Did the gremlins do me a favour?

[ArthurJG]

I suppose I shouldn't complain. Into week 8 and just had my very first 'practice run' yesterday. Stopped just after the 10 minute mark. To get this far before my first properly bad run makes me fortunate I suppose. Didn't feel like it though.

At one level I'm sure it was mental. I had taken some extra rest days for reasons posted elsewhere and was going to run again on Wednesday but got a short notice hospital appointment, nothing to worry about but no strenuous exercise allowed same day. But I wasn't mentally prepared to run on Thursday like I was on Wednesday.

It was hot, I wasn't dehydrated exactly but maybe not as hydrated as I could have been, I felt a twinge in my knee which may have been nothing but made me wonder if I need more rest days, I was fitting in a run on a day I hadn't planned to and my brain was saying 'you're going to be late for where you're going next' ...

But what makes me sure it was mental was that I didn't decide to stop. I just stopped deciding to run and all of a sudden I was walking, as my legs noticed my brain wwasn't paying attention. Well it makes sense, if it's now more mental than physical then mental tiredness is going to be a bigger problem than physical tiredness and I was certainly mentally tired yesterday.

However as soon as I stoped my knees were really sore. Sore enough that I was thinking maybe another week or two off. It got better after an hour or so, but I wonder if the gremlins actually saved me from an injury? Or was this just the notorious toxic 10 that others know so well but which I've never really experienced before?

Anyway, my second-ever parkrun tomorrow will now be second attempt at W8R2. It's pacer week so I may just follow try to the 35 vest on the basis that if I stop and walk after 4k I'll still have run 28 minutes. See how I feel in the morning. I know I can run 28 minutes if I'm fit as I've done it twice (having sneaked 3 more minutes on W7R3). Just suddenly developed this nagging doubt about my knees. Anyway if I can't do 5k I can hopefully do 28 minutes, and if I can't do 28 minutes I can hopefully at least do a practice run several minutes longer than the 10 minutes on Thursday.

[Steanhiscat Graduate]

Having read your previous posts..

1: a week off running every few months or so should be part of your training.. cycle, swim or walk instead.

2: running at W8 is a mental exercise too.

3: personally.. I graduated C25k last November and ran through winter in an old cycling pullover waterproof, there were times when it was wetter inside than out!

4: knees.. I have arthritis most places. My knees hurt more on the stairs than running.

5: long or short.. you went out and ran.

6: well done for getting this far.. you’re a runner now

[Jay66UK Graduate]

I don’t know what happened for sure but your approach to putting it behind you and not letting it hamper the next run is the important thing. Well done for that. Enjoy the Parkrun.

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Thanks Jay. Thing is I'm sure there was a major mental thing going on yesterday but there's also a wee worry that there might be a physical thing going on as well. But that becomes circular because that wee doubt starts to undermine the mental challenge ... Thursday was weird, never felt like that when running before (albeit I've only been running a couple of months) so here's hoping it was a one-off.

[Jay66UK Graduate in reply to ArthurJG]

If you are concerned about a possible injury you should get to a sports physio. Your GP might be able to refer you.

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Aye I wouldn't say I've got an actual injury but I don't think my knees are the strongest and I've just got a fear of doing them harm if I overdo it. I feel as if I've got a wee bruise on one knee - i.e it doesn't hurt unless I press on it, as with a bruise - but I say 'feel' because there's no visible bruising. I've got this far in one piece so I'll see if just spacing out the runs a bit more and taking more than one rest day in between makes a difference. If not then I'll go see the doc when I get back from holiday. Could be doing week 9 in rather hot weather which I was hoping to avoid

[Dizzysmum17 Graduate]

I’m sure the park run will help and there’s no pressure then either. And no stress - we’ve got this far which is a massive deal in itself. Do whatever is best for you.

[Hidden]

Good luck!

[ArthurJG Graduate]

Got round in 39’ 08” by my own timing. Ran 30 walked 6 ran 3. Happy enough with that. Didn’t feel my knees at all till after 30 mins and still not too bad.