re-starting after 4 week gap due to operation

[csla]

Hi everyone,

I completed week 6 a month ago but due to an operation was told I couldnbt run for 4 weeks. Im now fully recovered and wondered where I should start again. I was thinking about tyring to run week 5?? Any advice?

Thanks

[gary_bart]

Start on the upper edge of what you think is possible (so probably week 5, but maybe even week 6?), and if that turns out to be too hard, just finish that run as something more like the next step down, if you can. So you take on week 5's 5 + 5 + 5, and if that gets rough, let yourself off the hook after 3 minutes on one of the runs to make it a bit like week 4. After that you'll have a pretty accurate idea of where you should start over. If it turns out to be easy, you can go the other way, try pushing yourself a bit, and know that you must skip ahead. Apparently you don't lose a huge amount of fitness in a single month.

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Just have to give it a go and see how you feel. Although normally a lay off may not cost too much fitness, you are a relatively new runner and you have just have an operation! You need to be kind you your body and begin to build up again gently.

You could go back to week one and, if that's easy, do week 2 next run and so on until you find your level again. It's not a race and you want to avoid injury.

Hope it goes well. It won't take long to get back to your previous fitness.

[misswobble Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

Oh dear, what a nuisance. I hope you're better now though. I expect your op will have knocked your fitness a bit so don't go mad. You could try starting where you left off. You'll soon know if it's too much so could choose the week before. It doesn't really matter so don't sweat it. Be relaxed about it and things will fall into place

Have fun! Go steady

[csla Graduate]

Thanks all for the good advice. I went back a week and started on week 5 and it was tough but I managed it all. Really chuffed, on to week 6!