Just as my knee injury was becoming part of that litany of past minor niggles that has disrupted my running over the years and I was back up to 6.5k, looking forward to some lovely longer runs, I mildly sprained my ankle on Saturday last week, while walking (what a foolish thing to do, walking that is).
Strangely, after turning it, it felt fine, being barely discernible when I ran on Sunday. However on the Tuesday run I only managed a couple of ks running before having to call it a day. I spend my working life on my feet and again no problems at work, apart from a very minor tenderness, but enough for this old body listener to know that running would not be wise. I put this second delayed reaction down to my age and the old body I have been listening to for so long.
Tendons and ligaments have a relatively poor blood supply, so any injury is going to take longer to recover than with muscular damage, so to get the blood flowing, having checked my facts, I had to resort to the old bike again. Cycling would only be working the ankle in the correct forward and back plane. Great.
After a late start, even with the extra hour, I headed out along my speedstrip running route, where I set my 10k PB a couple of years ago. The Autumn colours were beautiful, the sun flashed behind scudding clouds and the road whizzed under my knobblys. Amost worked up a sweat, almost made me smile.
So back on the one day at a time regime and start off again at building things back up gently, when it feels okay. But for the time being, this mentor on a running forum is…..ahem, not running……….. yet again.
Keep smiling……..at the very least!
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IannodaTruffe
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Blimey... when I read that... I thought you had done that distance and time... running!!!
I am really sorry about the ankle..but really glad that you are able to cycle and had such a beautiful and terrific ride.. and.... almost.... smiled
A great post... and how sensible to listen to your body; I wish more folk did
I do that all the time... when mine shouted at me this morning..at the top of the last hill on my run, I slowed down even more Quite a feat for this old snail.
Take it steady, one day at a time and take care of you x
I do know how to grab the attention.............. I am needy that way.
As for listening to our bodies.......... I reckon it takes a few years and a couple of injuries before you learn the language........mine swears a lot at the moment!
It was good to get out but would have been disloyal to smile on a bike.
We have to keep plugging away, Pops. It's the only way.
Frustrating being on the IC isn't it? - having not long had a second stint, I've come to the conclusion that running isn't the problem, life is the problem. Quite clearly you should never ever walk it's way too dangerous!😉
And for me I have to avoid very hazardous steps, not flights of, just single steps downwards. Who knew they were certifiable dangers? Thought I'd warn you, just in case you thought walking down a step to the bike was a good idea.
Best of luck on your recovery and hope the cycling in Autumn makes up for the injury, just a little.
Give it a go, nothing could be worse than the dreaded walking..., although I am thinking lying down is bound to have some unforeseen consequences. Seriously good luck on the rehab.
21 weeks of "no running" for me now . BUT - I did have an xray this past Friday and my GP rang me (on Saturday) with some good news. It looks like my fracture is FINALLY showing signs of healing. Will go see him tomorrow and have a good talk about it. I have been doing all kinds of things lately - joined the gym and go there around 4 times per week. Walking parkrun. Bought a mountain bike - only for riding on the roads and footpaths but can go on grass or stones as well. It has big fat tyres and gets me huffing and puffing on the hills around my house. I really just use it because i don't like the stationary bikes at tge gym and find that hard work on those is "painfull" , both mental and physical. But fighting my way up hills on a slow mountain bike is more "enjoyable" .
I am now thinking of getting started with my running - when I first started 4 years ago, I was very tentative about it all as I didn't have any confidence that I could do it. I was hoping to restart ( C25K) a little less tentatively this time - because I now know what I can do and I am much fitter but the slow healing nature of this fracture is going to mean (I think) that I will be running even more tentatively this time.
I remember you saying that you might not bother running C25K, Bazza. Then you went on to be an inspiration to us all. Get back there soon and send us photos of an Oz summer as we sink into our winter.
My mountain bike is thirty years old and is very slow, or is it just when I am in the saddle. I could never run in a gym, so I am never going to ride a bike in the gym.
Frustrating how injuries occur when you least expect them and I only started running this year ( previously a cyclist) . After graduating, I've had to restart C25K once after damaging my achilles.
Following this forum's advice, a slow and steady recovery has got me back running 30 minutes three times a week one of which is a park run.
I've now run four successive pb's (last pb was 30:38) and my running daemon is telling me to get under 30mins and my wise daemon is telling me that being able to run injury-free is more important !
Enjoy your cycling and I wish you all the best in your recovery and I can certainly empathise with you (another Tim and recently diagnosed with pca).
In four years running I have been stopped from running by injury on four or five occasions, but only one of those can be attributed directly to running.
In my case it is simply the matter that what would just be a minor problem for non running Joe public, becomes inflated into a run stopping drama entitled injury.
There is no problem with pushing the envelope..........just do it gently.
Jesus! How did he run 20K that fast? I tried to figure it out before l read the rest. Bugga!
I used to be deaf to warning signs but now I'm amplifying the smallest nuisance. I'm feeling a tiny deep touch of a strain in or around the left Achilles, can walk, can run but here and there when muscles/tendons are cold in the morning l can feel it. This time I'm taking no chances hence I'm booking my lovely lady physio for a checkup.
I can't do gym and cycling in London equals a death wish so am hoping the doc will come up with goods, she always does.
Like you, I am very conscious of every little niggle and am constantly assessing their relevance, especially if they are in the same vicinity or system that has suffered injury in the past.
Don't mess with Achilles, get advice. My only running injury was a tweaked Achilles, which apparently came out of the blue, but I had tight Achilles tendons every morning since starting running, so the warning signs were there beforehand. Probably some stretches will sort you out.
I did a similar thing, knees troubling me after my last run so yesterday I got on my bike. Glad you posted this, it reminded me that it's not a disaster!
Yeah, I shouldn't complain, at least I have been able to bike it with my last two injuries. It really isn't as convenient as running, certainly not much fun in the dark, but is getting me out in the fresh air and making the most of the situation.
Hope your knees sort themselves. I have had knee trouble in the past, so can sympathise.
Sorry you aren’t able to run. This must be very disappointing for an experienced runner. Great that you keep up the activity with other exercise though and thank you for giving us good advice when we need it. Keep smiling and hope you are up and running very soon 😀
Just done a 10k walk and all feeling pretty good. I probably have to wait until Friday now as the week looks busy...........but the delay gives it all longer to heal.
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