Running with Weight

[Clarktar]

I have predominately hiked with weight, anywhere from 60 to 100 lbs (training hikes, around 3 miles). I also run but without weight anywhere from 3 to 7 miles usually always trail running.

I decided to start to do some shorter moderate effort runs with a weighted pack. I threw 30 lbs in a backpack and used some inov8 trail shoes that have a minimal drop (I usually use minimal heel drop shoes) but also are a shoe that has very little cushioned etc.

I ran 4.5 miles around my office (all pavement, sidewalks etc) around 10 minute per mile pace. It was a bit of a grind for the quads at the end, but that is all and I liked it.

BUT, the next day the outside edge of my right foot hurt. Hard to explain, but it hurts. Caused me to walk a little funny. Then today (the second day post run) it hurts really bad and I walk with a noticeable limp or something.

Any of you runners have any ideas wtf is going on?

 

[Gorp2007]

Sounds like you may have given yourself a stress fracture. Does it hurt when you apply pressure and is it localized? I don't know what your personal running form looks like, but in my zero-drop shoes I'm a midfoot striker and i roll from the outside to the inside with my footstrike. If your form is the same, then the highest point of stress would be the outside of your foot. Considering that you added quite a bit of weight, ran a considerable distance, and did it all on the hardest surface available, a stress fracture sounds pretty likely.

Straight from the Mayo Clinic, portions bolded by me: "Stress fractures are most common in the weight-bearing bones of the lower leg and foot. Track and field athletes and military recruits who carry heavy packs over long distances are particularly susceptible, but anyone can have a stress fracture. If you start a new exercise program, for example, you might develop stress fractures if you do too much too soon.

At first, you might barely notice the pain associated with a stress fracture, but it tends to worsen with time. The tenderness usually originates from a specific spot and decreases during rest. You might have swelling around the painful area."

Stress fractures - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

 

[robie]

30 lb is a lot to of weight to add to a run. The weighted vest I've jogged with were under 10lb.

Sounds like you need to get an x-ray to see if you damaged the bone.

 

[P Carter]

The above poster had my same initial thoughts. Stress fractures are common for runners on the outside of the foot, I think most commonly up front by the toes. That said, on several occasions I sometimes scared the crap out of myself with outside-of-the-foot pain that turned out to be just a bone bruise or similar.

Get some ice on it, take a few days off, and if it continues to hurt go see a doctor or a good physical therapist. Good luck!

To be frank, running with weight seems to be a very bad idea. The tradeoff between fitness gains and risk of injury seems drastically tilted towards a very high risk of injury with very low fitness gains. I would think that the combination of running some days and packing with weight on others is ideal and results in a much better tradeoff between fitness and risk of injuries.

 

[Clarktar]

Yea, I had some reservations about running with weight. I was following the Mountain Tactical Institute program called "Humility" which is part of the BackCountry Big game hunter program.

I think I bruised it real bad, my unprofessional judgement.

 

[WoodBow]

I had the same symptoms a few years ago after stupidly deciding to double the length of my normal run one day. Had no pain on the run but it just kept getting worse afterwards until I couldn't walk without limping. It took a good while to heal. I try to make more intelligent decisions now when it comes to running.

I would not suggest running with any weight personally. That is a lot of impact stress on things. Lift heavy. Run light.

 

[Cant hit em]

I regularly run with a weighted #20 vest , i think it distributes the weight better than a pack for running. I save the pack for hikes.


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[307]

Running with weight is very risky IMO, not worth it. The minimal benefit that you would get above fast hiking with the same weight is more than offset by the dramatically higher risk of injury.

Wouldn't venture a guess at dx.

 

[Poser]

Yea, I had some reservations about running with weight. I was following the Mountain Tactical Institute program called "Humility" which is part of the BackCountry Big game hunter program.

I think I bruised it real bad, my unprofessional judgement.

That’s part of the problem with all of these “big game hunting” workout programs... (really, the “functional fitness” community at large.) part of the attraction of these workouts is that they are supposed to trash you, humble, make you sore etc.

Fitness for hunting is not some complex mystery that requires specialized training. Basically, You need to be able to hike with a pack. That’s it. You’ll benefit from being stronger and you’ll benefit from endurance. The most efficient way to getting stronger is very general, basic and well known. The most efficient way to achieve more endurance is very basic and well known as well. Making this more complex then It needs to be is just to sell you something.

Think about it: in the rare event that you actually need to run with a pack on, don’t you think that you will be able to do it without actually “training” for this task? Are you capable of running? Are you strong enough to run with a pack on? If the answer is yes, then you’re good. It’s rare enough of a circumstance that it should not require “training.”

 

[Clarktar]

That’s part of the problem with all of these “big game hunting” workout programs... (really, the “functional fitness” community at large.) part of the attraction of these workouts is that they are supposed to trash you, humble, make you sore etc.

