such a slow hiker on the way down because I am nervous about injuring myself and not running as a result.
You’re doing a great job at being so consistent with the RSC!
I would imagine that hiking would cause all sorts of different muscles to get sore! I would be so nervous hiking downhill too.
Is it the lower outside of your knee? I think that can definitely be caused by jumping and plyometrics. When I had a bit of patellar tendinitis last year it was related to push off. Hope it turns out to be nothing!
It’s actually more on the inside. But I did find some tights spots in my calf that I worked out, so hopefully that helps. And I guess I’ll just lay off the jumping for awhile:)
My workouts were good this week, but I know over the Christmas holiday they will probably get thrown off. I’m going to try my best to remember that some is better than none. A few squats & push-ups here & there is better than being a bump on the couch.
That is a good strategy! I am hoping my hotel has a gym because I wake up so much earlier than everyone else and can probably get in a good workout in the mornings.
Great week! Were you doing the plyo lunges? The jump squats never bother my knee, but the plyo lunges usually do…although regular lunges do too. Have a great holiday!
The first time I noticed my knee hurting I had done all the iron strength plyos (jumping lunges, squat jumps, and burpees). Last week I didnt do jumping lunges but still did the other exercises. It wasn’t as bad but I noticed the pain again a little bit later that day.
Awesome week, Lisa! I give you major kudos to sticking with the RFC for so long. I’m so bad at keeping up with those things. I only got to run once last week, between vacation, moving, and getting sick. I took getting sick as a sign I needed to give myself a break for a few days. I’m looking forward to getting back into it this week!
I get knee pain whenever I do exercises that involve a lot of jumping. It’s happened to me ever since middle school. I try to avoid those types of exercises to avoid the pain!
I started keeping a document with my miles, otherwise I would never keep track either! Also my blog – the posts serve as my workout log 🙂
Thats smart! I track my miles in a log, but not my other workouts, so lately its been so easy to forget what I did!
I agree with Michelle that it is likely linked to plyo exercises – I had that happen to me after a training cycle when I continued to include high intensity moves… I think sometimes the legs need more rest post marathon before jumping into high intensity. It’s tough to adjust when you’re used to working hard with all the miles, but you’re doing awesome incorporating so much strength work!
That is a really good point! I always feel like if I can run that I can do any exercise, but really some of those workouts are harder than a run and also my body is not used to them. I’ll definitely be backing off those types of workouts for awhile!
My workouts were few and far between last week – thanks to a mild case of bronchitis for a few days 🙁 Oh well! – can’t win them all!
Oh no! I hope you are feeling better!
I actually find that lunges bother my knees, but I can do squats without a problem. I’m not sure what it is about lunges–maybe I’m doing the position wrong or something, but I’ve kind of just given them up. I typically take a week off after a race, but will use the elliptical or stationary bike to loosen my legs. My workouts last week were on point–not sure how they will be this week with the holidays, but I plan to just relax and enjoy myself!
I am usually ok with regular lunging, but maybe my form falls apart when I add in the jumping. I think that cross training to loosen up your legs after a race is a great idea!
It could be the plyos since they’re newer. I always take plyos slow to make sure I have good form. I do plyos for strength training and I always tone down the speed since speed is not my objective.
I should probably take it a little easier since I am not used to doing those types of exercises and I am sure my form is not great!
I will be just like you trying to figure out how to get in my workouts with this crazy schedule of mine. We’ll get through it though. Good luck on your run strong challenge!
Thank you! I hope you have a great week!
I always feel little twinges here and there and just kinda cross my fingers and hope they work themselves out. I can run 70-90 miles per week no problem, but I go and lift up my kid at a Christmas party last night and put out my back. I’m talking like, can’t move, T3s, I want to die. Good job on all the strength stuff! I obvy need to do more of that. SIGH.
I can’t believe how badly you hurt yourself! Hoping you are feeling better!
That is a very impressive variety of workouts you are doing. I notices different twinges from cycling than I get from running (and water skiing definitely). I think every type of exercise would do that to you, even if ever so slightly, until you get adjusted. Have you ever tried an official marathon recovery or reverse taper plan? Just curious. I’ve done such oddball training, I won’t know what to do. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas week and I appreciate you linking with us, Lisa!
I never have tried an official recovery plan. That is probably something I should look into next time, maybe it will give me some more guidance!
It sounds like you’re doing good with incorporating some regular yoga into your workout routine! Happy Holidays to you!
Thanks, and you too!
I have a lot of trouble with plyo moves any my calves. My tendinitis seems to flare up if I do too much of it. I was loving the RSC but then fell off the wagon when we went on vacation. I need to go back and write down all of the exercises so I can start from scratch on Jan 1!
Luckily its been alot of the same exercises so its pretty easy to catch up- I have been doing multiple days at once when I fall behind!