Back to square 1?.....

[DorisOvertheHill]

So....about a month ago I damaged my Achilles & ended up with 3 weeks out. Then, just as I was getting to wonder if I should start up again, I picked up what the GP described as a "bugger of a chest infection". 2 different lots of antibiotics, inhalers (I'm not asthmatic), ambulance called out, EGC & trip to hospital for a chest x-ray. Not fun. Much better now but really want to start the programme up again. Anyone suggest where?? I'm definitely fitter than I was before I started & feel I recovered sooner from the infection than I would have, had I not been running, but I was about to start WK7 - all that for nothing!

So my question is, how far should I go back? WK1? I'm more than a little heartbroken & demoralised, so all advice very welcome....I should have graduated weeks ago....😥

[Amandana]

Glad to hear you're getting back to it and feeling better!

I had pneumonia last year, and while I wasn't running then, it was surprising how long it took to get back to feeling normal, I was breathless for a long while. I'm sure you'll recover faster than I did because you're baseline fitness is higher, but it might be good to ease back in after a while away, especially since you had an injury as well... may need to ease back in. What do you think about trying a week 4 run and seeing how it goes? If it's easy peasy, you could perhaps fast forward to a week 5 run and if that's easy peasy skip on to week 7? Or if it's challenging, perhaps it's a good place to start from again.

[DorisOvertheHill in reply to Amandana]

Hello! Thanks for replying. I have just got back having decided to just head out & see what gives....but I've more or less done what you have suggested. I went back to WK3. It was surprisingly ok. Yes, I did have a bit of a cough & splutter to start, but it was easier than I remember it being the first time round!!

I've decided to do another WK3 run on Thursday, then skip to WK4 & see how that is. When I find I'm being tested more I think I'll do the 3 runs for a given week....I'm hoping this will "fast-track" me to where I naturally should be for my own fitness level. I'm too inexperienced to know, so this will test me & (hopefully) not freak me out too much!

[Amandana in reply to DorisOvertheHill]

That's wonderful, glad to hear it went well!!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to DorisOvertheHill]

Sounds like a good plan... you know the runs you’ve already done so should be able to know when to skip. You’ll soon be back at week 7.

[DorisOvertheHill in reply to UnfitNoMore]

🤞🤞

[Ray1972 Graduate]

Hi - I finished the programme but then had a knee injury which meant I couldn’t run at all. 2 months later I’ve decided to start again from week 1 - it’s quite amazing and a nice feeling to see even after this amount of time how much easier it is than the first time round. I’m hoping as the weeks go on I’ll finish stronger than before.

[DorisOvertheHill in reply to Ray1972]

Ah!! Good luck!! I have to say I did the first 90 seconds & thought "is that it?!?!" The first 3 mins wasn't too bad either. I'm quite shocked. When I started, I was literally counting down the seconds - praying for the walking bits!!