Running 2022

[SerenityNigh]

Im curious about your “ first tore my meniscus” in that I tore mine 5 years ago , had an op , rehab and back running. I was talking to a friend who’s currently out with a suspected meniscus tear , I told him my experiences re the op , but also said my physio had treated young football players who hadn’t needed an op . So question : did you have an op or manage to rehab without one? - really am asking for a friend ?

i ran a lot in my 20s, in my 30s i ran intermittently. I was traveling and using a hotel treadmill and "tweaked" my knee. It was sore and i had an issue walking down stairs at work, but ignored the warning signs. it eventually got better but I would have some soreness or weakness when running soccer practice with the kids. years later when i was seriously trying to get back into training I had a lot of trouble with my knee and at one point serious swelling. went to my GP who thought I had bursitis, but eventually got an MRI with an ortho and the meniscus was torn and part of it was in the back part of the knee (which is why i think this is what happened originally, years ago; also, i had no "event" that I remember, although meniscus can tear just by running with weak muscle support). the ortho sorted out my meniscus and told me he expects arthritis to develop and me to need partial knee replacement in a few years. it doesn't hurt much any more, but i also don't run much any more (too out of shape and overweight to enjoy it at the moment!)

TLDR; definitely your friend should get it checked out now; clean up repair is better than clean up removal IMO.

 

[COYBL25]

have you had this before? long covid can be a weird thing, and I don't know much about it. hopefully this just turns out like a long series of "not my days" and then you get back into it, but it can also probably feel like a serious setback as well. have you adjusted your training at all? maybe run 1-2 weeks of rest or recovery and keep the load light?

I had my first bout of Covid just over two years ago and I’ve had weeks like this off and on ever since then.

There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to it at all.

My GP did a lung function test on me a while back and I’m way below where I should be for my age, where as pre Covid, it was the opposite.

I do no speed work at all now and let my body dictate the pace, dependant on how I feel, when I set out - I can tell by how my lungs are behaving, whether it’ll be a fast or a slow run.

So, I can only put it down to some Covid related damage, which for some reason, clears every now and again.

 

[Bishop Thumpety-Thump]

is your 27 mins on a treadmill? or are you training on a treadmill and then running outside? i personally don't like treadmills; never did, but then i think that's also where i first tore my meniscus so I hold a grudge as well. if you can get some running outdoors that might help. can you find good, soft surfaces to run on? as far as training is concerned, certain types of volume adjustment frequently yield the best results, but this is dependent on your current training schedule; maybe add more easy days, prioritize a longer run (> 45 mins) if you're not doing this already. if you don't have any race pace targeted workouts, get these in as well. you can do a lot of variations on this, but set a goal (25 mins) and run that pace (~8:03/mile) in smaller installments (5 mins at a time with short rest, repeat; etc).

*I see someone has already given good advice on this, not trying to double up.

Only been running on a treadmill so far as it's been winter here. There's a good running/walking track nearby that I might start using once the weather gets better. Thanks for the advice!

 

[COYBL25]

have you had this before? long covid can be a weird thing, and I don't know much about it. hopefully this just turns out like a long series of "not my days" and then you get back into it, but it can also probably feel like a serious setback as well. have you adjusted your training at all? maybe run 1-2 weeks of rest or recovery and keep the load light?

This just shows how mad the after effects of long covid are :

Thursday, I ran one of the slowest times, that I`ve ever run on training run - HR everywhere, blowing like mad and finished close to two minutes a mile slower than my usual easy run training pace.

Today, two days later, ran the exact same route and was 1.30 secs a mile faster than Thursday - finishing 9 minutes quicker for the run !

 

[COYBL25]

@blueloon

I saw you mention a few injuries issues in another thread ?

Combined with your on off Covid related issues, are you still running in the London marathon ?

I‘m just waiting to start the Lakeland Trails 18K in Cartmel.

I‘ve had a terrible few weeks of training, with my manky Covid chest and also my hamstring tendinitus flaring up again, so I’m not expecting a great day tbh.

 

[witchdoc187]

I used to run loads only half marathons and stuff. But since I've had a kid I've stopped and want to now start again. Do you reckon it's better to start off just doing as much distance as possible at a slow pace or doing some light jogging with some medium pace and sprints?

 

[COYBL25]

I used to run loads only half marathons and stuff. But since I've had a kid I've stopped and want to now start again. Do you reckon it's better to start off just doing as much distance as possible at a slow pace or doing some light jogging with some medium pace and sprints?

If it’s years since you ran any distance mate, treat it as though you‘re starting from scratch.

Forget about anything other than jogging to start with, until you’re stiffness free afterwards.

Too much too soon and you’ll end up with a load of sprains etc and you’ll end hating it / stopping.

The couch to 5k is a great programme to get back into things mate.