Fitness for hunting is not some complex mystery that requires specialized training. Basically, You need to be able to hike with a pack. That’s it. You’ll benefit from being stronger and you’ll benefit from endurance. The most efficient way to getting stronger is very general, basic and well known. The most efficient way to achieve more endurance is very basic and well known as well. Making this more complex then It needs to be is just to sell you something.

Think about it: in the rare event that you actually need to run with a pack on, don’t you think that you will be able to do it without actually “training” for this task? Are you capable of running? Are you strong enough to run with a pack on? If the answer is yes, then you’re good. It’s rare enough of a circumstance that it should not require “training.”

It's just part of the overall training program. Do you think you will ever need to do something similar to a Burpee movement while hunting? Doubt it, but it's an effective eat to build up some endurance and plenty of other muscular skeletol (spelling) and other fitness terms I don't know about.

My guess is it is some sort of resistance type cardio, I don't know. But I'm sure there are benefits. I'm guessing where I went wrong was running on pavement for first time in a long time, adding weight, and then using very minimal trail running shoes. Perfect storm.

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[Poser]

It's just part of the overall training program. Do you think you will ever need to do something similar to a Burpee movement while hunting? Doubt it, but it's an effective eat to build up some endurance and plenty of other muscular skeletol (spelling) and other fitness terms I don't know about.

My guess is it is some sort of resistance type cardio, I don't know. But I'm sure there are benefits. I'm guessing where I went wrong was running on pavement for first time in a long time, adding weight, and then using very minimal trail running shoes. Perfect storm.

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Not a lot of injuries associated with burpees.
Lots of injuries associated with running with a pack.

You followed a program and got hurt on the first day. Are you unwilling to admit there could be a fault with program?

 

[Clarktar]

Might as well be exact here, it was not the first day of the program, more like middle of the program.

I was just continuing to use the rationale you appeared to be using when I brought in the burpee example. I agree with your assessment that few injuries are associated with burpees, especially when compared to trying to run with a pack.

Unwilling to admit fault in the program? Not sure if I conveyed that, but not my intention. I doubt I am qualified to evaluate fitness programs. I do acknowledge the fault in my desicion to add weight, add pavement, and use a shoe that is very minimual in support or cushioning. But I'm not going to sit here and say the program is faulty because of my limited results in one excercise of a 7 month training program. Has nothing to do with me being "willing to admit fault".

Not a lot of injuries associated with burpees.
Lots of injuries associated with running with a pack.

You followed a program and got hurt on the first day. Are you unwilling to admit there could be a fault with program?

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[SoDaky]

Running was an addiction for me for years(decades actually).Running with weight,IMO,was stupid for me to do.I would recommend not to do it.

 

[Clarktar]

Yea, I recommend not doing it. Can get same benefit by just hiking steep hills with weighted pack...

Foot is gooing to take awhile to heal now. Lame.

Running was an addiction for me for years(decades actually).Running with weight,IMO,was stupid for me to do.I would recommend not to do it.

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[mtwarden]

I won't beat a dead horse on running with weight

I will add that my only significant running injury was a stress fracture in my heel- not surprisingly, I got it running on pavement (5 days at the federal law enforcement academy w/ no trails to speak of) after several years of running on trails without much in the way of injuries. Six full weeks of not putting weight on my heel- six weeks of hell. I keep my running on pavement to an absolute minimum (which in the last year and a half has been zero! )

hopefully it's just bruised, if it's a stress fracture you will know soon enough

 

[Clarktar]

Yep, no more pavement running for me, and definitely no more pavement with weighted pack!!

I won't beat a dead horse on running with weight

I will add that my only significant running injury was a stress fracture in my heel- not surprisingly, I got it running on pavement (5 days at the federal law enforcement academy w/ no trails to speak of) after several years of running on trails without much in the way of injuries. Six full weeks of not putting weight on my heel- six weeks of hell. I keep my running on pavement to an absolute minimum (which in the last year and a half has been zero! )

hopefully it's just bruised, if it's a stress fracture you will know soon enough

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[thinhorn_AK]

Whenever I’m following training plans that call for running with weight, I either up the weight and ruck it, pull a tire sled or run without weight.

Running with weight just doesnt work for me from an injury and recovery standpoint and I personally feel, for me it dosent help in any specific way towards the goal that I can’t meet in another way.

 

[Clarktar]

Whenever I’m following training plans that call for running with weight, I either up the weight and ruck it, pull a tire sled or run without weight.

Running with weight just doesnt work for me from an injury and recovery standpoint and I personally feel, for me it dosent help in any specific way towards the goal that I can’t meet in another way.

Yep basically my plan. Ruck steep hills instead. Already been doing ng the tire pulls. It's a family past time actually

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[307]

Uh, maybe better shoes would be in order??? Flip flops under heavy load are concerning...

 

[Clarktar]

Uh, maybe better shoes would be in order??? Flip flops under heavy load are concerning...

Lol, this was a test run. Thanks for the pro tip though

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