While we're on the subject of injuries. I'm currently resting up a 'sore knee'. Very sore boney lump on the outside of the left knee. Symptoms are that I can run uphill, for a while, but descending/straightening the leg hurts. 'Pain' (actually more a unpleasant nervy feeling) spreads down the lower leg as far as underneath the heel (thought I had Plantar fasc at first). After a few KM the whole knee feels sore and I bail. Additionally I can't crouch down; the left knee hurts when the joint closes. Pain shooting down the shin and outside of the calf.
Had physio today and her diagnosis is an overuse injury of the popliteus muscle or tendon, which is compressing the (sciatic?) nerve and causing the pain/numb lower leg. Makes sense I suppose, quick google shows it might be more common in hill runners.
So, anyone had this? I've got to rest it and do some nerve flossing exercises, but keen to know what worked for you.
Thanks for the ON info. Very interesting.
I used to get terrible knee pain which is why I stopped running a couple of years ago. A ball of pain with the epicentre growing from the bony bit on the outside of the knee. Got so bad after a few km that the leg seized and I had to stop. Would be ok in the morning strangely with with only a slight twinge.
Got some advice and they recommended more minimalist, zero drop shoes to allow leg and foot to adapt to terrain naturally. It worked. I don’t get knee pain now, but do get calf injuries. Oh well.
I've been plugging away the last few months getting in 2-3 6km (ish) runs per week. I've really noticed some improvements the last couple of weeks. TImes have come down from high 5min/km to a few runs (that are on flatish routes) now sneaking under 5min/km.
Better than the speed going up i've noticed i feel like i'm running. Previously I felt i was labouring round, heavy legs, lethargic feeling, always wanting to slow down and stop.
By contrast the last couple of weeks i feel like i'm finally 'running' rather than jogging. My core feels more upright, stride length has i think increased a bit, i get a good sweat on now and the feeling of lethargy has gone. I feel like my limiting factor is my breathing capacity rather than my legs. The last few times ii've done a run in the morning i've seriously felt like getting out there in the evening for a few more km!
As someone that typically runs for a few weeks and then gets injured and goes into hybernation again for a few months i feel the last 4 months of steady 5km runs, not worrying about speed or increasing the distance have really helped my body adapt and build a solid base on which to build.
To those battling out there, stick at it!
Gave a flat 5km a go tonight, my usual loop is pretty hilly. Took 1m30 off my PB, 24.20. Happy with that.
Good stuff djambo and jam bo! 👏🏻
Nice work D/jambo. Consistency and knowing when to rest that niggle seems to be the key. I'm not so good at the latter.
I was delighted the other week, went out to run 10k on flat pavement (for probably the third time ever) and just decided to see how fast I could do it, expecting around 50 mins.
Finished in 48 flat, which was nice.
It did highlight I don't do nearly enough speed work (well, any in fact). My HR peaks at around 170, legs won't go any faster. On the bike, a similar effort would be at least 175 average, getting up to about 190.
Anyway, celebrated by buying my first pair of road shoes. Steady on though, 25 quid from Decathlon 😅
Resting that knee hard, hoping it'll be reet for an easy Sunday run.
Djambo, you sound just like me. Just got to a point where I feel like I’m running rather than stumbling along, gasping for air waiting for it to be over. ‘Tis a good feeling.
Of course, I’ve picked up an injury, but I’m battling on and won’t stop for 6 months, relegating “running” to the “stupid idea” box in my brain. Thanks for the motivation in knowing I’m not alone.
First parkrun for years tomorrow. Hope the calf holds out, hope the lungs hold out, hope for a sub 25. The latter won’t happen, but something to aim for...
Nonsuch near Epsom if anybody on here doing it?
Longest one yet tomoro, 40 miles of the River Ayr Way, weather looks not bad too.
Hopefully be less than 8 hours all in, looking forward to getting some thinking time, it's been a tough week.
Good luck man! Looks breezy tomorrow - may the tailwind gods be with ye!
Wind was okay tbh, bit of a headwind for a few miles early on, but lots of the route was sheltered.
My target was 8 hrs, made it with 4 minutes to spare, happy bunny tonight. 😊
Nice one Nobeer.
how did you get on root-n-5th?
Forgot how much fun park runs are. Over 800 people!
Strapped leg and it felt ok. Got a steady 26:30 - but 26:18 moving as started too near back and was at almost walking pace for a while. Felt good enough for a sprint at the end. Next time I’ll move up a bit at the start and try to get the first km a fair bit faster and hope I can hold out. 25 something to aim for - I’ll never be fast but that’s not the point.
Met some Sutton Runners and David Williams in the club started running in his forties (48 now) and does sub 17 min parkruns!
5km looks a bit pathetic against 40 miles, but I’m very happy I did it. Well done Nobeer - amazing stuff.
In a hugely unexpected turn, I have finally found a solution to my shoe woes.
