No longer last

pansophelia

Tuesday 5th March

Woke at 6 yesterday, and couldn't get back to sleep, so thought I'd get a run in early. Was only two steps out the door when I realised my knee was worse than the night before, and was properly painful. So did I go back in? Rest a little? Do some more foam rolling? A bit of RICE?
No, cause I'm an idiot. I headed off anyway and did an easy 3 miles - now it was pretty beautiful down in the War Memorial Gardens at 7 in the morning with the sun rising and mist coming off the water - but that didn't make up for the fact that all day yesterday I was pretty much unable to go up or down stairs. To put this into perspective, my bedroom is in an attic.
So last night had a long bath, put the leg up and went to bed early, and knee is a bit better today. Haven't had a pain like this before - not sure of trigger, but going to ease off on running for a day or two till it settles down.
3 miles slowly.
Still worth it for Bohermeen though.

RedRunner

pansophelia wrote: »

Tuesday 5th March

Woke at 6 yesterday, and couldn't get back to sleep, so thought I'd get a run in early. Was only two steps out the door when I realised my knee was worse than the night before, and was properly painful. So did I go back in? Rest a little? Do some more foam rolling? A bit of RICE?
No, cause I'm an idiot. I headed off anyway and did an easy 3 miles - now it was pretty beautiful down in the War Memorial Gardens at 7 in the morning with the sun rising and mist coming off the water - but that didn't make up for the fact that all day yesterday I was pretty much unable to go up or down stairs. To put this into perspective, my bedroom is in an attic.
So last night had a long bath, put the leg up and went to bed early, and knee is a bit better today. Haven't had a pain like this before - not sure of trigger, but going to ease off on running for a day or two till it settles down.
3 miles slowly.
Still worth it for Bohermeen though.

Take it handy this week. Could be a combination of your fall last week and the effort of the race? How are they healing btw?

pansophelia

I'd nearly forgotten about the fall - scabby knees are a daily reminder, but are healing nicely! I think the sore knee is probably related to the race, and to my bad running form/weak core.
Knee felt grand this morning after a good night's rest, but gets sore once I'm walking on it for a while, and stairs are still a bit tricky.
Oh well, a pity this happened when I'm all motivated after the weekend, but I'll take your advice and take it easy for a few days - TBH don't think I've much of a choice.

pansophelia

Thursday 7th March
Knee sore.

Friday 8th March
Knee sore.

Saturday 9th March
Working - so lots of running up and down stairs and knee felt just fine
so
Sunday 10th March
got home from work in the morning and headed off out in the hopes that I'd manage five miles at least. By the end of the second mile the knee was really starting to hurt and ended up limping the last quarter of a mile.

Monday 11th March
Back to step one with stairs. I finally accepted that I'll have to mind the knee, and come up with some other exercise in the mean time - so, after a long long hiatus, back to the gym!
Wandered down, and found myself in my first Kettlebells class - now with all the running, I was under the illusion that I was relatively fit, apparently not.

Tuesday 12th March
Gym again, 30 minutes on the cross trainer.

Wednesday 13th March
Tried the treadmill, managed 4k without too much discomfort, but the knee was sore again tonight, grrrrr.
Fitball class for half an hour - bout time I managed to do some core work.

So have very little running done over the past two weeks, between being sick, and now this knee - but I'm going to stay positive and try and do as much gym stuff in the meantime. I've avoided the gym like the plague, but the classes really do push me to do way more than I would if I was left to my own devices!
If it's not right in a couple of days, I'll have to go to a physio.

pansophelia

I took Thursday, Friday and Saturday completely off. So, decided to venture out at home for a short loop,

Sunday 17th March
3miles - Slow pace
Dry when I left, but within ten minutes was hailing, with hailstones bouncing off my face and stinging sharp. A garda van pulled up beside me and offered me a lift - have to say I was tempted!
Walked for five minutes at the end, and stretched out, and knee felt mostly ok.

Monday 18th March
3 miles - Slow pace
Nicer day, very very slowly. This still felt fine.

Tuesday 19th March
3 miles
Dragged myself out the door. Trying to adjust my gait a bit, so that it's more knee flexion and midfoot strike. This worked well for the first mile, but got harder as I got more tired. Being honest, my knee still isn't completely right. I can feel it just a little bit twingy now. Trying to do lots of single leg squats, glute strengthening exercises blah blah, boring boring. This is all very frustrating, but I'll keep doing what I'm doing now, and I'll see how it goes.

pansophelia

Summarising the last four months - injured, slow running, almost no running, little bit of running, more running.

I got very little done between March and May. That knee twinge really kept me out a lot longer than expected, and it took a lovely long week off in May, with some trail running in France to get me back to nearly normal.

Below is the post from the Novices thread - yep, back to the beginning again.


So here I go again!
I’ve been running for 2 years (from complete beginner territory) and it’s mostly been great!
Tried this last year, and training was going ok for a few months, but gradually realised easy runs were no longer easy, and distances that had been fine in April were killing me by July. Then came a couple of nasty viruses, and by the time I confirmed the source of all my problems was anaemia, I’d missed too much training to go on. It took from August till October to build myself back up again, and by November I was nearly back to where I’d been in May.
Was doing fine up till February, when long work hours took their toll, but managed to break sub 2 hours for the half in Bohermeen (yay!) then did my knee in on the same day (boo). This injury has messed me round till May, but running pain free now for the past month (kicked off by a week of wine and trail running in France!).


