Hi guys, hope you’re weekend was good.
I’m not going to lie. I’m feeling pretty down at the moment. I can’t believe I’m writing this post. I apologise hugely in advance for the tone and for the fact that ‘here I am again’ moaning about my running and my stupid body. I don’t blame you if you click ‘close’. Hey, feel free! This is not a happy post. I’m in a dark and shady place.
Since the Great South Run my right knee has felt off. My left hip didn’t feel too great either (when it rains it pours). So I went to my amazing, lovely physio the next week. She worked her magic on my hip and said the knee pain was due to me over-compensating on my right side to nurse my left leg and the wind didn’t help pushing me at an angle. She wasn’t hugely worried, told me to take it easy.
I didn’t run until the Saturday (so I’d taken three days off). Then ran 7 miles (3 being a speedy Parkrun) and then ran 17 miles Sunday.
Very stupid, I know. I jumped straight back into it too quickly. My 17 mile run felt hard and if I’m honest with myself, it felt unreasonably hard. It felt hard before I’d even gotten to 10 miles – not normal. It wasn’t even as if I was trying to keep my pace down. My body wouldn’t go faster. My knee and my hip niggled all the way through and for the rest of the day it felt pretty rough.
I took Monday and Tuesday off. I ran Wednesday night (planned 5 mile recovery run) and could only make 4.
I cried walking home. I know this is ridiculous. I know I sound very self-obsessed and oh so repetitive and in the great scheme of things this is such a minor, minor thing. Believe me, I know this. But I cried. And I cried when I went to bed and tried to sleep. It didn’t help that Ben was away with work as well 🙁
So I’m currently taking at least one week off of running. No Parkrun. No long run. No running school. Nothing. Then I will reassess (probably this Saturday). If I feel any niggle, I’ll take more time off.
To make absolute certain that I’m going to heal properly I’m not doing anything else. Usually I’d just switch to spin and use the cross trainer (elliptical machine). But I tried that and felt my knee, not being painful just uncomfortable. So all I’m doing is walking Alfie. I’m not going to Pump either. I want to avoid any excessive pressure on my knee and hip.
This also means not running the Gosport half marathon this Sunday. If all is well at the end of this week I need to gradually get back into running, not jump into a half marathon.
I was so excited about the marathon in December. But at the moment I am terrified. I literally feel sick about it. I don’t feel ready at all.
I’ve hugely reassessed my goals for it. My only goal is to get there in one piece and survive it. Sub-4? I don’t even care.
I just hope that taking the time now is enough. I also hope that the marathon won’t be a disaster…that taking this time off now will leave me enough time to prepare a little more.
Sorry to be so down and go on so much about these stupid niggles. Running is such a love in my life that to feel like I’m a prisoner in my own body and not be able to run, it really upsets me.
Cheer me up, tell me something great and exciting happening with you?
Let me live vicariously through you, how’s your running going?
I know set backs can be hard, but when it comes down to it – you’ve made the smartest decision possible taking the week off. It’s true our bodies won’t let us down most of the time, but it’s also true that they do need a break. Perhaps this is your body letting you know. There are always going to be races, tomrorow – next week- next month and even next year that you can run if the upcoming ones just aren’t possible. I know how hard it can be to drop out of a scheduled Marathon (I had to do the same when I was told to stop running all together) It’s hard, and people can say I’m sorry & you’ll be okay – but it’s one of those times where no one can say the right thing. When your so passionate about something (say running for an instance), it’s hard to think of the positives. However, you need to darling. Remind yourself how grateful you are to have legs that have carried you thus far. Also remember that YOU’RE INCREDIBLE! <3
Thnk you for that lovely comment. You’re right. Here’s a bigger picture here and my body and health are much more important. I don’t know how you were able to cope giving up running completely.. You’re a much stronger than me for definite!
This sounds exactly like me right now, I have had pain in my left hip and right knee for the past few weeks but it’s been manageable. I went out yesterday and it was so painful I couldn’t manage more than 7 miles, and I cried on the way home! My lower body feels absolutely battered right now, so I think I might have to do the same and take a full week off. I wouldn’t worry too much about your marathon, having a healthy body on the start line is way more important than struggling in pain through training runs. Rest up!
I’m sorry about your hip. It’s such a problem area. And then it starts a chain of events in other areas! We runners are so impatient. We don’t want to wait for it to heal. I know that’s my problem – I just want to get back out there ASAP. But then the problem drags on..
Anna you are 200% doing the right thing and although it sucks, your body will be so thankful for the rest and the opportunity to heal completely. What you don’t want to do is push your body through training runs in agony and sustain further injuries that might last longer than those you have. Keep your chin up, you’ve had an amazing summer of running with so many races to be proud of! If December isn’t right, then there will be a right time to smash that sub-4 goal, which I’m sure you can do.
