It has been a couple of weeks since my left knee decided it didn’t want to support my weight and I glumly looked at a total layoff of unknown length. However, my physio friend proffered the advice that cycling would be beneficial, keeping the knee mobile and strengthening the surrounding muscles to boot. I have only managed three bike rides…….it is so much less convenient than popping out of the door for a run……. but the knee was feeling good and this morning I set out to test it with a very gentle short run.
When I headed out of the door into the cool morning the magnificently full harvest moon was suspended at the top of the hill, looking as if it could be plucked out of the sky, it appeared so clear and so close. After four years of running, pacing is still the most difficult issue, but today it was to be my home 5k route, minus the loop round the school and I made myself start very gently. It was a relief to find my knee feeling strong as I headed South down the grassy ridge with the massive moon sliding gently toward the hazy Western horizon, with Dartmoor brooding in the distance.
Heading down Breakheart Hill, I was aware that my knee is still a bit sensitive but by keeping stride short and pace slow the bottom was reached without a problem. Across the railway and I turned my back on the setting moon to face the glow of the Eastern sky, dirty pink and watery azure, white slashed by the trails of morning flights heading South. Isn’t this the best time of year to run? Well, it was this morning.
A thin low mist hung over the water meadows and a pair of surprisingly brazen grey herons strutted nonchalantly across the field, keeping only one wary, beady eye on me as I plodded happily alongside the hedgerows, still strewn with glistening blackberries and dull blue black sloes.
Grey oaks, silhouetted against the lightening sky and the raucous call of the rooks made me smile………….did I ever mention that I do that when I am running? Out of the fields, along the track and onto the road for another couple of hundred metres and then I saw the rising sun as I crossed the railway line again. Shimmering orange, it hung benignly over the track burnishing the curving steel lines to a startling gold.
Up the lane and onto the footpath up Longdrag Hill, that was almost my nemesis in W6 of C25k, forcing me to change my route to avoid finishing uphill. Today I was probably running no faster than I did in that run four years ago, but I was considerably more comfortable now than back then, with the warm sun on my neck. Out at the top, through the estate and my run stopped, where so many have over the years and to my delight and satisfaction, I saw that my pace was almost 40 seconds per kilometre slower than my recent pace and almost two minutes slower than than my 5k PB pace.
It may seem strange to some of you newer runners that I should be so pleased that I managed to run so slow, but 75% of our running should be at an easy pace, which I have in the past found difficult to maintain, so this very easy pace, designed to give my ageing body a chance to catch up, is a great joy.
A beautiful autumn run, a solid feeling knee that still needs some careful nurturing and one smugly satisfied runner adds up to a great comeback run.
The bike? Tomorrow is rest day………...so maybe a sneaky 25k jaunt along the lanes…….it serves its purpose.
Keep running, keep smiling.
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IannodaTruffe
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No not yet...still not feeling 100 % & chest is tight.going to see how i feel in the morning if not sunday.such a shame as today was such a beautiful day.its been 17 days but feels like forever ago.i feel like i have lost my confidence 😕
Hopefully you have had 17 days of reading all about the joys of running on this forum and are inspired to get some of that for yourself.
We all have to accept that we are where we are at any given time (myself included) and work out the strategies to move us forward. You will be fine, once you have found out where to start back. In the scheme of things it will just be a hiccup.
Me too... when I ran this morning, and especially when I read this post
Really lovely run report. I saw the beautiful moon this morning as well- Who knew that Autumn would be such a lovely time to run (well obviously you vets did but I am just discovering these pleasures). This post made me feel both relaxed and ready to run
I am pleased to hear that your knee is holding up, hopefully you will soon be back at it, with your usual confidence and gusto.
Great news about your knee 😀. I completely understand about the pleasure in a slower running pace. Your advice on the forum about this was a revelation so I’m always aiming for it. It’s surprisingly hard to do!
Beautiful. And lovely news. I am so happy you managed a run; even happier you had the harvest moon shining down on you. It was a sight to see. It accompanied me on my run this morning and it felt quite magical.
Hope your knee continues to feel okay. Be kind to it.
Oh, and the whole smiling thing? Reminds me - I loved my run today, but when I had to dig a little deep, I reminded myself to smile rather than grimace, and you know, it really helped my mindset.
That moon was an unexpected sight. I had watched it rise the night before but it was even more spectacular just hanging in the morning sky. Magical indeed.
Smiling is just something that happens when I run, right from the start of C25k. I don't think I am a particularly smiley person......except when I run and it kicks in straight from the first stride.
Brilliant to read of a run and not a ride. The run sounded absolutely beautiful.
You have just reminded me, Jan, I haven't done any ride reports.........maybe this is not the place, but at least the bike got me out rather than moping around at home.
It was a lovely morning.......I am biased, though.
I look forward to the day I can confidently talk about any running pace being an easy one. Go easy on the knee and good luck with your return to full strength.
If you ever do have to give up running I think you should consider poetry! You are not alone by the way - I smile to myself all the time when I'm running. Normally it's the wildlife - I adore our British wildlife. I'm glad your knee held up - we've missed you!!!
You get to see so much as a runner. I am a very visual person and reporting that may sound poetic, but although I have written a couple of plays, I sincerely believe I am lacking in the poetry stakes.
It is lovely to think of all you runners smiling as you career around the countryside.
This is true. I think one of my favourite sightings was quite close to home actually - an orphaned wee baby lamb being bottle fed! The buzzards circling is a common sighting around here, as are the huge herd (is it a herd) of deer. Running becomes so much easier when you're surrounded by such beauty.
