Falling over - one in a million

[JaySeeSkinny]

I fall over regularly and it really worries my husband because he imagines me lying in a ditch with broken limbs or - even worse - tumbling off a mountain. I've never done myself a real mischief, but scabby knees, grazed elbows and the occasional cut hand happen about once every 3 months. That got me thinking 🤔. It only takes one wrong step to land on your face, but how many "right" steps do I take. Well I walk/run over 11km every day at the moment and have done for about 2 years. That's about 14,000 steps a day and if you do the maths it means I take well over a million steps for every fall. So next time he looks worried I'll tell him there's only a one in a million chance that I'll fall over. That should reassure him!

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Are you running on technical trails, JJS?

I landed on my tail once in some mud but haven't come close to falling over on 'good' terrain.

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Dunder2004]

No, I'm just an extremely clumsy person. Always have been!

[Dunder2004 Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

Ahhh OK. Please do take care.

[Biscuit0107 Graduate]

Love your logic 😂😂😂

[PippiRuns]

Please take good care of yourself - I don't like the idea of you running in mountains, clumsyfoot!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to PippiRuns]

Thanks Iben! I don't run in the mountains - not strong enough yet. But I have been known to stumble up there when just walking. It tends to happen when I'm tired. And I am careful! But sometimes out of the blue I will trip over something that's hardly there.

[PippiRuns in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

You are not very good at reassuring people, are you JZ! I can understand why you husband is worried

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Great manipulation of stats!

My running relatives are about to hit the woods in the dark and one of them falls over nearly every time now... he's still hoping to come home British Champion...

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

Phew, you've saved me! I was beginning to think I was a freak!

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

Alas he did not complete the course. I asked how many times he fell over and he said if you only counted the times he actually hit the floor, three and said it was a bit scary. I think he might be about to hang up his head torch and give up on the night events... but he is 83 and being treated for rheumatoid arthritis and prostate cancer!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

Blimey, that is dedication😈 Wonder if we'll be like that at his age🏃

[Maddee_6333 Graduate]

I like this maths - I fall over lot more often than that though...

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Maddee_6333]

I was starting to get the impression I'm the only one who falls over regularly!

[Maddee_6333 Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

Definitely not. There is one run I do with a canicross group, that I pretty much always fall over during. The one week I stayed upright, 5 other people went over!

[JoolieB1 Graduate]

I have been running for about a year and a half now, probably fallen around 5 times. I used to stubbornly run without wearing glasses and that resulted in a couple of tripping over tree root falls. Mind you, at least the ground was soft. Once I was running in the dark in an alleyway and tripped over a paving slab, glasses even flew off - result, I only run in the dark with my headtorch now. The other day, I was crossing a road in the light and needed to run over a couple of speed bumps, didn't pick up my feet and scuffed my shoe and over I went. Hole in my trousers and when I got home, discovered a bad graze which has taken days to properly heal. Wear glasses, wear a head torch, pick up your feet. Hoping not to fall again for some time

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to JoolieB1]

Yes, I read your post and saw the picture. It made me think about falls and probably led to this post. I have also fallen over in the dark, changed my route afterwards and stuck to lighter roads (can't get on with my head torch).

[JoolieB1 Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

We could fall over anywhere, maybe we need to learn how to roll??

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

There's a chest worn torch some people use.

I think shoes make a difference - it is why I wear minimalist, I need to be able to feel the ground. I have poor balance.

I am sure it is very good for us to keep practising though, an investment in our well being in later life.

[davelinks Graduate]

I'm lucky I suppose, have never fallen over, fallen off motorbikes a few times though! 😁 I'm careful to watch where I put my feet when on trails, as have a bit of a weak ankle caused many years ago through ricking it a lot going over on high platform fashion shoes so don't want to turn it running into a pothole or mud rut..Take care..😊

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to davelinks]

Got any piccies of you in the platform shoes?