End of the road

[Pete1w]

After my Achilles flaring up after W4 I rested for about a month. The ankle felt well enough to try some very gentle running again. I decided to try a W1,W2 and a W3 run prior to starting where I left off in W4. After my run this morning the Achilles is worse than before. It is swollen and very tender to touch. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this running malarkey and should try swimming instead. I'm going to give it complete rest and think long and hard wether to give the program another go. W4 just does not agree with me as this is twice I have failed at the same stage. Good luck to everyone who has started running and I'll keep my fingers crossed you all stay injury free.

[Hidden]

Oh no. That is such a shame. Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious but have you sought professional medical advice? It may be something that can be sorted. Don't give up yet. Keep us posted.

[Pete1w Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I've got a physio appointment on the 8th of June. Hopefully they can give me some advice. It's a shame really because I really enjoyed the experience.

[tony_a Graduate in reply to Pete1w]

Hopefully the physio will get you sorted. My wife had terrible knee problems but a sports massage and recommendation of insoles did the trick and she’s since run a marathon. Don’t give up.

[sallenson Graduate]

Don't give up Pete!! I can almost hear your pain and disappointment.

Find a good local sports physio and go and get a check up. Take your trainers with you. You'll get sorted. But rest up for a while before you get back on the trail.

[Pete1w Graduate in reply to sallenson]

Once bitten twice shy. I'm not sure if I can go a third time. I'll hopefully get the professional advice I need.

[Hidden]

Ah - I really felt for you then - like Sallenson said I could hear the disappointment in your voice. Really don't give up just yet. Hopefully the physio will be a help. Keep us posted on how u r getting on.

[MarkyD Graduate]

Well, if you remember, Thetis held Achilles by his heel when she dipped him into the River Styx as a baby, rendering his body invulnerable. And so it was only his his heel where he was vulnerable, and he died after being struck in his heel by a poisoned dart.

Right from the ancients, the calcaneal tendon was known for being a weak point in the human body. Relatively easy to damage, and taking a very, very long time to heal (if at all). I'm suffering with achilles tendonosis at the moment. I've got some physio exercises, and these are helping.

I would imagine that resting for 4 weeks is not really enough for the injury that you've experienced. If you want to continue your running, then get yourself along to a sports physio. I know that you have a physio at work, but they may not be the best placed to help you with running. The first appointment will cost less than a pair of running shoes, and they can diagnose your injury, give you exercises to help recovery, and at the same time, give you exercises to strengthen your body, help your running and prepare you for when you can run again.

It can be very discouraging on the injury couch, but hang on in there, post here, do daily stretches and the physiotherapy, and read running books. We'll have you running again, I'm sure.

[Pete1w Graduate]

Now that is positive thinking. I hope you are right.😁