Have you raced before? If so what are your PBs? (Date and distance please!)
- 10 Parkruns (!) 5k PB January ‘13 – 24.10
- 5 mile PB Raheny January ‘13 – 41.16 (I think)
- 3 Half Marathons (Conemara, Ballina, Bohermeen)
PB Bohermeen March ’13 – 1:57

•Do you still need to take walk breaks in your training ? (No problem if you do)
- No

•How much training do you currently do ? Distances, how many days a week, cross training - whatever you think is relevant to your current fitness level.
- Used to be quite consistent, but very variable at the moment. Anything from 10 miles to 30 miles a week, from 1-5 days a week. Started this latest job in April, and have generally cycled to and from work every day, and have run a few times (5.5 miles). Moving job again in July, it’s about 10k away so plan on doing the same. Recently discovered the 40 Foot, so might try and incorporate a few 40 Foot dips too if that counts!

•What do you want to achieve? Dream finishing time and realistic finishing time ?
I know what I want to achieve, but whether or not I can achieve it remains to be seen. Aiming for sub 4.15 for now – goal may be adjusted!

•How many days a week can you train ?
- Going to say 4, but this could be tricky. I actually like running about 5 days a week as I find it easier to stick to the routine, but new job and new responsibilities planned for the summer.

•Why are you running this marathon ?
- I like running, and I find the goal of running farther to be pretty motivating. Looking at the other logs here, most people up their mileage pretty significantly when they start training for the marathon, and this has the lovely knock on effect of making them a bit faster at the shorter distances.
- I really really want to do a marathon. I’ve been loitering on here for about a year and a half, and what I’ve seen/read has been pretty inspiring.
- I’ve lived in Dublin for quite a few years and it is my home marathon (unless they start a marathon in north Mayo anytime soon). And I want to do this Dublin route before they change it!
- Finally, I need a kickstart to catch up with some of the other speedy boardsies!

Better go now and resurrect my log . . .

pansophelia

That was two weeks ago.

Monday 24th June
Week 1 Marathon Training
Decided to do LSR at beginning of week, as was at home. Did the v hilly 9 mile loop that I've done a good few times, but not since February. Not the smartest idea.
6 miles in, knee started to hurt. At this point, I was on a boithrin, on the back of a mountain, with only 2 rams in sight. I had to get home. I stopped, stretched out, and kept going with a run walk strategy. By the time I got home I was nearly limping. Posting on Boards clearly jinxed me :rolleyes:
9m LSR

Thursday 27th
3m slow easy run - had rested the knee on Tuesday and Wednesday - tbh this hurt towards the end, but pain settled quickly enough after the run.

Sunday 30th
4m easy run - ran to a friend's house to collect bike. This was fine, not a twinge to felt. Cycled home.

Week 1
16 miles
All v slow!

Week 2
Monday July 1st
Cycled into work in the morning then ran home in the evening. This felt rubbish. Half a mile in I wanted to turn around and pick up my bike. But kept going and by the third mile all was fine again.
5miles

Tuesday July 2nd
Running home of course means had to run back into work in the morning. Mostly uphill. Again, took a couple of miles for the legs to warm up, but made it with no issues.
5 miles
Life, and I will admit, alcohol, got in the way of further running on Wednesday/Thursday, and on Friday I picked a trip out to the 40 foot over a run - shame!

Saturday July 6th
Working all day today and tomorrow, so was debating how to fit the long run in. In the end decided to run home from work today and then add in the extra mileage. Added in an extra mile on the home run, and the Garmin then died. Stopped off at home to drop off my bag and change my sweaty t shirt (ick!) and grab some water. Then went on to do another 4 miles around Islandbridge. LOVE the weather, in spite of the sweatiness.
10 miles slowly

20 miles so far this week, and I may or may not try a short short recovery run tomorrow, and not a twinge in the knee to be felt:)

Murph_D

Welcome back. But build it up slowly.

RedRunner

murphd77 wrote: »

Welcome back. But build it up slowly.

+1 to that. Good to see you back logging again

pansophelia

murphd77 wrote: »

Welcome back. But build it up slowly.

RedRunner wrote: »

+1 to that. Good to see you back logging again

Thanks!! Good to be back, again!
Think there was only one week where I didn't run atall, but there were a few where mileage was very very low, been building it up since middle of May, but I have to say it's more erratic than I'd like - and way more aches and pains than I remember from before! What's that about?!

pansophelia

July 7th

2 mile recovery run

Cycled home from work in the glorious sunshine then headed out to loosen up the legs - very stiff this evening.
Uneventful first mile. At the start of the second mile, along the canal, I passed a couple of kids out for a walk with their Gran. They were running along together, and when I passed by they started racing me! They were about 3 and 4 - they laughed and laughed! I let them win, though the little girl almost had me, and when I veered off to the side the two of them ran up and hugged me - he nearly wouldn't let go of my leg. There's been a smile on my face since!

2 miles - v slowly.
Week 2 Done - 22 miles

pansophelia

Monday July 8th
Crazy new job, the less said the better.

3 miles at 11pm - at least it wasn't too hot!