Working with a run coach, PT, etc.?

[Susie]

Has anyone worked with a running coach as an adult and have any advice on finding one?  Or do you have any other recs for my situation?

I came to running as an adult.  I was a swimmer through college, turned triathlete in my late 20s/early 30s, and started running mostly for triathlon.  I finished a handful of 70.3s and a handful of stand-alone 13.1s, but have always been an injury prone runner.  I had a stress fracture (talus), Achilles/calf issues, and other lower leg injuries that self-limited my run training.  Arriving at start lines of races always felt iffy.  

Triathlete friends who came from a more formal running background would comment that I probably had weak calves/ankles/whatever, which is probably true, but that hasn't been enough help for me to fix the issue.  Calf raises alone aren't solving it.

I saw a PT this spring who is a runner, and was amazingly helpful with a separate nagging hip issue that I've had for a few years that was limiting me.  With his help I've made it through my HM training for this weekend, but I've had a few minor calf issues that again limited me (as to pace and volume) as long run distance increased.  

In the coming seasons/next few years, I really want to focus on running.  I am really enjoying it, and it fits my schedule better than swimming and tris.  But I really need to get past these minor issues to become a more resilient and injury resistant runner.  I feel like I don't know the basics of running the way most runners do, because I spent all my coached years in a pool.  Lots of tri friends who were runners, work with swim coaches, but I haven't see the opposite in my local circle.  

I tried a HM distance program at Fleet Feet once, I think that was the one I dropped out of with a stress fx.  It mostly provided a schedule (that I clearly wasn't ready for back then), but I could've gotten that from a Hal Higdon plan anyway.  The help I need is maybe more personalized?

What next steps would make sense?  A coach?  Going back to my PT?  Any books?  I'm willing to put the work and the resources into this.

[wanderingback]

Well if you gave nagging injuries PT sounds like a good idea.

2 other thoughts-
1) where I used to live at one of the universities they had a running analysis program. It was maybe a kinesiologist who I spent about an hour with. He measured me, I did certain stretches and he measured and then I ran on the treadmill. A few weeks later he sent me a long report with his analysis and recommendations for exercises for my weaknesses.

2) Are there any local running clubs? They would be a good resource for a local running coach.

[bee20]

I can't get past 5k distances without injuring myself. I hired a womens running specific coach and she really wasn't helpful, I was just too remedial for her.

I had better luck with a local place that bills itself as a sports medicine physical therapy place, that also offers personal training on the side with the PT techs. The idea is you come in and get the PT for your acute issue with the full practice physical therapist, then when you're over that hump/insurance stops paying, you can see the aides/technicians who understand your history and get advice from the PT doctors during breaks. Most of the PT aides/techs are in training for higher level programs at the local university.

[wawa]

Ditto that sports medicine PT would be a good fit, though that can get pricey.

I have an acquaintance from my local running group who took a sports medicine background turned it into a really personalized coaching practice aimed specifically at injury prevention for peri and postmenopausal women. Which is HYPERNICHE. Things like that do exist, and she does have a big online competent to her practice, and some interesting reading material. Not sure if that would get you what you need, but in conjunction with a PT to see in person might be something to think about. (full disclosure, I like her, but she's a bit intense for my taste. Lovely person though. She and her H are both runners so we traded babysitting for run events where we each wanted to do races with our spouses. Our kids sadly didn't really get along so it didn't last past the first pair of events.)
www.breakingthroughwellness.com/

[Wines Not Whines]

Do you do regular strength training, including exercises aimed at injury prevention for runners? Things like squats, lunges, deadlifts (single and double leg), hip bridges, clamshells, and monster walks? And core exercises? Regular strength training, especially focusing on the hips/glutes and core, has helped me a lot. That doesn’t answer your specific question, but if you’re not already doing that sort of strength training, I think it will help.

I’ve been working with a running coach for the past 3 years. She puts together personalized training schedules for me, and she makes sure I’m doing things that are right for me at my level. I’ve found that a lot of off-the-shelf training schedules are either too basic or too advanced, or aimed at 20-something men who aren’t injury prone. If you’re finding that you’re getting injured when you use generic training plans, it may help to work with a coach who can tailor training for you.

[Susie]

Thanks for the suggestions!

As far as strength training, I admit I haven't done a lot of it this training cycle, but in the past I have, and I feel like I must not being doing exactly the right exercises for the specific problems I have.  I'd had this nagging hip/back issue for years, and I tried the usual exercises to help, thinking it was medial glutes that were too weak or something.  I did squats, dead lifts, lunges, calf raises, core work, clam shells, hip bridges... no real change.  My PT gave me a bunch of stretches to do that ran from shoulder to ankle, I did them religiously, and magic happened.  I never would've come up with that myself no matter how hard I worked.  I don't know if my calf issues are similar, but nothing else I'm trying is working very well!

Maybe after my half this weekend I will make an appointment with my PT and see what he thinks.  Even if PT isn't the right answer, he might be able to rec someone local to help me.  There are a couple of local running clubs, it's possible they might have some ideas too.