Pulled Calf ... Day 2

Well its day 2. I find that i still limp but can take longer steps, can apply some amount if pressure on my right foot. I was able to go up stairs using both feet with minimal pain. I'd pain level decreased to two on a scale of ten.

Looks like the ice regimen kept the swelling to a minimum, and i still can't find a bruise in the general pain area so i am hoping the damage to my calf was limited.  I had a chiropractor appointment this morning. Dr Stringer ran PTLMS on my calf. Dr Stringer says that would help breaking up the scar tissue and improve blood flow in the injured area. It hurt real bad ... But definitely feels better afterwards ...

Next, got to figure out whether I should repeat the ice regimen tonight, and need to get on my stretching ... The stretching will be important to align the muscle fibers correctly. I still plan yo swim half hour or so today to keep the cardio part of the training going. I may had abs ... Heavy duty abs since i wint be running for a few days ...

Pulled Calf

Well, there you go.  I pulled my right calf during my lunch run today.  I am not quite sure what happened ... I was running laps at the gym, about half hour into the run I started feeling some pain in my right calf.  The pain grew sharper,  sharp enough that I though to myself "I should stop", I was 3/4 into the loop.  I heard a popping sound, then started limping.  I though to myself, "well f&ck ... I teared my calf again ...".

It's the exact spot I teared my calf a couple of years ago.  I have had a lot of scar tissue from that time.  I stopped running then for almost 2 months.  I want to nurse this injury to minimize the impact to my running schedule this time though, so i have to educate myself now.  In particular, I know I will have to step out of the running game for a few days, but not two months.  When the pain symptoms have re-ceded I can start picking up some mileage.  I need to facilitate good blood flow through the damage tissue and ensure that my tissue fibers align properly during regeneration or i will continue to have issues with my right calf.  That is achieved though soft stretching.  Also I need to minimize scar tissue buildup with massage and ice.

The initial onset use R.I.C.E (Rest Ice Compression Elevation).  I kept my leg elevated at work.  When I got home I applied ice, 20 on 20 off for 2 hours.

Bummer for my leg ... I wonder, what I did to cause that.

Strength Training for the Dummy Runner like Me

I ripped off this routine from Active.com (by Cathy Vasco) and modified it a little.  The routine is designed to be executed at home with dumbbells.  In some parts I used a V bar since I was at the gym, same exercise just a different execution ...

1. Bench Press, Barbells (but could use dumbbells), 3x12 reps
2. Rowing,  dumbbells (gripping the dumbbells neutral), 3x12 reps
Superset with chair dips
3. Overhead Pulls, 3x12 reps
4. Curls, the routine calls for seated dumbbells neutral.  But I used a V bar to vary the angles.  Did 12 reps, straight  and 12 outward, repeat twice.
5.  Crunches, 3x15.  But I up'd mine with doubles 15 on top of the 15, so 15/15 doubles, x3.  Took the idea from Billy Blanks Abs bootcamp :)
6. Lunges ... I didn't do lunges due to the condition of my quads after quad killer weekend.

That was it for this routine.  I added side planks where you rotate one arm up and out, 5 each side.  I though it completed this routine very nicely.

Total time ... about 30 minutes !  Its a great, simple.  As a runner I sometimes forget that strength training is important for my performance.  So  i think incorporating a small amount of strength training with some variation of uphill / downhill training will help me perform better during my road and trail events.