Coming back after injury and illness, would appreciate some advice

[Gwenllian1]

I’ve had five weeks off running, first of all with a knee injury and then, just as that was recovering, a fortnight laid low with a chest infection. For the last couple of days I’ve been feeling a lot better and thought I might try a run tomorrow. I’m really not sure what to aim for. I’d been regularly running 5k and was half way through the magic plan but I was taking a couple of weeks for each week of the plan and am generally old and slow (old, slow and really love running though so that’s ok!). I’ve been a bit wedded to having a plan since c25k but I’ve no idea whether I can slot back into the magic plan, should go back to somewhere on c25k or should just go out tentatively and see how it goes. Any thoughts? I’m sure I’ve lost loads of fitness but I’ve got to get back to it sometime!

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

Why not just go out for a nice slow gentle jog. No pressure on distance or time , just see what you can manage and take it from there. Great you're feeling better😊

[Gwenllian1 Graduate10 in reply to Buddy34]

I think you are probably right. If I do it that way I’m not setting myself up to fail! Feels quite an odd idea though. So far I’ve always gone out with a clear aim, first from c25k and then with the magic plan. I don’t think I’ve ever just gone out to see how it feels!

[Buddy34 Graduate10 in reply to Gwenllian1]

From what I've read on here it's just something we have to do after injury or time away from running for any reason. Good luck 😊

[Coddfish Graduate10]

I had a knee injury a few years ago that took me out for a few weeks and hampered me a while longer. I found just going out, taking it slowly, taking walking breaks when I needed to, worked fine. Aerobic fitness hadn’t reduced a lot, but my stamina had, and also pace.

[Gwenllian1 Graduate10 in reply to Coddfish]

That sounds like the approach I should try. Thank you! I’m going to go out today and just take it easy and see what happens. That will be a first! Just letting it warm up a bit. There’s a hard frost out there.

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10]

Sound advice from others I think. I had a knee injury in November, and was out for three weeks. My way back was to walk my usual running route and gradually began running more and more of the time, beginning where the ground was easy (noticeably flat and even and straight) until I felt comfortable running all of the route once more.

[Gwenllian1 Graduate10 in reply to ForbiddenPlanet]

Thank you. That sounds a really good way of getting back into it. I’m going to walk up our hill and try gently running/walking back I think. I can tell I’ve lost stamina while I’ve been ill because I’ve just been out in the garden and haven’t worked at anything like the pace I usually do, so gently does it!

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to Gwenllian1]

Good luck. Hope it goes well.

[Gwenllian1 Graduate10 in reply to ForbiddenPlanet]

It did! I only did twenty minutes or so but I felt fine and will have a go at a slightly longer run in a day or so! Thanks for the advice.

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to Gwenllian1]

Excellent - it's such a great feeling when you have started running again as you have successfully done!

[Runningfit Graduate10]

The c25k nhs+ podcasts are good for getting back after a break. Stamina is 35 mins running and gives 3 paces... building up to fastest.