Q: “I’m dealing with slight tendonitis in my ankle and have been on the eliptical since I am unable to run. Does anyone know how this will affect my run fitness? I can guess the eliptical is better than just sitting on the couch, but will it really maintain my base/aerobic running fitness?“

 A: Coach Patrick: Thanks for the inquiry. Tendonitis is a tricky issue…and if it has flared up enough to get you to seriously consider an alternative for running, this means that it must really be bothering you! If that’s true, first think some good solid rest from running/ankle stressing is in order. As you lay off the running, swimming and cycling would be great additions to keep things going.

If you are already well into using the elliptical, then great. The upside of the elliptical is that you can continue to use your running muscles in a motion similar to running.  The downsides are (1) you won’t be pushing your body forward as you do when you run (so you lose that higher end ability to generate speed), and (2) there is an alignment issue with ellipticals.  Keep in mind that while the elliptical reduces the stresses related to the impact of running, it also forces your legs to “track” in a straight line…something they just don’t do in the real world. Beware of any excessive fatigue in the hip area, and ease off a bit if you experience any discomfort.

The bottom line is that your fitness will still be there, just in a reduced capacity. The longer you are away from running, the longer your return.  If adding elliptical work now means pushing back your recovery, just realize that you are also pushing back the Start Running Again Date.  You should be able to transition back to running over a 10-14 day period once the tendonitis fades. Remember to start slowly and give yourself plenty of rest. That “overtraining abyss” is just a workout away!