FINALLY BACK

[newbie-nick]

It's been a long time since I last ran, and that is down to a knee injury I managed to pick up whilst being kind and trotting across a zebra crossing to save a car from having to slow. That's all it was - nothing more, nothing less. It has taken months for it to feel well enough to run on, and at 5:30 this morning, I was back at W1R1 to test it out - it's now 8:20, and all seems well. A very slow pace to make sure it is well, but so far, so good. No niggles, no pain and no discomfort. Tomorrow I don't run, but I am looking forward to Wednesday. Please, if you can spare a moment, can you offer up a prayer to whichever god you believe in and ask that my knee [and the rest of this old bod] stays well enough to get back into the swing of things? Thanks.

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate]

🍏Welcome newbie-nick! Excellent to have Week1:1 under your belt with no after niggles!! You may have read through how to do the plan successfully but here is the link as it’s worth a second read!!

Please keep posting & telling us how you are getting on. Run very slowly, drink lots of water every day & take the rest days from running are crucial to your success!

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[newbie-nick Graduate in reply to Annieapple]

Thanks. I don't think I have ever run so slowly, but getting back to deserving my graduates badge is my aim... but my knee comes first! It may take 9 weeks, it may take longer, but I don't mind.

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate in reply to newbie-nick]

Exactly right! Run slowly! Repeat if you need to & most of all, enjoy each run!!

[Little0ne Graduate]

Hi newbie-nick good luck with the program and please keep us updated with how you are getting along!

I’m not that far ahead of you and had some niggles in my knees after my last run (w1 r3) so I’m going to see how I get on with my run today but I’d definitely recommend to make sure you have your rest days to recover!☺️

[newbie-nick Graduate in reply to Little0ne]

Thanks for the reply, and it's good to meet another fresh runner. I shall take care of my knee and I will listen to what it is telling me. Please, listen to yours too and take it slowly or even walk if it starts playing you up. All I did was run across a zebra crossing and I must have just caught it really awkwardly. Hey ho.

Good luck with the rest of the C25K and I'm sure I will see more posts from you as you work through it. Speaking as a [former] graduate, I know we shall both meet challenges and have good and bad runs as we go through. I seem to recall that W3 is fun with its 90s/90s, 3m/3m, 90s/90s, 3m/3m.

[OldManRunning Graduate]

You have my best wishes for the next step newbie-nick 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃🤸‍♂️

[newbie-nick Graduate in reply to OldManRunning]

"next step" was how it felt. I barely went above a walk as I was so trepidatious . Still, I'm back and this morning it feels fine, so, tomorrow at the break of day I shall be off again.

[JoP61 Graduate]

It feels great when you start again after recovering from an injury doesn't it? I graduated 5 years ago and then the following year broke my foot after missing my step on the stairs. Took 12 weeks to get back to running and I was champing at the bit! Repeated C25K and haven't looked back since.

Very best of luck and fingers crossed that your knee is fine. 🫰🙏👍

[newbie-nick Graduate in reply to JoP61]

Thanks. I hope your foot behaves itself and that you running carries on to 10Ks, half etc. Good luck and look after the old back paws!

[JoP61 Graduate in reply to newbie-nick]

Thanks! I did get up to 10K and beyond but found I was getting injured doing the longer runs - mainly ITB syndrome. So these days I run 3 to 4 times a week for 30-40 minutes at a time, and that seems to suit me. 😀

[Madwife60]

Good luck my friend. I’m in the same pickle from doing star jumps on cobbles! Back for the last couple of weeks and all good. Taking it slow and steady but it’s lovely to be back out again

[newbie-nick Graduate in reply to Madwife60]

Thanks. Star jumps on cobbles... that sounds like fun. Take it easy yourself, listen to your body, and stop/slow if it tells you it is not happy - I shall. Yes, it is wonderful to be back, and with any luck we will be fighting fit for when the weather turns cooler and we get to the longer runs.

[Kiwi_Fi Graduate]

Me too newbie-nick but it was an ankle injury for me (stepped in a puddle in the garden - it was deeper than I thought!). I haven't run since November but I'm ready to get back into it so I'm lurking here for a bit of motivation. You've given it to me! I might start from week 3, but I think taking it slowly and doing some strength training will be the trick to avoiding another injury.

[newbie-nick Graduate in reply to Kiwi_Fi]

Ah, puddles. Dangerous and highly underrated little scams. However you do it, make care, take it S L O W and listen to what your body is telling you. If it is telling to to slow down, walk or stop, do it.

My wife has a pretty-much life-long weak ankle* and uses a balance board, and that seems to have helped a little. * Small bone popped out 'when she were a nipper' and she didn't ever really recover.