Knowing when NOT to run !

[Instructor57]

Well I said in an earlier post that I probably wouldn't post all my runs , but a few people have asked me to do so and I therefore said I would.

So what happened to week 2 run 2 you may ask ?

Well quite simply, it hasn't happened yet.

Week 2 run 1 was on Tuesday morning and went absolutely fine, so my intention was to do run 2 on Thursday, however, I tweaked my back again on Wednesday morning in the shower simply by bending slightly to pick up a shampoo bottle off the end of the bath.

It felt a little sore for a while and as soon as I was out of the shower I was pretty much onto my ballance ball doing the back flexibility routine that my physio had me doing previously.

This appeared to stop my back stiffening up.

I even went out a little later and completed a walk of over 8000 steps with no ill effects.

At this point I wondered if I would actually still get my run in on Thursday morning.

Thursday morning the back was stiff from sleeping and a little sore, although nothing like as bad as when this happened previously, infact through the morning it felt good enough to go for another walk but not for a run .

No worries, I'll have another non run day.

Again throughout the day I managed over 11000 steps over a couple of walks.

My back stiffened a little in the evening and the odd little twinge and was thinking maybe to run this morning (Friday)

To be honest, I feel it's boarderline, and therefore decided not to take that risk .

Am I disappointed? Yes, however I'm comfortable with my decision.

The run will wait !

In general I'm very happy with my recovery post MI

I have made some quite drastic changes to my way of life.

Mainly in how much I move throughout the day !

Be that running, walking or my rehab Strength and mobility program.

My diet has also become stricter, although that wasn't too bad in the first place and my cholesterol has always been within normal limits.

Through all of the above I have now managed to loose 7kg (15.4lbs)

This is already having an effect on my fitness, I am now walking at the same or similar perceived exertion but my HR is lower (this is way below the level that the beta blockers would limit my HR)

It's has also (quite obviously really) had a positive effect on the Plantar Fasciitis now my feet are supporting less weight.

So with all this in mind , I'm comfortable with the delayed run.

I feel 2 or 3 more days to let my back recover is in my opinion a sensible choice !

So although this post isn't about a run as such , I hope it can be food for thought as to knowing when (or perhaps more importantly when NOT) to run !

Picture is my cat Misty in next doors back garden 😁

Take care and run sensibly!

[Cmoi Graduate]

Liking for the steps, weight loss, recovery, Misty and the wisdom, not the back Instructor57 !

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

Thanks I needed the rest today !

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

A very sensible decision Ian and good to know you are maintaining the walking etc.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

Yes, the right decision I feel 👍

[Jools2020 Graduate]

A great post, Ian. And Misty obviously owns next door’s garden as well as yours 😊

Hope your back’s better soon and you can get out there and continue with the programme!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks Jooles , the rest was needed 🙂

[backintime Graduate]

Great post and cut pic

I cut a run short yesterday too - partly a mental problem, damn gremlins, partly because of allergies (pollen was awful this week), partly because everything just felt a bit off and part of me feels I did the right thing, part of me thinks I chickened out.... I know I probably did the right thing, but there's a niggling doubt still

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to backintime]

If things felt off, you probably made the right choice ! 🙂

[backintime Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

I know I probably did, but I ran 3 whole minutes before stopping, I run more than that when I'm late for my train

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to backintime]

🤣

[Cookscat Graduate]

I thought your post was great as well , and what a brilliant picture of your cat , I have 2 rescues cats 🐈🐈 One off the looks like Misty

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Cookscat]

Thank you!And yes, I notice your cat in your profile picture is similar 🙂

[Joy57 Graduate]

Lovely cat and lovely next door's garden. I've just completed week 2 and looking forward to starting week 3 on Sunday or Monday. Hope you can resume your runs as well

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Joy57]

Thank you !I'll be back at it when ready 🙂

[Roxdog Graduate]

Good decision to not risk a run with a twinge in your back. I remember often having a few days' gap while doing cto5k the first time around due to my arthritic knee niggling with the surprise of running! It made no difference. Of course with all that walking it's keeping youd fitness up.I'm envious - not doing much at all after a nasty bruise on my shin and still hobbling a bit. Hopefully next week I'll be able to run!

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

Thank you!Yes, I think it was the right choice .

I needed complete rest today 🙂

[Dendev75 Graduate]

It’s a very useful post for a lot of people who are trying to decide if it’s right to run for whatever reason - the main thing being is listening to your body which you are - and yea your runs will always wait so will look forward to that post 😉

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Dendev75]

Thank you , and yes the temptation to push on often leads straight to the injury couch

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Gosh, you’ve done brilliantly well with your recovery!

Backs are a funny thing, we can injure ourselves doing the simplest things 🙄 but it’s great that your have a plan of action to take when you feel a niggle.

That Misty is such a poser, she knows all the right camera angles 😂😍 and cats tend to have more than one home 😂

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Thank you IP 🙂And yes Misty is a real poser , she spends a lot of time hiding in the bushes and shrubs next door 😁😺

[Birdlady64 Graduate]

Great post Ian. Its good you're listening to your body. The runs will be there when you are ready.I hope your back issues are sorted soon. I know how debilitating depressing and demotivating that can be, let alone on top of everything else you're dealing with. And you are doing brilliantly btw

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Birdlady64]

Thanks Diane !It continues be a frustrating time it I'll get there 🙂

[Indielass00 Graduate]

Sorry about your back, but great step count and weight loss! Well done. I keep popping on here occasionally and nice to read you have started C25K again.

The sciatica is still out staying its welcome but I’m enjoying the walks and the countryside 😀

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Indielass00]

Sorry your sciatica is still troubling you 😐But glad your enjoying the walks .

I'm certainly walking a lot more than I used to 🙂

[MrsLydiaWickham Graduate]

Well done resisting the urge to run, and massive congrats on the weightloss! 👏 Misty is adorable! 😍

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to MrsLydiaWickham]

Thank you !It was the only choice really!

And yes, Misty is totally adorable 😁

[nowster Graduate]

Something I've learned over the last three years is to listen to my body more, especially when it's telling me that something's not quite right.

For example, today I'll not be running because this morning I've been doing a lot of shifting of stuff, clearing up after the play we did last night in the local church hall. I did a lot of going up and down ladders, taking down stage lights and carrying heavy stuff up into the hall's loft, and felt a tiny twinge in the upper thigh at one point.

Also, yesterday I was mentally prepared to abort my parkrun if my right knee started to play up at all. This is also one reason why I had a walk on Friday instead of a run.

As you'll probably remember, I spent a month on the Injury Couch due to spraining my ankle badly during my graduation run. In hindsight my body had been telling me about the ankle but I didn't at the time recognise what it was telling me. I don't want to repeat anything like that.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to nowster]

Absolutely, I am in no rush !The next run will happen when I'm ready.

My rehab is more important.

I can't afford to risk loosing the walking as well

[Gthants]

Sensible choice. (And this "nothing" way of doing something unpleasant to one part of the body or another - usually back - is singularly irritating, isn't it?!)

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Gthants]

Yes, it's so easy!Which is why I won't risk it yet with another run

[Doris8 Graduate]

sorry about your back again , running can wait and your walks helped last time . Love your pic

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Doris8]

Thank you !Yes, very frustrating but just not worth the risk