How NOT to start a Running Program

I have several blogpost drafts that are in limbo. They may be used eventually, or not.

I laid out a multi-part series on the subject of Sprinting.

My readers know that I typically detest running. But you may not know that I actually enjoy shuttle runs, and blasts of “speed” for short distances.

So I began studying the merits of sprinting. I view sprinting as the Tabata training of the running world. Short, intense, all out effort for a brief period, followed by a period of rest.

I outlined what I thought would be a fascinating assessment of incorporating sprinting into my weekly fitness routine, over a 12-week period.

I figured I would take weekly stats, and see how they improved over that period. This was going to be a cool series.

Among the key stats I would track are: Resting Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, Fasting Blood Sugar, Waist and Chest measurement and Weight. I would also measure my speeds on specified distances. I have also begun tracking my caloric intake and I’ve been paying more attention to my macronutrient ratios.

I decided to begin slowly. I would just do 40m sprints for the first few weeks, and work my way up to 100m over the 12-week period.

Though I was aware of the need to be cautious regarding distance, I wasn’t that prudent in regards to my output. Perhaps it would have been wise to go at 65-75% of my speed, instead of starting out at 95-100%. Not that that is fast in my case, but it is full exertion.

After plenty of warming up and stretching, I ran a few light 40m sprints. Then I figured I was good to go. I ran ten 40m Sprints, resting a minute or two between runs. I felt really good. I knew this was gonna be good stuff. I was really excited.

I was excited for how this would positively impact my fitness, and also for the fascinating subject matter for writing.

After I was finished, I walked a mile to cool down. As I drove home, I was quite pleased with myself.

The next morning I could barely walk. It wasn’t my calves, quads, hamstrings or glutes that were sore. It was my groin. My groin muscles were in a full scale revolt. That was Tuesday morning, a week ago. My initial plan was to do this sprinting plan on Monday and Thursday mornings. That would allow several days for recovery.

Thursday came and went. Friday came and went. Saturday I went to the track and even the warm-up was rough. I ran two slow, gimpy sprints and I knew I was toast. My groin muscles are fried.

I went home and got re-acquainted with a bag of frozen peas, that I applied to my inner thigh as I read, moving it from left to right, every fifteen minutes, to keep from adding frostbite to my woes.

By Monday I felt pretty good. I was wise enough to refrain from going to the track. But I did go to Barbell Club Monday night to work on Snatch and Clean & Jerk. Warm-up was fine. Then I did my second Snatch. Wow! That deep squat with a barbell got my attention as pain radiated from my crotch to the middle of my forehead.

“Hey Coach! I’m doing Power Snatches for the rest of this drill”. The Cleans and Jerks were fine, but I knew anything with a deep squat was going to have to wait a few weeks.

Over the past several evenings, when I was planning on studying Sprinting material on the web, I substituted research on groin pulls, groin tears, inguinal hernias, creative uses of kinesiology tape and other tangential issues.

With deference to my patient readers, let me put you on notice: I will NOT be doing a 12-week series on Groin Injuries.

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