Don't ignore the Niggle...
Picture the scene, I am warmed up after a 2 mile jog, stretching and drills and have set off on my first 800m rep on the track. Then after around 20m something in my right leg snaps and I am left hobbling the 2 miles home in excruciating pain. A simple muscle pull you might say. No. Lesson learnt the hard way.... I ignored the cardinal rule of all runners; I had a niggle in my right knee and instead of resting I took it upon myself to ignore and soldier on, thinking I knew best. Big mistake.
This happened almost a fortnight ago and after a few days of the ritual of ice, heat, elevation and rest, it was no better. I was getting both worried and increasingly fed up through not being able to train. My weekend was spent cooped up, not leaving the house with my leg propped up on a cushion resting on the coffee table . I have single handly increased sales of Voltaren through the application of heat patches and massaging the gel religiously into my aching joint.
The pain itself appeared to move and was not isolated in one area alone. It ranged from a shooting pain up my quadricep to an ache deep in my knee, the side of my knee and when I did venture out on a recon short trip, the back of my knee. It is pretty much the most frustrating injury to happen to me in a while, but also the most worrying. At the age of 14 I had a lot of scar tissue removed from the same joint due to running competitively at club and county level since the age of 11. My biggest fear was that this old injury had reared its ugly head and would possibly put me out of action for good.
Cabin fever had well and truly set in. I needed a professional. I found Dr Pierre Huwiler on an Expat Chatroom for Sports Specialists in Geneva. I explained my history and he ran some quick exercise and joint tests before promptly sending me down for a number of X rays. He examined these for what felt like hours but in reality was probably 10 seconds before concluding it was not a bone injury. I have never felt happier in my life, nor was it ligament damage. OMGGGGG, I have never felt so relieved. My diagnosis was severe acute inflammation and I was ordered further rest, a 10 day course of industrial stength anti inflammatories, of which I am only allowed 1 per day and a follow up appointment. If I wasn't in so much pain I would have skipped out of the clinic, such was my joy.
Let this be a warning to all of you....If you have a niggle or an ache that does not feel quite right, DO NOT ignore it, just take a rest day. I should have known better really as I did a 20 mile bike on Saturday with some steep hills thrown in, 11 mile hilly trail run on the Sunday then a 6 mile tempo run on the Monday. The previous week I set a PB at the Lausanne Half Marathon. I clearly did too many strenuous work outs and too little rest, when I could have probably done without going to the track on Tuesday. But no, I chose to ignore and am now writing this blog as a cautionary tale.
Take heed of my advice readers....The odd rest day when you feel a little out of sorts is not going to make a difference, if anything it will probably make you stronger. And 1 day is better than the enforced 2 weeks I am currently suffering...
Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness.....
Autumn is, without doubt my favourite season. The leaves turing a myriad of colours, roasted chestnuts, Halloween, Bonfire night, chunky jumpers, comfort food, curling up against a log fire and.....trail running. I love nothing more than running out on a crisp cool Autumn morning and hitting the trails, getting dirty, breathing in the clean cool air and taking in the changes of the seasons around me.
My golden rule is that I leave my IPod at home. It is one of the few occasions where I prefer the autumnal chorus of the leaves crunching beneath each footstep, the birds in the trees and the sound of the cowbells in the fields, having made the journey down from the mountains. I know it sounds incredibly corny but nothing beats being alone with your thoughts running through a forest or open field. Sometimes I find myself having run a couple of miles not thinking of anything or worrying about problems back in the real world. It is pure escapism for the duration.
At school I absolutely adored cross country and was probably one of the few who did not use my time attempting to find shortcuts on the course in the hope Mrs Baker, the PE teacher would still see you on the course as she made her way on the trail in a counter clockwise direction.
Wind, rain or snow, I am happy on the trails. To be honest, alongside general enjoyment I find it gives me a pscychological edge. When the going gets tough in a race, I cast my mind back to a particularly hilly trail run or being battered by the cold wind on an open field, and it helps me push through the pain as I know I have faced far tougher conditions.
Although I don't take my IPod, I simply have to take my IPhone with GPS. Purely because I have zero sense of direction and I like the feeling of just running, not knowing your destination and exploring new surroundings. Taking my GPS enables me to do this without the worry that I will get lost.
Another piece of kit I cannot do without is my Salomon XA trail shoes. I find these indispensable as they are tough and able to cope with slippery terrain such as wet leaves or mud slides and are waterproof. This is particularly important as if you are heading out onto trails with normal trainers you may aswell be wearing wellies, as they become heavy and cumbersome pretty quickly.
Alongside being out in nature, there are many added benefits of trail running:
Upping Mileage Safely
Running along trails or on soft ground helps you up your running mileage without the added stress of constant pounding on the pavements, therefore minimising the impact on your joints. During a 5 mile run, a runner's legs will hit the ground approximately 8,000 times, transmitting a force equivalent to 3-4 times a runner's body weight. This force is reduced when running on softer surfaces such as trails or grass radically reducing the risk of impact related injuries.
Boredom Prevention
Running along the trails will prevent you from becoming bored with your running routine. Even if you run the same trail you can guarantee that there will be slight nuances each time you run it, as dictated by the changing seasons or even being chased by a yappy terrier...
Core Benefits
Your core stability is improved. Running along trails provides a dynamic running envirinment requiring constant changes of movement and reactions to uneven ground, surface etc. All the time you are shifting your centre of gravity, stimulating and strengthening the core muscles and reducing your risk of injury.
Increased Leg Strength
Leg strength is increased through the varying terrain and inevitability of a few hills being present on any trail run. Sports scientists have shown that the greatest increases in leg strength come from hill running (both up and downhill). This overload causes muscle fibres to increase in diameter creating a stronger muscle.
Your legs get a fantastic workout as the variety of surface challenges your ankles, calves and shins helping to strengthen them. Pushing through soft ground works your calves much harder than taking off from a firm surface. Running downhill also works the muscles down the front of your lower leg, as these provide some of your breaking power.
So what are you waiting for.... Hit those trails!
If you are stuck for ideas or places to go or even worried about getting lost, here are a few ideas:
National Trust marked trails
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/
Parkrun 5k events held throughout the UK and selected countries in local parks. These are free to participate in and a great introduction to running offroad.
http://www.parkrun.com/home
The Northface TrailHead App. This helps you search and find trail runs in your area. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/trailhead/id380841551?mt=8
