Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

SPG · 25 Jul 2023 at 14:45

Running and long distance triathlons days are well and truly over now chaps, no wonder my knee was throbbing, only took 14 months to get a answer, Basically bugger all cartridge left in the knee which should have been a warning, so the bone on bone action has buggered the knee cap up somewhat so its clean up some cutting and smoothing. Damage is done and its not going to get better so only given time until a metal knee is required, getting older sucks

!

So after deciding to use BUPA through work it

Consultation
MRI
Consultation
Surgeon consultation
Knee OP booked for 14th August.

All of the above steps in about 4 weeks, compared to the NHS of Wait for Dr, Wait for physio, wait for Dr, wait for X ray, wait for MRI etc etc. This two tier health system the UK is becoming is just wrong and its only greed causing the problem.

Thinking of training for taking part in the relay swim the channel be nice to bang that out before i am 55 28 months of training should be well within capability

Ian_Eb · 25 Jul 2023 at 14:46

Martynt74 said:
Don't get me started on that. So many houses don't show actual locations in Spanish adverts and it's infuriating.

You never seem to have any luck do you!

My wife reckons it was more like alcohol poisoning, but I am not so sure... It lasted the best part of a week, and I wasn't that drunk!

Martynt74 · 25 Jul 2023 at 14:51

SPG said:
Running and long distance triathlons days are well and truly over now chaps, no wonder my knee was throbbing, only took 14 months to get a answer, Basically bugger all cartridge left in the knee which should have been a warning, so the bone on bone action has buggered the knee cap up somewhat so its clean up some cutting and smoothing. Damage is done and its not going to get better so only given time until a metal knee is required, getting older sucks !

So after deciding to use BUPA through work it

Consultation
MRI
Consultation
Surgeon consultation
Knee OP booked for 14th August.

All of the above steps in about 4 weeks, compared to the NHS of Wait for Dr, Wait for physio, wait for Dr, wait for X ray, wait for MRI etc etc. This two tier health system the UK is becoming is just wrong and its only greed causing the problem.

Thinking of training for taking part in the relay swim the channel be nice to bang that out before i am 55 28 months of training should be well within capability

Sorry to hear that. My mate is going under the knife next week for a knee op, but don't think it's as bad as yours. Weirdly he still plays football so not really sure what is up with him!

As you say the 2 tier system is annoying. I'm waiting on my cortisone injection, 6 weeks from consultation to injection date. Which isn't too bad, but then it took 7 months to get the first appointment in the first place. I considered going via BUPA but the £200 excess put me off for the sake of just saving 5 weeks.

My main concern is if it doesn't work and i need further treatment, then it means i'm running out of time to get it sorted.

neoboy · 25 Jul 2023 at 15:22

Ouch chaps, almost makes me want to give up running before I even started!

Much you can do it terms of longevity in this gig?

SPG · 25 Jul 2023 at 17:32

Its fine, its better to do something than nothing, science is much better now you wont pay any attention to this advice but when you get a niggle, rest up and go easy. Don't take paracetamols and strap things up and power through, like us old uns did in the 80s and 90s

and your body should last you a lifetime....He says.

neoboy · 25 Jul 2023 at 18:50

Well, hardly spring chicken in my mid 30s and already missing some cartilage and reconstructed ACL in my left knee due to one bad rugby tackle in my teens.

Being a coach potato for a long time may actually help my longevity thought in this if I stick around

Martynt74 · 26 Jul 2023 at 08:40

neoboy said:
Ouch chaps, almost makes me want to give up running before I even started!

Much you can do it terms of longevity in this gig?

It's a weird one as you see loads of people running well into old age, including 70yr olds running 100 milers in the mountains etc. @neoboy, i'm much like yourself, very much a coach potato from the ages of 13-30 at which point i started running, and even pre 13, i was a goalkeeper because i was crap at footy so didn't exactly run a lot!