Walked into the he Nike store in Birmingham after visiting the Cycle Show and what did they have? A whole rack full of Pegasus 34’s, a shoe that’s fits me like a glove but is 2 seasons old and so impossible to get hold of...until now. So I did what any sensible person would do and bought 2 pairs (I debated a 3rd but though that would be silly!). So finally, that’s my shoe needs sorted for the next few months.
Managed to get an 11km run in at lunchtime from work. It is pretty rubbish running the streets of London on a Monday lunchtime (compared to my runs around home along the countryside footpaths) but i managed to get round running 5.30 min/km despite trying to keep plenty in the tank and avoid injury 🙂
After my efforts at the Great North Run last week I was back to my usual ParkRun on Saturday with dreams of a new PB. However they changed the start point from the usual place so we all walked over to the new one and I ended up right at the back and had a rubbish start (lots of slow jogging and dodging people). However I *did* feel like I was running hard and fast so I was gutted to be 45 seconds down on my PB and even when the course cleared up a bit I was still running 10 seconds per lap slower than my best so I can't blame it all on the start. (Finish time 24:20)
Rubbish - not happy.
Chin up mate, if ye wanna get your parkrun time down, get some speed work in.
Yeah - I know I need to do speed work but I am old and set in my ways - I think for that to work I would need a personal trainer.
Yeah – I know I need to do speed work but I am old and set in my ways – I think for that to work I would need a personal trainer.
No you don't. Just motivation 🙂 Interval workouts are about the easiest workouts to do on your own!
Yeah – I know I need to do speed work but I am old and set in my ways – I think for that to work I would need a personal trainer
I'm not expert but if you can't summon the motivation to do speed work intervals maybe find some local hills to incorporate into your routes?
I've done a few track sessions with my local running club. Too early to tell whether it's improved my parkrun times, but they're good for motivation. You rock up, pay 3 quid, beast yourself for an hour (intervals / speeds all defined by coaches and tailored to suit individual fitness levels) then off home for beer and medals 🙂
find some local hills to incorporate into your routes?
I do that - my 'goto' run has a mile of constant climb with about 200ft elevation gain and also steepens at the end.
Dashed - that is also a consideration TBF - now I am back running regularly I am tempted to run with others to learn from them. All I have ever done really is buy running shoes and go out running - all a bit Forrest Gump really.
I do that – my ‘goto’ run has a mile of constant climb with about 200ft elevation gain and also steepens at the end.
That won't build speed though - find a much shorter hill, like 50m long and a decent gain, and run up it 10 times "full speed" (i.e. what you can handle...). Jog down to recover. (There's nothing wrong with "your" hill, but you're building stamina not speed).
Managed a 36k hill run at the weekend, mostly being blasted by a strong headwind, knee still dodgy. It didn't begin to hurt until the start of the final ascent at around 25k across a reasonably steep boulder field / deep heather, I'll take that as 'progress' as it's been closer to 10k previously when it's started throbbing.
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That won’t build speed though – find a much shorter hill, like 50m long and a decent gain, and run up it 10 times “full speed” (i.e. what you can handle…). Jog down to recover. (There’s nothing wrong with “your” hill, but you’re building stamina not speed).
Noted - will try to work out a good spot to do that. As it happens the school my 10 yr old girls go to has just announced they are competing in an inter-school X-country and one daughter wants to compete again (she has qualified the last three years) so I'll be out with her training and shorter runs are up her street (she can out-sprint me) so will be a good workout for us both 🙂
I’ll be out with her training and shorter runs are up her street
Make a game of it - do fartleks. "Race you to that tree" "Last one to the bridge is a rotten egg / **** / <etc 🙂 >". Aim for 30-50m sprints with a couple of minutes recover between. The first one should be easy, but as you do more you don't get enough time to fully recover, and you should be begging for mercy by the last 😛
Nice pics eastcoastmike!
🙂
She'll kill me to death - I will take a wheelbarrow with me so she can cart me home 🙂
That won’t build speed though – find a much shorter hill, like 50m long and a decent gain, and run up it 10 times “full speed” (i.e. what you can handle…). Jog down to recover. (There’s nothing wrong with “your” hill, but you’re building stamina not speed).
True. Hills are speedwork by another name but part of building speed is forcing an increased cadence. Running downhill is also useful for this, with some care!
I've just started running again after two years of pretty much zero exercise, I'm five runs in and just managed to do 5k in 35 minutes which feels like a bit of an accomplishment but still a bit demoralising when I think where I was. I picked up some Eufy smart scales which seem pretty good and am going to pick up a Garmin to give me some stats to pick through and hopefully keep me interested and on track.
All I have ever done really is buy running shoes and go out running – all a bit Forrest Gump really.
Ditto! I found it good to run with other folk though...
Another Forrest Gump here. Just bought some short shorts and walshes and went to play in the hills (though it wasn't that simple, I now own a -shudder- hydration belt).
I'm slow because I don't really train, just run, but plenty people finish way ahead of me in races who I absolutely cannot imagine doing hill reps or fartleks. So just running along must work to some extent.
