Best to keep your distance

Oh joyous Monday I can hardly contain my excitement.

I won’t lie. I’m in a pretty horrendous mood at the moment. I’m teetering close to edge of despair and full-on RAGE. Literally I am either about to cry or about to punch something. Guess what? I think I’m injured again. Oh it’s no surprise to anyone I’m sure. Let’s take it from the top shall we?

I ran on Saturday at parkrun. Absolutely fine, no issues. My shin has been OK – maybe slightly grumpy but not getting worse. I’ve been plodding all week (I ran Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all easy just over 3.5 miles – no issues). I decided to put a bit of effort into parkrun. I wouldn’t say it was 100% effort but it was tough and I quite enjoyed the burst of adrenaline and speed, albeit slower than my faster times (just slightly over 22 minutes). No issues afterwards – nothing all day, so I felt very happy and looked forward to my 11 miler on Sunday.

Eleven miles is hardly jumping the distance as I’ve now run 10 miles twice before with no issues. Ten miles is also one of my favourite long run distances as it just always works for me. I felt extremely good straight away, finding my natural ‘good feeling’ pace between 8-8.15min/miles, consciously having to slow myself down if I got ahead of myself. In a sentence: I felt bloody brilliant!

At around 5-6 miles suddenly I felt a bit of pain in my knee area. I stopped for a second and stretched and poked a bit. How odd. I carried on running now aware of a discomfort that was broaching on pain. I was at that awkward point where running home would be the same distance as continuing on. I had no one to call to pick me up (OK that’s a lie, I do have family and friends who would have come – but other than Ben, I felt no one whom I was comfortable enough to ring without dissolving into tears or my ego taking a huge battering. Yes I know, I am an idiot).

From 8 miles onward the pain was every so often and sharp, and when it came it altered my gait. It was tipping it down and cold so walking home was out of the question. I just gritted my teeth and got home. Interestingly, my pace didn’t decline. Probably not the best thing though to run through it but at the moment I’m taking ANY silver lining available from this black thunder cloud. Funnily enough, it’s one of the best long runs I’ve done in ages in terms of speed and endurance – I didn’t feel out of breath or tired at all. Just in pain.

Just typical of me. Everything feels good when I run…apart from my body crumbling around me. I would have cried when I got home but I had no one to cry with except Alfie. I decided to mentally ignore the issue – all the while icing and trying not to aggravate my knee. Basically, I just didn’t think about it.

In the evening, after a day of hobbling around, I forced myself to text Kyle, my coach. I do feel sorry for him. What a runner to have on your books! Can barely stand the base building let alone proper marathon training. Falls at the first hurdle. Her body can’t even handle gentle plodding.

I’m guessing it’s my IT band as it’s that area of the knee that’s hurting and the IT band itself feels tender. But why it suddenly perked up I have no idea. I haven’t felt it at all for a while now. No tightness or discomfort. Who knows.

I’m not sure why I bother anymore with running. Perhaps Zumba or spinning is where my future lies in terms of keeping fit. I’m sorry to be so pathetic right now but can you really blame me?

24 Replies to “Best to keep your distance”

  1. I don’t blame you I’m similar. I actually cried after the GSR and I never cry. Since then I’ve had an MRI and find out what the issue is on Thursday. Although I’m ok to run (can’t do any further injury) I’m getting slower and slower and therefore grumpier and grumpier. Thought I’d try something I haven’t done for a while on Saturday and went to circuits. The coach actually shouted at one point ‘Lauren, that’s not a lunge its a curtsey!!’, he was right too I was being rubbish. Much to my friends amusement we continued giggling away. Today I could hardly get out of bed. I am actually creaking like an elderly person! Oh the shame. Chin up chicken, Ben’s back at the weekend and I’m sure you’ll be ok. Have some rest, swim and yoga and you’ll be better in no time xx

  2. “Her body can’t even handle gentle plodding.” Erm, excuse me lady but 11 miles at 8:00mm pace is not gentle plodding!! You are waaaayyy too hard on yourself. My long training runs are always done at about 9-9:30mm pace (unless I’m throwing any race paced miles in there, which is hardly ever). Ideally, your long run pace should be about 60-90 seconds slower than your target marathon pace, so my advice (for what it’s worth) would definitely be to slow it down on double digit runs. But I’m just sticking my beak in and of course you have your own coach to listen to, I just don’t like seeing you being so tough on yourself. Fingers crossed this is just a little niggle and it will disappear as quickly as it appeared. Hang in there! xx
    Autumn recently posted…I’m A Runner……Get Me Out Of Here!!My Profile

    1. I know, I’ve made quite a few mistakes (as usual). I always struggle to keep my long runs slow. Mentally it’s a battle I play. To be fair to my coach, he had stipulated a slower long run when we first began but I sort of ‘forgot’ about what he said as I continued with my long runs. I just got over-excited 🙁
      AnnaTheApple recently posted…So much food and a re-thinkMy Profile

  3. Sorry you felt in pain, Anna. It always sucks when you feel fit (stamina wise etc) and something goes and messes it up. It’s hard but try not to beat yourself up about it too much. It’s not your fault. These things unfortunately happen. I’m sure your coach will be able to give you pointers as to what to do. After having a car accident a few years back, sometimes I can run fine and other times my leg and hip hurt so much it is impossible to run. I don’t run half as much as I used to because of it, which really sucks because I used to love my runs.

