Biting back

[Kalessin]

I've been on the verge of posting here several times over the past few weeks. Questions like "How do you run with toothache", and "How do you run with really bad toothache", and then "How do you run with backache" [I did something silly while helping my husband, because my tooth was hurting]. These were followed (in my mind) by "How do you get back into running after three weeks of toothache", and "Have I lost my fitness, and will I ever be able to run again?"

Fortunately for me, many people have asked similar questions before, here and on C25K, and I got a lot of ideas and support just from browsing through them. Thank you if you have ever posted on these topics. I will spare you the details of the tooth thing, but it is finally settling down.

I thought I might give Japanese slow jogging a go, and tried it on Thursday morning. Gosh, it is really slow (I checked on a treadmill at the gym and for me, it's slower than my walking pace), but what a great way to get back on the road without being too knackered. I did two stretches of 2km with a short pause in the middle.

Yesterday evening, for the first time in ages, I judged it was cool enough for me to do an evening run without actually melting. I do try very hard with early morning runs but it really is not my best time. I set off very doubtfully. My favourite route has a lovely downhill bit just after the warm-up walk, and as I got to the bottom I thought "I'm enjoying this!" (Then my knee gave a twinge to punish me for thinking bad thoughts). I pressed on, doing Japanese slow running in the uphills and my own brand of slow jogging in the downhills (much the same, but with bigger steps). At the junction I decided to take the uphill road, which I have never managed non-stop. Japanese slow jogging got me to the top! Then it was on to the long, flat, slightly dull straight road back into our village. Great news, the road was closed a bit further down, and I didn't see a single car. As I came back into the village it started to drizzle, which was perfect to cool me down, and the Beatles were singing Get Back. I did 4km non-stop in a staggeringly slow 31 minutes 29 seconds, but the best bit was, I could have carried on.

I have been stuck on 4km/30 minutes for months. I had a plan to run further but thought it had been completely stymied by the ***@?? tooth. Hopefully, it hasn't. Hopeful is how I now feel. Thank you all.

[Windoze Graduate10]

Welcome to the forums Kalessin . Great post and as you say lots of good info on the forums, just need to dig for it.

Dont worry about pace and speed. It's about doing what you can! Great work on the run/walk technique sounds interesting!

[Kalessin Graduate10 in reply to Windoze]

Thanks guys. I have actually posted a few times on both forums before. I have signed up for a 10k in November, so I really need to get my skates on. It's definitely time to try a Park Run - I went to one in Sydney before I completed C25k and was completely thrown by the fact that (a) it was hot (in March!) and (b) one of the runners did 5k in 16 minutes before I had even finished the first lap. A new Park Run has recently started only 12 miles away (previously the nearest were 25 miles which is a bit of trek) so I need to make the effort.

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Have you tried parkrun kalessin? I was a 4k graduate but by doing parkrun each Saturday my pace increased but by bit . 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️