With just two weeks to go until my first 10k 'race', I have been devastated to lose my running buddy. Almost literally. He was involved in some sort of mountain bike accident on Friday afternoon, possibly whilst doing a recce of the route, & was airlifted to hospital with critical head injuries. He's making very slow signs of recovery but is by no means out of the woods yet & there's no way of telling yet how he will be affected as time goes on. He also has other bodily injuries as well of course.
So for me, not being immediate family, I'm feeling a bit lost as I wait for information to trickle though. He's the one that roped me into doing the race in the first place, much sooner that I had planned to do a 10k, & we've been motivating each other in our training ever since. Now knowing I'm going to be doing it without him, & in fact he doesn't even remember anything about it at present, & not being able to discuss my training efforts or lack thereof with him has just thrown me. On the one hand, I'm determined to put everything I practically can into this in the next two weeks & on the day, as I feel I need to do it for him now, whatever his outcome. On the other hand, I just want to curl up & not even go for a run.
Sorry this is a bit of a personal post but I wanted to share with people who might understand the relationship we develop with training buddies. And, of course to ask if anyone can suggest any particular exercises/routines to really build that upper leg strength to tackle the steeper hills with the power I feel I should now. It's no longer just my first 10k race, it's the one my buddy is missing.
Thank you.
Written by
SunnyMummy
Graduate10
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First off. I am really sorry that this has happened to your friend and I really do hope he makes as full a recovery as it is possible for him to make. Hang on in there.
So sorry for your friend - what a tragic thing to happen. I really hope he gets all the care and support he needs at this difficult time. As for your 10k race, do what feels right for you on the day. Most of all, take care.
Thank you. It feels right now that I should throw everything I've got at this! 😉
I am so sorry for your friend and for you. First of all don't make any quick decisions, you sound (understandably) traumatised and shocked right now. You need to take care of your friendship and yourself,. I guess you will have all sorts of conflicting emotions as you face this news.
I don't think anyone will have expectations of you as a runner right now. Just take some time and emotionally process what has happened. You might not be family but your running buddy is an important figure in your life (and you in his) and this is a shocking thing that happened.
Talk to your friends and family (as well as us) about what has happened, you need support right now. I
I am sending you a virtual hug and sorry I can't do more x
Thank you so much, that's just what I needed to hear (read) I think x
So sorry for your sad news. Hope and pray your friend makes a full recovery. You now have to try and be strong ,for your friend and most of all you. Your emotions must be all over the place and at the moment you obviously feel as if you don't want to do your race.
We are all here for you and in our thoughts❤️❤️
I'm sure everyone will join with me in sending you and your friend a virtual hug from all of us here!😢😢🙏
Best wishes to your running buddy so as he makes a fast and full recovery. Best wishes to you too. Keep running and training for the 10K. Then make your mind up closer to the time.
Oh gosh, so sorry to hear about your friend, and here's to his ongoing recovery. We just never know what life will throw at us do we?
I wish I had words of wisdom that mattered right now but whatever the coming weeks bring and whatever your decision about where to go from here, we're thinking of you and hope that you can harness some of your inner strength that's brought you to this point to pull you through ... sometimes these hideous events in life can spur us on to achieve the unthinkable despite what our hearts may be feeling x
Thank you. Yes I am now determined to do the run & give it my best. I'm thinking of taking some sort of cardboard cut-out of him with me but not sure how I'd carry it! I do have another running buddy who was joining us anyway, but we've never trained together so no idea how we're matched for pace etc.
I'm so sorry to hear that, and I hope he makes a full and swift recovery. It must be a terrific shock to you as well. Take a bit of time to process it, but also realise that it will affect you big time on the day. I think it's brilliant that you are still doing the run, but no doubt you will find it very emotional. Accept this, and don't have any expectations of the race other than to finish. That will be a great thing. Meanwhile, carry on with your plan, back off in the last few days before the race itself so your legs are fresh, make sure you are well-hydrated and have eaten well the night before, and the very best of luck to you.
Thank you, & especially for the practical advice, as I think that's what I need now. I'm focused on my training now without 'over-doing' it, but working on a few extra leg strengthening exercises which I was going to do anyway. I'm more determined now though to give it my best shot.
