Yay, completed C25K again.....

That's right, my final run today saw me complete the 9 week programme....again.  It was quite a difficult run to round of this week as I could still feel the effects of my 18 hole round of golf the day before and it was quite muggy.  I now intend to move on to Bupa's 10km training programme.

However, despite being back running now for 9-10 weeks, my knee is still not 100% right, more like 70% although its bearable when running for now and if I avoid bending it at extreme angles but this is the main reason as to why I've decided to start a 10k programme next as opposed to a 10 mile or half marathon plan.  Hopefully by the time I've finished this 7-8 week plan, my knee will be closer still to a full recovery.  If not, then it might require a return trip to the Doc's.

This plan shouldn't take too long though and I feel like I can miss a few weeks out as somehow the Nike+ GPS running app that I started to try again this week seems to think that I've run 3km more than my other apps.....I've tried to calibrate it today, but if it doesn't work I'm going to ditch it again and return to either Endomondo or Runkeeper which is a shame as their support on Facebook has been brilliant this week.  I've generally always used Endomondo and even bought the pro app but now the company appear to be moving quite a lot of the features behind a more subscription style pay wall hence my reasons for starting to try other apps again.  I used Runkeeper today as well as Nike+ to check the latter apps accuracy or lack of and quite liked it so will trial it out a few more times to see what I prefer moving forward.

I've been wearing a knee strap since starting C25K but truthfully I'm not sure whether it does anything other than get sweaty!  It doesn't hurt with it on so I'll going to keep it on for a while longer.

On the road to recovery?

Well I feel that I’m well on the way to building my fitness back up predominantly through running but there’s still a long way to go. ..

This comes about having just successfully completed week 5 of the Couch 2 5k (C25K) running programme with help from Robert Ullrey’s excellent running Podcasts ending today with a 20 minute non stop run in blistering sunny and warm weather.  This is after my first round of golf in over 8 months yesterday in equally warm weather.

The knee issue still remains but definitely in the last few weeks I feel that it is getting slowly back to normal although my running gait/form seems to be a bit off at the moment.  To help with the fitness recovery, I started the C25K programme right back at Week 1 with the aim of slowing trying to rebuild my fitness and running strength whilst taking it easy on the knee.  

My knee still suffers from the odd twinge and bending it at extreme angles and kneeling is still uncomfortable but its getting there.  Some physio cream and ibuprofen do work wonders when it does start to flare up again but, I might need to get professional help in terms of assessing my running gait to see whether my footwear needs changing to better suit what my support my body/knee needs to avoid further injury. 

Hopefully by the time I’ve finished C25K I should be in a better position fitness and form wise to know which running programme I can pursue next in terms of whether I should continue taking it easy up to 10k or go straight onto a Half Marathon programme (both start at the end of C25K when running 30 minutes 3 times a week), but first things first, I’ll continue to focus and get C25K done and dusted.

No change

Frustratingly there has been no change regarding my injury so I haven't run or done any exercise for a few months now.  I've visited the Docs and a Physio at £40 a pop who stated the cause as Acute Infra Patella tendinitis but nothing really that they suggested has any real impact.  It looks like I'm just going to have to play the waiting game.

I did have a few glimpses last week that something might be happening with respect to healing so at the moment I am willing it to heal and hoping that it is starts to soon.

What ever happens, when I start back running, I will need to be very careful that I don't overdo anything.  To that end, I will be most likely starting back using the Couch to 5k programme to ease my body back into running.

Prior to that in May when my exams are complete and the weather is warmer I am aiming to get out a do a few walks as the Physio did say that walking on different terrains will help.