I'm 37 and definitely notice more issues, as @SPG said, i think Physios etc are more commonly used these days along with more insight into prehab type stuff. It's just having the willpower to actually do that kind of stuff. Despite my niggles i never get into a consistent routine of preventative strength work.

My plans to do Valencia marathon are out the window. It's sold out and waiting list places cost €180. No chance i'm paying that much just to run around a city! Maybe 2024 is the year for me

neoboy · 26 Jul 2023 at 08:50

Kinda what I'm thinking, stumbled upon a running event on Sat on top of Knott and saw plenty of people who looked into their 50s and 60s.

Suppose first thing is to keep addressing the weight, end of the day less load on the knees would mean less wear. All these mobility guys and physios seem to be getting real popular on social media nowadays too so guess I really better start paying attention to pre and post run routines.

I do also lift in the gym once a week currently as well as some kettlebell workouts at home, hopefully helping strengthen something.

Martynt74 · 26 Jul 2023 at 08:58

neoboy said:
Kinda what I'm thinking, stumbled upon a running event on Sat on top of Knott and saw plenty of people who looked into their 50s and 60s.

Suppose first thing is to keep addressing the weight, end of the day less load on the knees would mean less wear. All these mobility guys and physios seem to be getting real popular on social media nowadays too so guess I really better start paying attention to pre and post run routines.

I do also lift in the gym once a week currently as well as some kettlebell workouts at home, hopefully helping strengthen something.

Yeah, weight is a thing i keep needing to work on. 95kg is a lot to haul around. Especially as i know it's mainly fat! I've been a similar weight when i used to use the gym more and was a better running for it and looked better, with less injuries. I have so many resistance bands, foam rollers, massage guns and other gadgets but they're useless if you don't use them!

The other weird thing is that i actually seem to have got worse since i started using my combination of yoga ball as a desk chair and a standing desk! I was expecting decent gains in general core strength!

neoboy · 26 Jul 2023 at 09:36

Well 95kg is one of my medium term goals towards end of the year, still hovering around 110kg and scary to think what I was even few months ago!

I'm on a tall-ish side and still carry some muscle on me from rugby days and odd gym work so not even sure how low I can go, just playing it "by the ear" and mirror at the moment and see how if feel once I reach various targets.

My job for last 18 months is probably one of the least active ones I've ever had, already starting to feel lower back pain and my posture really starting to go so been looking at various ways to correct that as well as overall longevity in this hiking thing I do.

If running actually becomes a full time gig too then definitely need to make sure I can keep it all for as long as possible and approach it in a sustainable manner. Have a guy at work who ran a lot in his younger days and he's now falling apart in mid 50s and knew few others in their 50s who say their knees now gone from running a lot.

Basically want to be those people I see in their 60s and 70s pottering around Lake District on hikes and even runs if possible.

I know I've treated my body badly thus far, but who knows what's possible with little work and dedication!

JustBen · 26 Jul 2023 at 17:49

Signed up for the Lakeland Trails 55km next year. Thought i'd celebrate by heading up grizedale to actual walk a trail something i haven't done for a bit. I got some Nike Wildhorse 8's and they seem comfy. Not been running so far this week as can't shift a headache so happy i've given myself a year to train as i do find i have the odd week where my heads pounding.

Martynt74 · 27 Jul 2023 at 09:43

JustBen said:
Signed up for the Lakeland Trails 55km next year. Thought i'd celebrate by heading up grizedale to actual walk a trail something i haven't done for a bit. I got some Nike Wildhorse 8's and they seem comfy. Not been running so far this week as can't shift a headache so happy i've given myself a year to train as i do find i have the odd week where my heads pounding.

Awesome stuff, i did the Grizedale marathon which was great and then the Lakeland Five Passes which was pretty brutal with 10k ft elevation, so looks like yours is somewhere in the middle. Hope the weather is good for you, i don't think i've ever managed a run in the Lakes where it's not ****** it down, despite running at multiple times throughout the year.

