So I started running New Year 2020 with C25k, and within two and a half years I had done two marathons and numerous halfs. I lost 25kg and felt like a new person.
Then I had a knee injury which I just couldn't shake, and had to stop running, and slowly most of the weight came back, which certainly didn't help the knee. I felt pretty low in myself all that time.
After seeing a doctor and two physios, I concluded that there must be something seriously wrong with the knee, because nothing was helping. I went to the doctor hoping for an MRI referral, and it was a doctor I hadn't seen before, and he diagnosed fallen arches and said all I needed was orthotic insoles. I bought about half the insole stock on the island, and within a couple of weeks I could walk without any pain. I started C25k again, and was getting on okay with it, although after each run segment I could definitely feel that my knee was a twinge away from an injury.
But a new guy arrived here, he works at the leisure centre and moonlights as a personal trainer. We haven't had anyone here who does that until now, so I was quite excited. I told him my priority was to strengthen the knees and get back to doing long runs, and the exercises and drills he's given me have helped immeasurably. I can't feel my knees at all, it's refreshing!
The only problem was that it's the southern winter, and for a while the ground was so often icy and I can't bring myself to run on ice. It's not far to Chile though, and I took a fortnight in the north of Chile, where it's hot (the Chileans didn't think so, they were all in their winter coats, but to me it was totally sunbathe-on-the-beach hot) and I was able to run every other day, ice free. I found it hard going to exercise in the heat, but I managed to get six runs in fourteen days and was quite pleased with myself. I've come back to balmy blue skies, very unseasonable but very welcome.
Now I'm on Week 7 of C25k, and the past few runs have been just amazing. At first C25k just seemed like a slog, and I was having to force myself through the early weeks with the thought of potential ill health when I'm elderly. But once I got to that W5R3, I realised I had that adrenaline buzz again, the high that I used to get after a run, which I'd completely forgotten about. In the past two weeks I've gone from finding running a chore, to actually looking forward to my runs.
It's amazing how much more positive I feel about everything as a result. I'm aiming to join at least one of the Falklands Backyard Ultra in January, the Cape Pembroke Half Marathon in February or the Stanley Marathon in March. I'll be slow, I always am, but that doesn't matter, just finishing makes me happy!
Two and a half more weeks of C25k, then I'll start on JuJu's magic plan 
Back on Track...I hope!
W8R2 I’m back on track!
Keep on running
Janda posts are back!? This time: the ITB injury problem
Consolidation back on track 😁
