Familiar 5k route today - practising Oldfloss ' kissing the floor with my feet as for the first time my knee felt a bit stiff.
Thought if was a pretty gentle run but Strava tells me it's the quickest I've run this route - so am guessing that says something about my fitness and pace - or may be just not working does me good?
Well done you, I've been watching updates of your ministreak with great interest and admiration! If you up the game running-wise I'm quite sure you will see the results in terms of pace too, I've found that to be the case myself recently too.
How long did it take for the stiffness to pass? I've found certain muscles can be eased by a gentle jog, some require persistent stretching. So much to learn in this running game, isn't there?
Happy new year to you x
To be honest my knees are a bit of a mystery to me! They've both been a bit 'crunchy' for as long as I can remember and persistent anything including walking can make them grumble a bit.
When I first started running a bit further more often after graduation they hurt a bit and I spoke to my doctor who rattled on a bit about wear and tear (without mentioning the word old 😂) but said running would probably help in the long term and just to ease back and rest a bit if they ached enough to bother me. New shoes (after gait analysis - overpronator) and strengthening exercises really helped and I haven't really had any problems since but my left knee occasionally has a niggle after a long run (one of the reasons I'm not too keen to push past 10k) and I'm always careful to stretch lots.
The problem actually isn't when I'm running, as then it feels fine. It tends to stiffen up after and I notice it standing up from sitting or going up or down stairs. It isn't awfully painful I'm just aware of it. And it doesn't prevent me moving my knee yet feels stiff below the knee cap.
Sorry that was a longer answer than anticipated I'm sure. One thing about this running lark is how much more aware it makes you of your physical being!
The streak has been fun and good for me (I was wound pretty tight by the end of the Christmas term) and has given me a little focus to my running when I didn't want to be obsessing about times and distances - and what do you know my pace seems to have improved overall all by itself 😊.
Keep us posted on the HM front! And Happy New Year.
That's a great result, Deb! You are getting fitter for sure, especially to do such a good time during a streak. Am considering a mini-streak myself, just as soon as I feel well enough (currently battling the end of a cold, a sore back, and a stomach issue…sigh!) Not being at work definitely helps! I am back today, and it just feels all wrong.
Hope your slightly stiff knee feels better soon. Some gentle stretching throughout the day might help.
You are doing great. 👍
Thanks Sadie - sorry to hear you're back at work and still not totally over your cold! It always seems to happen like that you stop for a minute and it's like your immune system takes a break too.
Have enjoyed my Ministreak so far and have been interested at how things have improved seemingly without any effort on my part other than turning up - most of my runs have been pretty short distances after all.
I'll be interested (and I hope not disappointed) to see what happens when I drop back to 3x a week.
I'd definitely consider doing it again - maybe at Easter- but will also listen to the knee!
Hope work isn't too awful 😊.
It is so quiet in the office, with so few of us back, it is actually not so bad. Though I will miss my afternoon nap. 
Interesting what you have been finding with your run streak. I have just read "What I Talk about When I Talk about Running" by Haruki Murakami, and he runs every day, pretty much without fail. I remember being so scared of not taking rest days, but now I have been running for over a year, I think I would be fine, if like you, I did shorter runs on alternate days. I think I would get a buzz from going out every day. I do feel very energised after shorter runs (2.5k is perfect).
P.S. Murakami is a nutter. He runs for an hour or more every day!
Nutter is good Sadie.😂😂
Energised by 2.5km daily is great Sadie.
What’s not to like.
Try it for a week.🤔
Read an article that suggested some daily limit of 7.2km daily.
💥🏃♀️💥☄️👊
Yes, Deb has totally inspired me to at least try a short streak! I am thinking 2km most days, with one 5km thrown in and a longer one every other weekend. I love my long runs, and would miss them! I am just interested to see how my legs would respond to a short run most days…🤔x
You'd love it I think.
My big take away from the experience so far is that I get as much of a feel good set up for the day sort of buzz from 2.5k as I do from a 5k. So I've started every day with that positivity. I think running in daylight has helped too though.
Not especially looking forward to dark morning or evening plods next week...
Just to add my ha’penny; I too think you would love a streak (mimi or maxi is in the eye of the beholder). However as Flick said the other day; best not to over plan. I have gone out expecting to be fine and struggled. Other times vice versa. That’s one of the things I like; it’s not routine like training or maintaining. Also the fact hat there is no choice, has been very good for me. So you just head out with some vague plan and see what happens. 😎
Hope you feel better soon🏃🏾♀️👍
That makes sense...I can see how liberating that would be, Helen. As soon as I feel well again and got back into my running groove, I will try it. Thank you for your very kind wishes. 😘
Great result Debs.
You are galloping along nicely and almost there at your day 16 and an opportune reset.🤔
Would give anything for your pace.👏👏
💥🏃♀️💥☄️
The 12 Runs of Christmas part 3
Last run before Christmas 