What a beautifully written post. You and Floss should team up and write a book about inspirational runs! It just makes you want to get outside! That sounds like a lovely place to run as well. Glad to hear your knee is holding up as you ease back into it.
Thanks Decker. My posts are generally composed in part while I am running and when it is as beautiful as it was this morning it becomes very easy reportage.
I never thought that the condition of my knee would make me smile.
Well done. It's a great feeling finally getting out for a run after the confines of the IC. A nice lazy run too. I've only just learnt to appreciate the restorative power of an easy run - more time to take in and enjoy the scenery. Lovely narrative too.
A wonderful picture painted there, beautifully written, that moon was spectacular. It's great to see you're back in the mix, here's to a full running recovery.
Sounds like a great run, & described so beautifully, I felt I was running along side you! Glad you're knee is holding out, as Oldfloss always says, slow is good!
Slow is good and I do wonder at the moment how I ever managed my PB pace..........will I ever get back there? I don't know and just at this moment, I don't actually care.
If that doesn't make anyone want to go for a run, nothing will! Sounds incredibly uplifting. Early in the morning is just perfect, before the world wakes up. So glad your knee held out
I have seen dozens of sunrises while running and many more spectacular than that one, but in conjunction with the amazing moon, it was a highly memorable run.
What a brilliant run report lannodatruffe, so descriptive and well written that just reading it you took us all along at that nice steady pace. 😊
So pleased that your knee is ready for running again, and I think you're right its a perfect season for it at the moment...
I was running this morning too, and found my happy pace too...it was perfect, my most comfortable run to date. The reason, because I started really slowly for the first 0.5k.
What an inspiring run report, IdaT, inspiring not only for the poetry of your description, but also because of your pleasure in being able to enjoy a slow run. I have been struggling with slowness - Nagging Nancy asks for slow runs but they are too slow, and I have yet to find that happy pace that you describe where everything becomes easy. Perhaps after today (long run) I can go back to running for pleasure I will keep trying, and I will think of you as I am running and smiling
Aahh, the tyranny of the training plan........that's why they don't work for me. It is only by accepting that my treatment is knocking the edge off my performance that I can reconcile my current pace with my historical pace............but it still makes me smile.
Pure enjoyment! And that's only reading about your run!!☺🌄🌙 We had the Birmingham Velo go past us a couple of weeks back. I've been tempted to resurrect my old racer, but really, I just want to run. 🏃 Glad to hear you're back on track again. ☺
The bike works upper leg muscles very differently to running and whether that is beneficial from a performance point of view, I am not sure, but it certainly strengthens things up.
Simplicity of the running process wins hands down over the bike, but it will be sporadically used for cross training.
The ankle is easing. Walking - fine. Did some low-impact Zumba yesterday which was fine, but an attempt at jogging round our garden stopped at the second step! It's the flex and the 'launch' that it just can't cope with at the moment.
Beautiful and compelling writing - and I'm glad to hear that your knee is holding up and hopefully recovering and strengthening too. Sounds like a wonderful run. Seeing the sun rise always feels like a privilege and especially in such a beautiful place.
The idea of runners taking their smiles all over country (and world!) is brilliant. Perhaps that's what we are, itinerant smile ambassadors!
Definitely! Had a great time running this morning and wondered why everyone was smiling at me so much today, runners and non-runners alike. It took me a while to realise that it was because I was beaming myself too
This is a wonderful post! I am glad that your knee is holding up. It must have been so satisfying to finally run again. Your post has made me excited for my next run!
Ooh, I missed this yesterday. I am so glad you can run again and what a beautiful run. It makes my feet itch - but no, not till tomorrow. We are so lucky that we can run in such beautiful countryside, that our bodies let us and that we discovered running so late in life. Also, learning to run slowly is the key to a long running career, I think!
I like my long runs too, although I haven't worked out whether I like the runs or the thought of being able to run such long distances. It's amazing what the body is capable of.
You have actually run further than I have ever run having not quite reached the half marathon distance. Now that I have discovered that I can actually run slowly, then I am intending to increase the duration of my longer runs and maybe take on something like the coast path.
It's just a number, but a number that most people have heard of. It just sounds soooo long. It was something I wanted to do, to prove I can, and I will probably do it again regularly for the same reason.
I am new to'heathunlocked' and just started running gradually, talking about cycling, I have been doing that for nearly 60 years since I started when I was 7, I am now 71, the change from cycling to running is a bit difficult to say the least, during the winter months I go long walks and during the summer months, that's when I do the cycling but not running, at least until recently, it's seeing all those marathons, half marathons and 10ks that has inspired me to at least try and start running a little, so this is a great time to start.
The first week I followed Couch to 5k and got on OK, only time will tell how I get on in the next couple of weeks or months.
Cycling is great, but does not give me the same feelings of being in touch with the elements and my environment as running. Being on foot is purer and involves less equipment and always leaves me with a smile on my face.
Do post with your progress, we really do love to see new runners finding their running legs.
Thank you very much, "IannodaTruffe" there was a 10k race just 3 weeks ago near to where I live in Cumbernauld, near Glasgow Scotland, I was a spectator at that event, the Kilometre markings of that race are still on the ground, so I walked from kilometre 8 to k9 off-road, that took me 10 minutes, the next day I ran for 1 minute, walked for 2 and so on, that took me 8 minutes, today I cheated and cycled the same route, I did it in 3 mins, 45 seconds, LOL, from now on I will practice on that same stretch the couch to 5 k program, walking and running, not cycling.
Sounds like you live in a beautiful part of the country, you paint a lovely picture with your words. Glad to hear your knee held out, and you enjoyed your run.
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I will keep trying, and I will think of you as I am running and smiling 
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