Ten days laid up with the knee now. Felt good enough to stop the ibuprofen, and today I had to dadrun 100m to catch a train. Felt alright, til I went to get off the train and almost toppled over. Knee def better than it was but still pain shooting down shin and ankle.
just managed to do 5k in 35 minutes which feels like a bit of an accomplishment but still a bit demoralising when I think where I was
Started at a similar pace back in March. Ran a 24:20 last week.
Club hill session tonight, surprisingly I was feeling good after Saturday's 40 miler, even managed to beat a few mates that I wouldn't normally!.
Really enjoyed it. Joining a club has been absolutely fantastic.
Just back from a few days in Italy competing at the European Masters Athletics Championships. I ran in the half-marathon on Sunday, and went in pretty optimistic that I should be able to come home with a medal. However, things didn't quite pan out that way. The first problem was leaving my drink and gels etc all back in the apartment which wasn't ideal, but not the end of the world for just a half. Weather was great, 24-25ish with a bit of a breeze. The early pace was brisk with the Italians out in force pushing the pace. I think they had a few folk who were there just to get things going fast at the start before dropping back. I was feeling good and went with the front pack, but coming through 10k in 32:25 (which would have got a medal in the 10k) felt a bit punchy. I dropped back from front the group of 5 and ran most of the 2nd lap alone, and although I was catching 4th and 5th towards the end, I finished 16 seconds away from a medal 🙁
Had I been a year younger, I would have scored bronze in the M35. Rather annoyed with myself as I'm sure had I ran my own race I could have finished close to a minute quicker and scored a medal, but I suppose championship racing is often going to be tactical, and had I not finished on the podium with a solo paced effort I would have regretted not trying to go with the pack.
5 weeks until York marathon now...
Great work TF and good luck at York
So... tonight I am going to do some speed work. Can anyone point me in the direction of some simple guidance for the hard of thinking so I can get out and do something meaningful.
Cheers
johndoh - fartlek is probably the best bang for buck, and has been described pretty well by a few posters recently. Doesn't have to be super structured in terms of distance or repetitions, as long as you are stressing the right systems repeatedly. I'd say something along the lines of a 100m sprint followed by the same distance very slow jog. Repeat 10 times ish, it'll start off fairly easy, and get progressively harder. Make sure you are nicely warmed up first, and have a decent gentle jog afterwards to shake out the legs. If your legs feel utterly ruined the following morning you've done well 🙂
An alternative to doing this on the flat would be on a decent hill - sprint up, jog back.
Cheers - I have no choice but to have hills due to where I live so I might just base it on 'jog down hill, turn around and run hard back up'.
I've been looking at going to a Sutton Runners session for a while now but thought I had to be able to run 10K to be able to join in. Met some friendly chaps at the Nonsuch ParkRun on Saturday and they said all abilities are welcome. So, I plucked up my muster and turned up last night, got a very warm welcome, free membership, free shirt and went off to some hill rep sessions. Gulp.
30 minutes of running fast up the hill then slow down the other side. Ha!, thought I, not a chance, what with me gammy leg, old bones and having run a km to get there. But, I gave it a go and to my surprise I did the full 30 minutes without stopping, gave it some beans up the hills, was pretty knackered by the end, but boy did it feel good! Total distance run was 6.3Km last night which beats my previous furthest by a km! I wasn't the fastest by a long way - some of them just float up the hill, but by no means the slowest - a solid midfield I'd say.
If anyone finds training on their own boring then I recommend joining a running club. I would never have done hill reps for 30 minutes on my own, but with others around to chase and pace I got through it. BTW, Sutton Runners recommended as one of the friendliest clubs I've ever been to. Free membership still on offer for a short time longer...
Nice one Root. Must say I had misgivings about joining a running club after many years of being in annoying, stuffy cycling clubs. But I joined the nearest fell club to where my Dad lives and was pleasantly surprised, though only likely to get out with them a handful of times a year. Midweek evening club runs followed by pub dinner and beer are probably the reason I gained 4kg last time I visited, despite running every other day and doing three M and L fell races...
Christ on a bike - that's tough. Just over a mile on intervals and my legs are burning. And a spin session tomorrow lunchtime 😱😱😱
Aye, I was put off running clubs by my bike clubs experience, but it's nothing like it, full of brilliant humble people, no one gives a **** what trainers you have! 🤣
Triathlon clubs are another possibility, I love training with mine. Again, all levels catered for and a very welcoming atmosphere. (You do need to be able to swim, though, which obviously could be a barrier to some).
On that subject, and looking forward to the weekend: this Sunday sees the last race of the season, a half-ironman by the Med in Spain. Going with 5 other members of my club so should be a good weekend 🙂
That, my dear STW, is how to start the day.
5 miles down quiet canals into work. The air was cool and crisp, the morning sun was coming up, there were birds on the canal, it was just glorious.
Every morning should be like that.