That is very sorry to hear that tragic accident and wish him a speedy recovery.
You ask about what training you should do now, I would just carry on with what your doing, I am hoping to complete the beachyhead Marathon. I now will cut back on my training and taper until the day just doing some 5k & 10k's. I would suggest just doing some short runs of what you feel comfortable and if you don't want to don't. but I can assure you will not lose your fitness level over the next two weeks.
You don't need to decide to race right now, so don't stress about the race, you will be fine and can decide to the race whenever.
Thank you, & I take my hat off to you for doing the marathon! One day... Yes weirdly I am more focused on my training now but in a sensible way, if you know what I mean. I did my first 10k run last week (the day before his accident) & am planning one this weekend then the next will be the Race Day. Meanwhile I'm doing 5-8k 'maintenance' runs every other day & now incorporating some basic leg & overall strengthening exercises too. All stuff I would've liked to have done anyway but I'm just more determined now.
Oh flipping hell! What sad news and such a blow to your plans of a happy run together 😞
I do hope your friend recovers but it sounds like you'll have to run alone. You can do it if you've trained for it. You could run it for the both of you 🙂
I lost my jog leader to a cycling accident a few years ago,,having been new to running. i think of him a lot as I often run the same routes
Running hills, undulations, slopes is all good. Go slowly and take little steps on the steep uphills. If they are very steep,the best option is to walk as you have to be careful you don't hurt your ankles.
Thank you. Yes it's changed how I'm seeing the race now but I'm definitely now training & running it for him as well as myself. We were running with a third person as well for this one so I won't be alone but we've never trained together so no idea how compatible we are. We shall see on the day!
Sorry to hear. I think you are right though and the best you can do right now is to fulfill his wish to get you to run a 10k - you can imagine how great it will feel to tell him all about it later, when the time is right.
As for now and how to tackle hills, well you do that by training on hills. Here's a few ideas to look at: runnersworld.com/race-train...
Oh and before the Squat police come on, I better add that squats are good preparation too.
UPDATE: thanks everyone for all your messages & comments, it's really appreciated. Just to update you, things were looking grim for my buddy, Phil for the first few days. Really grim. He was moved from ICU to the Neuro HDU (basically intensive care for serious head injuries). I spent the weekend in a state of shock I think before then getting irritable. I did no exercise at all over the weekend but then got myself to the gym Monday for a good overall workout & a short treadmill run. I felt better for it & strengthened my resolve to give the race my best shot. I'm not worried about times but just to know I've done my best.
We then had some good news Tuesday evening as it was reported back that he was starting to recognise his children & be a bit more interactive in his still very basic communication. He even showed a bit of his stubbornness by trying to take out his various lines. it's still very early days but it's all a step in the right direction.
So as far as I know - I haven't been allowed to visit yet - he has no recollection of the run we had planned or even that he's a runner. He may not even know who I am yet. That's all a bit weird. Equally, it's been strange for me not to be able to tell him about my workout on Monday or my run yesterday - who else cares lol? - or my new running shoes that I treated myself to yesterday. But, I am now running the race for both of us. It's going to be a very different run to how I'd imagined but I'm going to give it my best shot & have extra motivation to do it, & be able to tell him all about it at some point in the hopefully near future. He was already wanting me to do the Eastbourne Half-Marathon with him next year so maybe this time, I can be the one to bully - I mean, encourage - him to do that.
Thanks again everyone & good luck to all that are doing either the 10k or the full marathon on the 28th - see you at the start line! Xxx
Thanks for the update...really hope he carries in improving. A work colleague had a bad bike accident some months ago...things also looked really grim for him in the early days, but he has made an amazing recovery so fingers crossed for your buddy too!
Oh I'm sorry to hear that about your colleague but great that he's made such a good recovery. Did he have the same sort of injuries out of interest? I know each case is unique though. He's apparently got 'post-traumatic amnesia' at present which is just part of the healing process I'm told, while the brain sorts itself out.
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Always be training?! Sending Coach Garmin on leave.
My Bridge to 10K training log 💙 [WEEK 1]
First post! First 10k! 
First 10k race!
Dun dun duuun... 10K tomorrow!
