Week Seven Done, But It's Been a Time

[Late-Starter]

I'm sorry about this long post, but I've got a lot to get off my chest. The last time I posted my progress, I had just completed Week Six, but that was back in the middle of September. After that, I had some trouble with one knee, so I regrettably had to pause running, but I wasn't about to give up, 'cause I just love runnin'. So after a period of recovery and before starting to run again, I worked on building up the strength in my knees with quite a lot of cycling and a couple of the knee exercises/stretches found on the NHS c25k pages.

As I hadn't run for exactly a month and I also wanted to adjust my running style, I began c25k again from Week One and am now past where I got to the first time and have completed Week Seven, and I'm loving it. That pause was really annoying, so I am being very careful not to irritate my knees. When you're ancient, it takes longer to heal. After doing some research, I have changed my running style a bit - I use a high cadence step (180 steps/min), and that allows me to slightly shift my centre of gravity forward, and have a much more relaxed, sort of rolling gait that avoids striking my heels on the road (despite Laura insisting that I should). The length of my stride determines the speed I go. Short steps = slow speed. It took a bit of getting used to, but now it feels quite natural. The knee problem is under control. I wear an adjustable knee support when out on a run, set quite firm. I'm sure it's helping.

Although the cycling has been useful, I don't really enjoy it. It doesn't give the buzz, for me, that running does. I tolerate the cycling, but I just love the freedom of running - the just getting out there and doing it. So I'm really keen to be running, but in a way that doesn't cause injury.

I'm also trying to lose some weight, which will hopefully remove some stress from the knees as well as give all the other benefits of a more normal weight, so have been doing the 5:2 diet for several weeks.

I'm afraid there is no great drama to report for Week Seven. I just got stuck in and gently pounded the tarmac. I'm glad Week Seven consisted of three more goes at Week 6 Run 3. That really impressed upon my brain, heart, lungs, legs and all the other bits that this is what real running is about. The most exciting thing that happened this week was a good drenching on Run 2 (Wednesday) - big wind-hurled blobs of rain in the face - ouch!

So, onwards and upwards (to 28 mins). I hope/expect to report a completed Week Eight in six or seven days time - fingers crossed.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Great to have the newly strengthened you back in harness.

The heelstrike advice on both podcasts and apps is mystifying and you are quite right it should be ignored as it can be the cause of many problems, particularly knees, as you found out. Often the cause is overstriding, which as you have again discovered, is risky and higher cadence, lower stride length is definitely the way to go, at this stage.

Congratulations on your research and determination.

Running is so much more than putting one foot in front of the other.

[Late-Starter Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks, IannodaTruffe. Great to have your approval of what I'm doing.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Lovely to have you back with us.. and in good shape too by the sound of it!

Well done for getting this all sorted... Looking forward to your next posts

[Late-Starter Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks, Floss. Good to be back.

[Hidden]

Great to see you progressing, having sorted out the stride and knees. I think some of the advice is quite difficult to understand as a newbie and its only when you're a little further in the programme do you start to understand some of the instructions. You sound as though you are tickets boo now and that's great , you'll graduate by Christmas!

[Late-Starter Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, Jan. I bet you're glad to be back in the UK from sunny climes now that winter is here!

[Hidden in reply to Late-Starter]

Actually bizarrely it’s warmer here than there!

[misswobble Graduate]

I have a bike but nothing like running for me too 🙂

Have you any trail you can run on for a change. It’s easier on the legs 🙂

Good luck with your running 🙂

[Late-Starter Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Thanks, misswobble. I have thought about finding some sort of trail to run. The problem is that I live in the middle of nowhere in agricultural country. You'd think that it would be easy to find something suitable, but for me, it would mean a long car journey to achieve, and that would defeat my 'simple is best' philosophy. One of the side reasons why I like running so much is that I can get a really good workout, and all it takes is 3 times 40 minutes a week with very little overhead. That easily beats exercise machines, walking, cycling and going to the gym, both in terms of time and cost.

[misswobble Graduate]

Yes it’s a problem I know. My niece lives in the sticks and there is nowhere except for a unlit Road with no pavement She has found a bit of a trail across some woldy fields 🙂.