@Dup Good luck for this weekend. How're you feeling?

Dup · 27 Jul 2023 at 10:49

Martynt74 said:
@Dup Good luck for this weekend. How're you feeling?

Thanks mate. Honestly, I never get anxious about anything usually, but I have an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don't feel prepared at all, but I just want to cross the line in any time and tick it off as done then I can put the ultras to bed for a few years. Well, big ones anyway.

I have had a training plan for the last 3 months which I've never had before, but no race strategy yet. I think just to plod along faster than walking, stride up the ascents as best I can and enjoy it. 40 hours is generous. If I can get the first 55 or so done before the 50 starts on Saturday I'll feel a bit better.

(Sorry, not kept up the with the thread lately, notifications stopped and life's just a bit daft at the moment).

Weird on the injury front. I'm 38, running 6/7 years, cycled thousands of miles before then and never had an injury outside of just overdoing it and needing to take a week off after a huge event. I've never really been heavy ~75Kg so that probably helps, but I never stretch or anything like that and rarely do any other kind of workout. In the running world I feel young though, most people I see locally and in races (especially off road) have 10 years on me. I'll soon be that person though!

neoboy · 27 Jul 2023 at 10:54

Fitbit are really doing my head in with this warranty claim, they are just pushing me harder to get myself Fenix 6 Pro for Christmas!

Martynt74 · 27 Jul 2023 at 11:04

Yeah, i think i read that most people pull out between 60-70 miles as that's where you start feeling like crap, but still have a decent chunk to go. As you say, the cut off is generous. The one i had signed up for was only 28 hours, albeit considerably less ascent!

It's ok, there's been the newcomers to the thread but (almost) post in here as much as me, so at least it's not just been the usual of me posting replies to myself

Yeah, i'd love to be like that. As you say, i imagine the weight side is a massive bonus. I'd aim for that level, but it's 11am and i've just eaten a Samosa someone had brought into the office!

manic111 · 27 Jul 2023 at 11:33

I think I'm having my first experience of plantar fasciitis, and am not happy about it. Any tips? I've rested a couple of days and it's loads better already. Is it generally a sign that it's time to replace my trainers? I've put about 800k into the current ones, and am heavy for a runner (about 90kg).

It's been odd, I've always picked up niggles, but in the 4 months marathon training I was injury free. Since then I've not been able to get into a routine at all, I seem to have something new wrong with me every week.

Martynt74 · 27 Jul 2023 at 11:39

manic111 said:
I think I'm having my first experience of plantar fasciitis, and am not happy about it. Any tips? I've rested a couple of days and it's loads better already. Is it generally a sign that it's time to replace my trainers? I've put about 800k into the current ones, and am heavy for a runner (about 90kg).

It's been odd, I've always picked up niggles, but in the 4 months marathon training I was injury free. Since then I've not been able to get into a routine at all, I seem to have something new wrong with me every week.

You've done well, i find my trainers last around 300 miles max!

Best things for me would be to get a sports bottle (like what you put on a bike), fill it with water and freeze it. Then roll your foot with it. It'll help stretch the tendon and the cold will help too.

A small spikey ball is also great, but the bottle is something you're likely to already have lying around.

manic111 · 27 Jul 2023 at 11:51

Martynt74 said:
You've done well, i find my trainers last around 300 miles max!

Best things for me would be to get a sports bottle (like what you put on a bike), fill it with water and freeze it. Then roll your foot with it. It'll help stretch the tendon and the cold will help too.

A small spikey ball is also great, but the bottle is something you're likely to already have lying around.

Yeah, mine normally last much less, but I'd been through so many pairs during my training that I've become a bit cheap, I'm running a bit less, so I've been trying to get a bit more wear out of the ones I've had lying around rather than buying yet more shoes (I think it would be my 4th pair) this year!

I'll give the water bottle trick a go, thanks!

Martynt74 · 27 Jul 2023 at 14:24