Knee-naw, Knee-naw

[PaulS83]

So, what's happened since I last checked in? Too much bad jiu-jiu, that's what.

"Previously, on Paul's Couch to 5K...."

Cut to: Me running along the harbour with a determined expression, looking rugged, handsome and backlit by slow burning embers low in the sky as the winter sun permeates through the heavy clouds for the last moments before sliding down beneath the horizon and tucking itself in for a good old forty winkeroos.

We can hear my inner monologue: "un...clench..the...buttocks.......come...on...MJ...you...son...of...a........how...is...that.....not.....three....minutes....by.....now. ......watch....out...for..the...dog...muck..."

Cut to: Me doing some kind of forward moonwalk, scraping the soles of my trainers along the grass, "Oh God, that stinks! Oh...it's on my sock. Oh no. These need to be burned."

This was my W3R3 which went down last Friday evening (18th Jan). I completed it with considerably less foot-friction for the last 30 seconds and a haze of nastiness in my wake. After that I returned home to find a poorly little princess.

My two-year-old daughter suffers from "viral induced wheeze", which means that when she gets a cold, it goes straight to her chest and causes asthma-like symptoms, restricting her oxygen intake. The first time it happened was just before her first birthday and was diagnosed with a chest infection, that time it was controlled enough that we could medicate her at home with some inhaler. In early december she got it pretty bad again so we booked an out-of-hours appointment and found her oxygen levels were so low that the GP immediately called her an ambulance and zipped her round to the local hospital's childrens ward where they struggled with nebulisers, inhalers and steroids to get her oxygen levels back up. Scariest thing I've ever had to deal with since that time I slow-danced with a Russian shot-putter called Gertrude.

When I got home from my run she seemed like she was gasping for breath again so I phoned the 111 (great service) who told us to take her straight round to A&E where we went through the exact same battle and remained in hospital until Monday.

So, so stressful. There's nothing worse than watching your child having to fight so hard for breath and there's absolutely nothing you can do. But a couple of sleepless nights later, we were all back home, the virus well and truly shared and collectively possessed enough snot to recreate the entire Madame Tussard's inventory with a bonus Shrek thrown in for good measure.

To try and keep myself in as much of a routine as possible, I wanted to keep running and gym-ming, but had to wind it back slightly. I repeated a run from week 2, then one from week 3 and then wished I didn't.

Saturday morning (just gone), I got myself back on track with W4R1 and then in the Gym yesterday for squats, legs curls, leg extensions and some cardio (still no sign of six-pack, it remains buried beneath six-inches of insulation). I didn't feel too bad until I got out of bed at some juncture in the night for a pee, swung my left leg out of bed, put a bit of pressure on it and...

...ARRRGGHHH!

Dogs started barking from three streets away.

I've never been stabbed (I'd like that to continue) but if I had and the culprit was a dwarf who managed to shank me just below the left knee, that's how I'm sure it would feel. But being fashioned from some pretty strong stuff (and really needing that pee) I soldiered on.

Straight back to bed, straight back to sleep. Alarm went off at 5am, swung my left leg out of bed, put a bit of pressure on it and...

...ARRRGGHHH!

YOU MOTHER....

Strange thing is that it's actually alright. There just seems to be one precise position, like if my leg is trying bend backwards at the knee, where it's agony.

I think I may've hurt it somehow...

I've got no time for this in my plan. I'm going to get out again tonight, week four-ing and see how I get on. Maybe I'll pick up a knee support on my way home.

Left-foot dog muck, left knee painful. Coincidence? Yes. Annoying? Also yes.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Good to hear that your daughter is on the mend and also the caring and sharing type! Go very gently out there tonight and stop if that pain comes back.

[ktsok Graduate]

Ah 💩. And poor little tot. How frightening for you all, I’m glad she is back home, snot and all.

Watch that knee. I wear supports on mine, don’t trust either of the buggers.

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Hope your daughter is well , that's quite a paragraph. Try with the knee support and see how you go good luck

[happysouls Graduate]

I liked the image of the determined, rugged handsome you running along but when it got to the part about unclenching your buttocks it really did take a dive. What a nightmare! Your poor daughter and poor you having all the worry! Hope the knees hold out for your next run!

[Jell6 Graduate]

Glad she is on the mend.

Take it gently on your run, and I will echo UFN, stop if it's painful.

Such a story though, if it wasn't for your daughter being unwell I would have found that very funny, oh! and apart from you being in pain too.!

[Granspeed Graduate]

Ai yi yi! Total nastiness all round for you and yours. Heartfelt best wishes on the health front. And congrats on retaining your sense of humour enough to write your post. 😊👏🏼Take it slow on that knee, so you can keep going.

[steviej99 Graduate]

Your daughter is a fighter and obviously comes from very determined stock. Don't let that determination lead to a long term injury though! Pain is a sign of injury and injuries don't normally heal by running more! Get that knee better, the plan will be waiting for you!