 

[witchdoc187]

If it’s years since you ran any distance mate, treat it as though you‘re starting from scratch.

Forget about anything other than jogging to start with, until you’re stiffness free afterwards.

Too much too soon and you’ll end up with a load of sprains etc and you’ll end hating it / stopping.

The couch to 5k is a great programme to get back into things mate.

Think I've just always been really active and fit until the last 6 years. Think I might just try a slow 5k to start and go from there. I'll check the couch thing out but I always assumed it was designed for people in an even worse state

 

[blueloon]

@blueloon

I saw you mention a few injuries issues in another thread ?

Combined with your on off Covid related issues, are you still running in the London marathon ?

I‘m just waiting to start the Lakeland Trails 18K in Cartmel.

I‘ve had a terrible few weeks of training, with my manky Covid chest and also my hamstring tendinitus flaring up again, so I’m not expecting a great day tbh.

Yeah I picked up an Achilles niggle two weeks ago , managed 18 miles 5 days later but on my final long run of 13 miles last Sunday I felt it and walked the last mile home. Despite ice , stretching etc the ankle is still stiff, a bit swollen, so I haven’t run this week just hobbling about, I’ll try it tomorrow.
But , yes I’m still running London, flights , hotel etc booked and I can’t defer again. I ‘ll just go for it , maybe at 4hr 20 min pace as that‘s the M70 Boston marathon good for age .

Good luck for your trail run , I used to love running in the Lakes but that was many years ago. Post on here how you get on.

 

[COYBL25]

Yeah I picked up an Achilles niggle two weeks ago , managed 18 miles 5 days later but on my final long run of 13 miles last Sunday I felt it and walked the last mile home. Despite ice , stretching etc the ankle is still stiff, a bit swollen, so I haven’t run this week just hobbling about, I’ll try it tomorrow.
But , yes I’m still running London, flights , hotel etc booked and I can’t defer again. I ‘ll just go for it , maybe at 4hr 20 min pace as that‘s the M70 Boston marathon good for age .

Good luck for your trail run , I used to love running in the Lakes but that was many years ago. Post on here how you get on.

I can only dream of times like that mate !

It’s a glorious day here, so
it‘ll be a good day out, no
matter what.

 

[blueloon]

Think I've just always been really active and fit until the last 6 years. Think I might just try a slow 5k to start and go from there. I'll check the couch thing out but I always assumed it was designed for people in an even worse state

One thing I sometimes do when returning from injury is a bit of “ Jeffing” , Run -Walk - Run . I use 3min30 run/ 30 sec walk but thers lots of variations . Jeff Galloway is the guy most associated with it hence “ Jeffing” . You might find that doing 5km like this gets you the start you need, sometimes it’s just motivation then you’ll see the gradual improvement without stressing your body too much.

 

[SerenityNigh]

Think I've just always been really active and fit until the last 6 years. Think I might just try a slow 5k to start and go from there. I'll check the couch thing out but I always assumed it was designed for people in an even worse state

It could help you too, you’ll be surprised which parts of your fitness you’ve lost. The main thing is to not risk injury.

 

[COYBL25]

Just finished the Cartmel 18K.

Nice little run, deceptively hilly course and quite hot too.

Finishing time was okay, all things considered.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

I had my first bout of Covid just over two years ago and I’ve had weeks like this off and on ever since then.

There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to it at all.

My GP did a lung function test on me a while back and I’m way below where I should be for my age, where as pre Covid, it was the opposite.

I do no speed work at all now and let my body dictate the pace, dependant on how I feel, when I set out - I can tell by how my lungs are behaving, whether it’ll be a fast or a slow run.

So, I can only put it down to some Covid related damage, which for some reason, clears every now and again.

I’ve had similar. Went swimming yesterday and could hold my breath and dive underwater for noticeably longer than the previous week when my chest was feeling a bit rough. I have had friends visiting so haven’t been running as much. Maybe a break for a couple of weeks might do you good?

 

[COYBL25]

I’ve had similar. Went swimming yesterday and could hold my breath and dive underwater for noticeably longer than the previous week when my chest was feeling a bit rough. I have had friends visiting so haven’t been running as much. Maybe a break for a couple of weeks might do you good?

The thing is mate, there`s no rhyme nor reason to it, as I`ll be fine for a couple of days and then the following day my chest will feel like it`s been sandpapered and it`ll feel like that for weeks, I`ll be majorly breathless and then it`ll just go again.

On the days it goes, I literally fly when running, as I can breathe properly again, so my fitness levels are there.

It`s just that there are many more bad days, than good days.

I`ve been doing a bit of reading about it and from what I can gather, it appears that in some people, who`ve had Covid, their lungs stop efficiently processing oxygen, even though their lungs show no damage on scans etc - they don`t know why this is and at the mo, it appears that it can be indefinite.

It`s very frustrating.