Possible silly question alert 📢

[Mum22boys]

So I thought I'd plan out a possible building back up running schedule... and since I very cautiously started off with a 1/2 mile walk, 1/2 mile run ×2 on Saturday, if I did that 3 times this week that would be 3 miles in total.... going with the 10% rule I reckoned it would take me 8 weeks to be running 3 4k's in a week (I had to change units, couldn't cope with miles 🤣) I'm more than happy to build up gradually as I really don't want to get another injury but does this seem a little cautious?? I hadn't run for 2 weeks prior to Saturday and have run between 40-60km a month for the 4 months prior to this break. Any thoughts gratefully appreciated 😊

[nowster Graduate10]

Only a 2 week break? You've probably not lost much if any fitness in that time.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

A 2week break isn’t a massive break, I’m loosing track, are you recovering from injury too? A slow return would be good for confidence but if you want a faster return to longer distance could you still use the 10% rule but spread it over the week like in ju jus plan so a short, middle and bigger increase in long run? Whatever you choose I hope they are happy runs 🤗

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

Yes, got a mild case of achilles tendinitis. Physio said I didn't need to stop running but the strengthening exercises aggravated it for a week or so, but it's much better now so easing back in. Just don't know if that plan is just too cautious 🤷‍♀️

[Grannyhugs Graduate10 in reply to Mum22boys]

Cautious runs are still runs and better than overdoing things and ending up on IC longer. Read the signs as you run. Good luck. 🤗

[Hidden]

Little by little mum22bys I'm with you building back up after something weird ( calf muscle thingy pain) went out today for my first 5k in almost 3 weeks complete with compression sleeves. I reckon listening to your body you know it best, and rest as they say heals, better to rest and recover properly than end up on the ic couch again due to rushing those big klms

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Imc50, definitely don't want to cause more problems. Hope you're come back is smooth

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

Fitness wise you’ve lost a tiny percentage of your vO2max, a measurement of it would in almost all cases show the same number after two weeks. Muscle conditioning may be the same or even slightly better than at the start of your last run, you had at least one day of muscle build after it... and also any other little niggles have had a couple of weeks to sort themselves out and settle down. If you’d just not run because you took a break you’d be good to go straight back to your previous milage.

Of course, you were out due to some achilles pain and your physio gave you some strengthening work for the calves, I assume from a quick read of your previous posts. Some testing like you did last time out is obviously the way to go. If there’s no reaction at all from the affected area, you could jump back to what you were doing, but I always find it better to do it in a couple of stages. I’d look at somewhere between the 10% rule and 100% comeback, maybe adding 25% of the milage I was doing previously (not this weeks milage) every week, but also being aware that one niggle from the ankle area means stop that run, and being extra cautious for a few weeks.

Hope this helps.

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you, this is really helpful 😊

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Mum22boys]

It was a great question to ask really, the 10% rule has its flaws and this is one if we take it too literally... it has others, especially for high milage runners, adding 12 miles if running 120 a week would need caution!

One way of fixing it going forwards is to look at your “baseline” milage, the average milage you’ve run a week over 26 weeks. It’s generally safe to return to that rapidly after a break... going above that baseline it’s safer to go slower than 10% for an established high milage runner. I’ve been looking at this as the 10% rule gives an exponential increase in milage whereas I prefer my monthly milage to go up in a nice straight line, which usually equates to less than 5% weekly addition.

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Food for thought.. when I get chance I'll work out my baseline mileage and take it from there. It's all fascinating stuff, and definitely not as simple as just going for a run 🤣

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

Great advice there from UnfitNoMore .

I hope you back running and pain free soon 🤗🤗

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to Buddy34]

Thank you 😊

[grumpyoldgirl]

That UNM, he knows his stuff. Also, definitely not a silly question. In fact, a very sensible question, and if more people asked it, the Injury Couch would be a lot less crowded 😁

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

He certainly does! I find it all fascinating... if not a bit mind boggling 🤯

[Hidden]

I work in miles so km's and I'm all over the shop but I reckon go with how the body feels. There's some corking advice below from people who are more experienced than me. How great though to be thinking of and stepping up a comeback? Woo-hoooooo 😊

Can you try 2m very steady run 1, then same again for run 2 then 3m for run 3 so 7m over the week? See how it feels then?

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Tried 1km walk, 1km run, 1km walk, 1.5km run, 1km walk last night. Followed by strengthening exercises. Achilles was throbbing a bit in bed last night and a bit painful when I got up. It settled after 5/10 minutes. The physio said I can run as long as pain isn't worse than a 5/6 when running or it's getting worse more than 24hrs after a run, neither of which it is. And I'm doing plenty of walking which is fine. But it's so hard to know what's the right thing to do. Might do less actual running in next attempt out

[Hidden in reply to Mum22boys]

Well done for mixing it up though and trying to see what works for you. I really hope this is the start of your journey back 😊

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

I just long for those days where I can just go and run 🤞

[Hidden in reply to Mum22boys]

Gosh, I really do know how you feel. I've just looked back to my Achilles problem in January and I ran only twice in 5 weeks. The 6th week I ran 3 times covering 11m, the 7th week 8m then the weeks thereafter 17m, 20m and back to normal. You will get there and you might have to accept It'll be a month or so but hopefully you'll be back. Mine has been fine ever since with regular 25 mile weeks. I still stretch every day though as you do.

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

That's really reassuring 😊 maybe I need to give it another week until I try again. Just got to take it day by day. In time I'd love to be able to run the weekly distance you do. My long term goal is to be able to run long and steady. Thank you again for your support and encouragement 🤗

[Fabulous450 Graduate10]

It sounds as though things are going really well Mum22boys!! So happy for you. I won’t try to add to the advice below because I’m not really able to. But, I think your approach sounds good and you can always adjust depending on how it’s going. The main thing is that you’re going and that’s fantastic! 🤗❤️

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to Fabulous450]

Thanks Fab. Feel like I'm a bit 2 steps forward, 1 step back at the moment.. but the physio did say the type of achilles injury I have can be a bit persistent and harder to sort, but just got to keep doing the strengthening exercises. On the plus side I'm getting plenty of walking miles in... and broken the 800 miles left barrier last night.... 799.96 miles to JOG 😁

[Fabulous450 Graduate10 in reply to Mum22boys]

Oh how fantastic Mum22boys!! 🤩🤩🤩 That’s excellent. I have only just broke that barrier myself, but I’m very happy about that.

You’re doing brilliantly. And when you get to JOG you can cheer me on up (please!😉)!! You can tell how much it means to you. You’re doing the right thing and you’ll get back on your best form. 🤗🤗❤️

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to Fabulous450]

Well done you too! It seems a real milestone to be in a different hundreds 😁 I will do indeed, although if you get there first you must do the same 😉

[Fabulous450 Graduate10 in reply to Mum22boys]

Mum22boys it certainly does feel like a milestone!! Can’t believe it has come far quicker than I could have imagined. I entered thinking I might just get to somewhere in the Northern side of the country, but not at all thinking that I’ll get all the way there! 😂😂 Especially after seeing I had only done around 550k of running since I finished C25K! 874 miles?...well...enough said 😊. But we’re on our way! Walk, run...whatever we can do, as much as we can!! 😁🤗❤️

[Mum22boys Graduate10 in reply to Fabulous450]

Well you're definitely on track and who knows what the next 11 months will throw at us but just got to keep going in the here and now... and who knows where we will end up 😉😊

[Fabulous450 Graduate10 in reply to Mum22boys]

So glad we’re on the journey together. Yes....Who knows? 11 months is a nice bit of time to build up some miles 😁❤️