Hey Chris, i strained my soleus back in November and it presented a lot like yours (mechanism of injury, residual pain, but no issues with swimming or biking). I had to take 3 weeks off completely from running then slowly build up over a month. I am still modifying my day depending on my calf. Soleus strains are very common in endurance and can linger for months if you don’t allow them to heal before you start back. Just some advice from someone who has watched you for years and just worked through your current situation. I am also a PT and a strength coach. I would honestly probably skip the marathon, focus on your swim goal, and start to focus on morro bay. Then run Grandmas marathon with me in June and BQ 🤣
Major bummer. I am nursing my first injury in 2.5 years that kept me out of HB. Trying to stay positive and tell myself it is giving me time to focus on the bike, which a weakness.
Hoping you have a speedy recovery! Currently dealing with a broken foot and mentally it’s very taxing. I was in the peak of my training for an ultra and the sudden change in training is tough.
Hey Chris, careful with the calf. I strained mine at Surf City Half last year. Triathlete mentality is to push through. Bike felt good. ART treatment felt great. Long story short, kept pushing and turned into a chronic Achilles injury that cost me the season. DNS’d Oceanside. Walked a summer 70.3. DNS’d Indian Wells. Rest, strength & mobility has me on the comeback trail. Jog/walked my Slowest Known Time (SKT) at Surf City Half ‘24. Finally feeling good enough to start running again and dropping pace a full year later.
I had the calf and Achilles tendon pain with my easy run after the Rose Bowl Half. I took more days off, it was disappeared after the break. Be patient and rest up!
Chris, you're taking the necessary steps towards recovery. You've proven at Surf City Half Marathon that you have the ability to qualify for Boston. No need to force things. 👍
So sorry to hear about the calf! If there was any swelling I would be suspicious of a muscle tear. However, there could be a variety of different causes. Given your schedule, an MRI would be a reasonable diagnostic modality. It may not change the treatment but would help to identify the problem and provide a prognosis. Happy to facilitate if you need.
I swim with form goggles, i found out that i look way too down spontaneously, and my neck fatigues within 300m in short course meters pool at ironman effort, if i try to keep the forms "optimal head pitch" during the swim (it actually can tell you as live data) and after my head drops its slower to breath and it deters my pace in the pool also with the same effort... ofc its highly individual but that is my weakness and also affects breathing..
Man I feel you. I've been with calve pain for the past 2 weeks. Getting worried I won't be ready for L.A. . It's frustrating . I'm hoping it's nothing serious but 2 weeks with pain . Might be serious .
i am very sorry to hear, that you are injured. I wish you a speedy recovery........To me i sounds like a muscle fibre tare, which would make it not possible to run the marathon in a month. Going forward without having a correct diagnoses, you are risking Morro Bay......i have the gut feeling 8 to 8 weeks without running is more likely than just one......i hope i am wrong
I was thinking Morro was post NZ but you are right. That won’t start until after July. If I did qualify for NZ I won’t take it. Too much happening that close to Christmas for me to go.
