Week 9 Run 2 - resumption after 3 weeks with gammy knee

[iain-strachan]

I finally got to resume week 9. I was obliged to stop after Week 9 Run 1 due to knee soreness. It came on after Week 8 Run 3. No problems during the run, then after it, after sitting down for 1/2 hour got up and ouch! Found I was limping and something had pulled in my left knee. Thought it had subsided enough to do Week 9 Run 1, but at the end, the same soreness. So frustrating! I had done the run at a reservoir about 7 miles drive from home, then driven back. I've a feeling the many gear changes and clutch activations weren't the best for it.

I went to the doctor's - my GP is a running enthusiast who does ultra-marathons - who diagnosed that I was over-pronating, but fortunately could not see any sign of arthritis. He advised me to go to a running shop to get the gait analysis done and get shoes with proper support. So now I'm equipped with a pair of Asics that are more supportive.

Albert Park in Abingdon is a much shorter drive from home, and a good venue to run in with plenty of grass, and quite forgiving pathways. If you do a figure of 8, the lap is almost exactly 1 km. The picture shows the start of it, from the entrance opposite St. Michael's church in Abingdon. I run across the green to the statue of Prince Albert on the other side, then alternately loop back left then right. In the interim I've been building up the times and laps on this excellent running venue till I felt confident I could do 30 minutes without wrecking my knee again!

It was a beautiful sunny morning - and the best bit was running across the long shadows cast by the trees at about 7am this morning.

Am now feeling well set up for the day. And no knee pain!

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Brilliant glad your knee is better and what a beautiful place to run 😊

[Seaside22 Graduate]

Lovely photo. Hope your final week goes smoothly.

[Oldgirlruns Graduate]

Looks a lovely spot Iain-s - I hope the knee continues to get better!

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to Oldgirlruns]

It certainly is, though rumour has it that in the afternoon it is populated with pot-smoking school kids! However, 7 am is a bit early for relaxing with a joint I guess!

[Oldgirlruns Graduate in reply to iain-strachan]

😆

[Debston Graduate]

That's great that your knee pain has gone and what a lovely place to run!

[SquishyBean Graduate]

Appropriate shoes seem to make a world of difference! I've just had my gait analysis done after knee and ankle pain and am also an overpronator! I hope the rest of the week's runs goes well for you.

P.S, Abingdon is my home town and I know Albet Park well. Used to "hang out" there occasionally as a teenager.

[SquishyBean Graduate in reply to SquishyBean]

Also, having just seen your name and done a little investigating via facebook, it seems I was good friends with your son at school and also knew your daughter through Budgens. What a small world!

[SquishyBean Graduate in reply to SquishyBean]

Also would like to clarify having seen an earlier post of yours that when I say "hang out", neither I nor either of your children (as far as I'm aware) ever smoked pot in Albert Park or anywhere else!

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to SquishyBean]

Glad to hear it! It is indeed a small world. My son recently ran in the Asics London 10k, and had a great time. He reunited with four school-friends to take part - and I guess you know all of them too! I think he posted the picture on his Facebook page.

Good luck with your knee-pain and the rest of the course. I find that running is so good for one's mental state - I get this calm feeling afterwards that lasts for ages.

A recent TV program said it wasn't (as was previously thought) due to endorphins, but due to endocannabinoids formed in your brain naturally - pretty much the same chemical structure as cannabis. It was reckoned that going for a 30 minute run was roughly equivalent of smoking a third of a joint. So it seems Albert Park is an appropriate place to run!

[SquishyBean Graduate]

Yes, I saw those pictures and was very impressed. None of them were ever particularly sporty in school. Exercise is great for mental health. I'm currently studying neuroscience, and have just been learning about how running increases the rate of neurogenesis (creation of new neurons), which in turn is related to better mental health and reduced risk of Alzheimer's. Lots of positives.

[iain-strachan Graduate in reply to SquishyBean]

So running makes you smarter as well One of those Michael Mosley TV programmes about getting fit said Salsa dancing also increased your cognitive ability because you need to think about the movements as well as the physical workout. Sounds like you're in a fascinating area of study.