Well, my physio has done her stuff. I have had 3 good slow runs going up to 4k and suddenly everything seems easy. There was a painful run in the middle of that, which I quickly diagnosed as a product of my retaping my knee too tightly; easily fixed.
I was signed off by my physio on Monday. All of the exercises have paid off, I suddenly feel much stronger, and the main source of pain, a plica, which is reducing in size, is behaving itself. It will probably flare up again as I pick up distance and extend my exercises (doing lunges tonight was a real act of faith!) but I know how to manage it.
My shed load of exercises will have to continue indefinitely, as will hot water bottle treatment on my knee, My exercise time will far exceed my running time each week, but that doesn't matter. Best of all, physio said that there is no reason why I can't get back up to half marathon distance. There is no structural damage. I did think that those days had gone, so let's hope.
The parting exchange was telling; she said, in the best possible way, I hope I don't see you for a long time! I was able to respond by telling her that she was brilliant, and meaning it......and then the kicker..."you won't be doing any more speed challenges........will you!" The only acceptable answer was "no"(almost "no Miss"); you don't mess with someone who might have to dig into the back of your knee to re-seat a displaced patella. Best to keep on the right side 🙂
Sunday's 4k was done at 6:43 pace. 🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌 rule ok!
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Beachcomber66
Graduate10
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Thanks, I plan to do just that. Hard to keep the red mist at bay when a PB chance pops up, but I need a period of slow short runs shading into slow longer ones. I just want to enjoy running again and see where that takes me.👍
No shame in 6:43. Some would love to be able to run at that pace. So pleased to hear that you can continue with your longer runs. Vitality London 10000 still on the cards then, if not sub 60 x
Hi Sandie, hope you are having a wonderful time in France. Probably no sub 60 but that doesn't seem to be a big deal just now. Have to learn to act my age that's all! Vitality 10000....definitely! 🙂
France is great, if hilly! Did my first hill repeats yesterday and was completely knackered after 69m in 2.5km. Normal Lincolnshire elevation is 12m in 5km 😳
My hilly 5k route has an elevation gain of 157m, with the steepest bits in the first 3k. I need to get back to that....I go uphill very very slowly and then zoom down the downhill....ooops, I mean zoomed....no zooming for me now ....definitely not. 😇
Thanks OGR. I am sure I would have been on top of this earlier were it not for the covid-19 close down/absence of Physios. At least I am confident about building up distance again. Life looks much brighter!!🙂
Brilliant news BC! Your physio clearly knows her stuff and you don’t one to mess with that. Rather than being a speedster (which I know you love), come join the likes of me and do some bimbling for a while. I can recommend it. 😀
Thanks UNM. It has been an odd 3 months but hopefully onwards and upwards(slowly) now. Swimming is starting again soon, so that should help. First target...a slow 5k at Gastropoda pace 🐌🐌
Cheers CC. First job is to bimble my way up to 10k again, as in the Bridge to 10k programme. I need to get back to including hills too, but all in good time.
I have read that these strengthening exercises can banish runners knee in time, and plicas can clear up without surgery, but I think my inner racehorse needs to go out to grass! You can remind me if I look like doing anything daft!!🙂
Thanks Tasha. I haven't seen the cobra; too busy focussing on my knee; hopefully I can get my head up and take in the scenery soon. Will look out for him/her tomorrow. 🐍 👍
Great to hear you are back to running pain free. Please don’t call that speed snail pace, some of us think of ourselves running fast at that speed 🤣 happy running 🤗
It's a very sensible pace GH; apologies to fellow runners, speed really doesn't matter. Slower distance stuff is much better. I just became pre occupied with doing a sub 60 minute 10k and thought that the sprint challenge would help; it probably would have done, I think I was just a bit unlucky. I have run 5:30 1ks before without trouble. What was stupid was picking up an injury, recovering from it, and immediately trying a 5.30 again! Duh! No fool like an old fool 🙂
🤣it sounds like the lesson has been learnt this time though. I’m happily tootling along averaging 6:45 - 7 Min km but as I extend distance to my 1st 10 miles I’m trying to slow down even more, but the legs aren’t listening 🤣 still do my first 2k at about 6:20 each. Hey ho
I have just exactly the same problem. I think I’ll start off slowly and then Strava tells me I’ve done 6:10 or something silly for my first km and it’s all downhill from there
I have been managing to keep the first 1k down to 7 minutes....but my legs then pick up pace without conscious thought on my part. The main thing is that I am keeping stride length down to a shade under 1m. It got up to 1.14m on the speed challenge. I suspect that was a big part of the problem.
So glad that you’ve been signed off Beachcomber66. Well done for sticking with all those exercises.
Having also been signed off from my ski injury last Week, I’m now booked in for an appointment for my Achilles. Damn damn. So a little rest until that settles down . The ice pack is out again.
Enjoy your slow runs and def no speed Challenges. Will you be going to the scilly Islands this year, or has Covid spoilt that?
Thanks Dexy. Sounds like eccentric heel dip time! My calf played up in the middle of everything...just compensating injuries, but you know all about that. I hope it doesn't linger. Isles of Scilly cancelled I am afraid. We always go in June, so just a bit early. Our trip to Canada and on to Hawaii with our daughter is also cancelled (we would have been setting off on Friday week) as was a special family bash in the Peak District. Still, nothing compared to what others have suffered with covid-19. That puts everything into context.
Fantastic news, I bet you’re over the moon. It must have been so hard not running and wonderful that you’re back! It must feel great!
I’m now having physio for a weak hamstring which I thought was something else & did wrong exercises through my self diagnosis! Hopefully I’ll be back and building up slowly soon. 😀
Yes, we learn that a problem we feel in one place can be rooted in or affected by issues in other areas; much of my work has been about building up hip strength and stretching hamstrings, quads adductors and calves. You are back on track now.👍
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Off the IC - part 2 
Ah no! Not my knee.
Improving running when not running? 
Tape and exercises 
8k and a question. 