Exactly. It’s just time. Hopefully things will be looking up at the end of the week but if not I keep waiting. Marathons will come and go. I need to look long term not short term.
Aww bless you! I can understand you annoyance of not being able to do something that you love. Feel assured that you are doing the best for your body by letting it heal and giving it time.
Thanks, Jemma. Yeah I’m just trying to see this week as a necessary part of my training!
Oh Anna sorry to hear you are struggling so much. And don’t feel bad about a negative post- blogs are here for the good and the bad and hopefully you will get support from commenters etc.
The advice with marathons is often to have 2, so if you can’t make your first one you can do it at the second one, but that is not really easy in practise. When I did mine I had a UTI (well in fact I think it was my cyst starting to rear it’s ugly head) so I was on antibiotics- I promised Andy I would only run if I felt OK, but in the back of my head I was thinking that I would run it whatever, because I really really wanted to do it and it was the only one we had signed up for. So I can understand those worries, but at least you are changing your goals to completing it instead of a time. I think times are for later marathons.
Um, to cheer you up I managed my fastest 10K time on Sunday, so I am hoping to replicate that at Brighton next week.
We runners are so determined and stubborn – I completely relate to what you said about your marathon. I think reassessing my goals has definitely relieved the pressure!
Congrats on your run :)) I’m very pleased for you!
Stumbled by your blog today and so sorry to hear about your knee and hip – rest is the best right now and I hope you recover and are feeling better soon.
These really is no need to apologize – we all have bad days!
In the words of the one and only Miley Cyrus
“Everybody makes mistakes
Everybody has those days
Everybody knows what, what I’m talking bout
Everybody gets that way
Sometimes I’m in a jam
I’ve gotta make a plan
It might be crazy
I do it anyway
No way to know for sure
I’ll figure out a cure
I’m patching up the holes
But then it overflows
If I’m not doing to well
Why be so hard on myself?
…. Sometimes I work a scheme
But then it flips on me
Doesn’t turn out how I planned
Get stuck in quick sand
But no problem can’t be solved
Once I get involved
I try to be delicate
Then crash right into it
Though my intentions are good
Yeah yeah yeah
Sometimes just misunderstood
….
Next time you feel like it’s just one of those days
When you just can’t seem to win
If things don’t turn out the way you planned,
Figure something else out!
Don’t stay down, try again
Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days that’s right
Everybody knows what, what I’m talking bout
Everybody gets that way woo
Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days
Everybody knows what, what I’m talking bout
Everybody gets that way”
🙂
That’s the first time someone’s used Miley Cyrus to cheer me up! 😉 thank you! 🙂
Oh Anna, just as I was saying this morning on Twitter – I understand how you are feeling, I got injured before I did the Great North Run, both times! I cried my eyes out and felt awful, but you know what? I recovered and finished both races, getting a PB at one of them! You have a lot of fitness build up, it’s amazing what your body can do, so rest, recuperate and stay positive! Sending you good vibes xxx
Thanks, Laura. It’s silly what we get so upset about, but when you’ve got a goal in mind, like you GNRs, it’s hard to not suddenly shake the feeling of failure. But you preserved and got through and hopefully I will too!
Don’t apologize for being upset! Totally reasonable to be upset about this, but you have to keep telling yourself that you’re doing the right thing for your body. I hope your body thanks you for this and I’m wishing you a speedy recovery!!
Thanks, Jess. Exactly. Just got to keep the bigger picture in mind and not get bogged down by the here and now. One step at a time!
So sorry to hear… 🙁 As any runner can tell you, it’s not stupid to be upset! I have been there for sure, crying on the floor because I could only make half my run because of my stupid IT band. The best thing you can do is REST… and while it will drive you crazy, it will pay off in the end. Feel better! xoxo
Oh god the dreaded IT band!! I’ve suffered from that in the past! But you’re right, rest is the important thing right now. Thanks for your kind words!
Really sorry to hear you’re injured. 🙁 I know only too well how frustrating and upsetting it can be. The best thing you can do is exactly what you are doing though, and taking some time out. You already have a very strong fitness base to work from and having a week off from running isn’t going to affect that. It will do you much more good in the long run to have that time off than pressure yourself for a time. And then when marathon number two comes along you can smash your time and feel very smug with yourself!
Hope your knee and hip are feeling better soon.
Thanks, Mary. You’re right. Why do an amazing marathon time first round and have to work even harder next round! Hehe.
Ahhhh don’t be sad I know only too well what your going through, a few years ago I tore the muscles in my lower back and was out of exercise for 6 months! I cried nearly every day but what you have to remember is it will get better but it might not be for a couple of months. The worst thing you can do is keep running on it this could stop you running all together. Rest and repair and start the new year with a healthy knee : )
Oh god that sounds painful!! Yes that puts things into perspective – 6 months! Woa. Yes long-term is so much more important!