Soooo. I am back

Evening, I have just hopped off the trainer for the first time in a number of weeks. Initially injury, then another injury then general misery, fed up with getting older.

I’ve been avoiding the scales but know it can’t be great but I have yet again triggered a middle distance plan for 70.3 Indian wells.

I feel that the Covid pandemic was my opportunity to get stuck in but the Second injury was ultimately mis diagnosed so really put me back. I managed to self diagnose piriformis/piriformitus syndrome and managed to get fully pain free for the last month.

I have two questions. With the weight gain and injury I am worried about running to early. Would rather brisk walking for a longer time create the same TSS for a few weeks.?

With the general lack of pools I am going on the rower. Is it a case of matching the TSS.

Walking will help with low intensity weight loss but it won’t replace running…although it’s better than doing nothing. Lack of pool time can be mitigated with gym work but that’s probably out too. Rowing is ok for cardio but won’t mimic swimming. I’d use the time to build up the cycling. Firstly it is the only sport you can do that is actually part of your race, secondly it is unlikely to injury you and thirdly it is the lion’s share of a half ironman so you will need plenty of it and if you get bike fit you can cut it back when pools open and you feel up to running.

If you are just coming back form injuries, I would not worry about running TSS at this point…work on slowly adding volume. Start with insanely short runs…I am talking about less than a mile. Run slow, but consistently…5 or 6x / week. Add mileage slowly…never more than 10% / week.

Once you start getting above a mile, do run / walk…run for 10 min, walk a minute (even if it is the last minute). Keep adding mileage slowly.

After a few weeks, start a plan similar to the BarryP running plan…it has 3 recovery runs, 2 intermediate runs and 1 long run per week.

With your mentioned weight gain and previous injuries, causing another injury if you jump back in too soon / hard will likely cause another injury. take your time, augment initial short runs with extra bike time (ride for 30 min and then do your short run) and you’ll find your self building the physical foundation for alter running stresses.