  4. Booo 🙁 That really sucks 🙁 But like everyone before me has said – you ran 10 miles quite fast and sometimes these things just happen. I’m a big advocate for strength training for runners so of course I’ve got to ask you how much of that do you do? 🙂
    MrsB | Mind over Matter recently posted…Paleo browniesMy Profile

    1. I’m so angry with myself. Looking bad it’s clear what went wrong – too many runs consecutively a week and too fast a long run. I just got swept away I guess.
      I do do strength training every week (twice a week) but I think I need more specific targeting for the areas my coach has highlighted as my weak spots. I do agree that running without strength training is not a good move!
      AnnaTheApple recently posted…So much food and a re-thinkMy Profile

  5. I get how frustrating it can be 🙁 I’m struggling with injury too, as is my husband who has been injured for almost 6 months now. What did your coach say? Don’t be so hard on yourself, your human not a machine, and humans do get injured as frustrating as that is.
    Lucy recently posted…#fireupyourrun with Nathan SportsMy Profile

    1. Oh sorry to hear this Lucy – it’s so head-bangingly frustrating isn’t it?
      My coach realised that running 6 days a week wasn’t good for me so we’re bringing it back to basics. I should have spoken up to begin with to be honest as I know my body better than he does! But you live and learn…he’s certainly learning how frustrating running and me is!!
      AnnaTheApple recently posted…So much food and a re-thinkMy Profile

  6. I’m so sorry to read Anna 🙁 The only thing I can think is that running as often as you were – even if it was 3.5miles at a time – was too much with the 11 miler at the end. I know you mentioned you were a bit nervous about doing so much running when you got the plan, just wonder if that had something to do with it?
    Hope you feel better soon!
    Claire @ Flake and Cake recently posted…Cooking up a stormMy Profile

  7. Oh Anna I just want to give you a huge hug. I felt a similar way when I was running and constantly getting injured. I often felt like my body was broken when my hormones were so screwed up as well. Its so hard when our bodies don’t seem to cooperate, but try and stay positive you will find a solution to the injuries whether thats adjustment in training or strengthening etc. Keep your chin up x

  8. I’m so sorry Anna 🙁 I really do hope it might not be time to panic just yet, but I can understand how upset and frustrated you must be with another injury niggle looming. Nevertheless, I have to say that IT bands can be very tricky and they can literally go from hurting badly one week to clearing up completely almost overnight. Real, chronic IT band problems tend to occur when you keep on running through the initial pain…as I found out to my cost in 2010. I had another problem with the opposite side in 2011 and left it alone for several days (it basically felt just like the 2010 version and I went on one huge, terror-induced food bender for 72 hours, lest you think I was just sensible and rested it by choice) only to have it disappear. So, I really am keeping everything crossed that the same thing happens for you.

    My leg’s flared up again and I’ve managed to catch some kind of flu from one particular idiot who insists on coming to the gym and coughing all over everyone (and he’s an instructor…) so I’ve done bugger all today and eaten as much as if I’d been running, so I share in the feelings of uselessness…only they’re not necessary in your case.

    xxx
    Jess recently posted…How To Deal With Negative ThoughtsMy Profile

    1. People who go to places like the gym (or in my case, the office) ill really annoy me . It’s not fair on anyone else! Bugs just spread stupidly quickly. Hope you’re feeling better anyway.
      Yeah IT bands are a bitch. I suffered last year but it was more a of a gradual build up which is why I was surprised this time. But like you said, sometimes they just “go”. I’m hoping it will bugger off soon!
      AnnaTheApple recently posted…So much food and a re-thinkMy Profile

  9. It totally sucks- such a shame to hear that you are having trouble again.
    At least you can contact Kyle and he can help you move forward instead of guessing what to do for the best.
    I totally understand about not calling someone either- a few days after I came home from hospital I went on a walk by myself, and was rather ambitious (it was a half a mile loop, but before then I had only walked around 100m)- anyway I got half way around and felt like I would collapse, but I could not call Andy as he was doing the Silverstone half marathon. I could have phoned my mum but I felt so silly, plus I thought by the time she had driven over I could have limped home, so I struggled back on my own, feeling very annoyed wtih myself for attempting it, and also for not managing it.
    Maria @ runningcupcake recently posted…Vivofit thoughtsMy Profile

    1. Pride and ego are stupid stupid things! What do we do to ourselves 🙁 I truly wish now I had been picked up…but knowing what was in my head at the time I know if I went back there (as you do in time travel…) I would still have finished the run. What an idiot I am. You live and learn I suppose…
      AnnaTheApple recently posted…So much food and a re-thinkMy Profile

  10. ***hugs***

    We’ve all been there! I remember when I had my IT Band Injury, I came back and just started bawling as I was stretching on the floor because it is so frustrating. The thing that did it for me, where it suddenly flared up, was my shoes! I had run in the same shoes forever and suddenly, the shoe company decided “oh these shouldn’t be neutral running shoes anymore!” — well, make a new shoe line. Runner’s World has a really good shoe guide where you can analyze the different models and see what has changed.

    Also, make sure to strengthen your hips! That is where my other IT Band issue came from. Weak hip muscles = overcompensating elsewhere.

    It sucks, but we are all here for you! We’ve all definitely been there so totally know how frustrating it is. xoxo.
    Lora @ Crazy Running Girl recently posted…Last week training update + cure for runger?My Profile

    1. Thanks Lora – it’s nice to know that people react in similar ways and I’m not an anomaly!!
      That’s the frustrating thing, I thought I had got the IT band sorted because I do a lot of hip strengthening stuff twice a week. But talking to my coach I really need to do a few more really ‘focused’ exercises. *sighs*
      AnnaTheApple recently posted…So much food and a re-thinkMy Profile

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