2011 Streak 122: A New Beginning

2011 Streak 122: Run - 2.58 miles, Time - 25min 47sec, Weather - Sunny day with sharpish wind

If anybody reads the line above the photo they will have noted something very odd - the word 'run' appears. This is shocking! It hasn't happened in 5 months - so long I had forgotten that once upon a time I used to think of myself as a runner.

It is strange how patterns can be established, which over change the way you think about yourself. This year I have cycled or walked and running has seemed remote, something other people did and I started to question myself. Was I not running because I was injured or because I had lost enthusiasm? In other words was the gammy knee a bit of an excuse.

The truth is I probably a little scared for two reasons

The first was straight forward and understandable. Knowing that even now my knee does not bend freely and kneeling is something that has to be done consciously, I know that things are not back to their best. But it might be good enough. However I have thought that before and ended up making things worse. That experience has made me cautious.

The second fear is less well defined and completely illogical. I have been scared that on starting over I would find it much more difficult and not so enjoyable. More of a formless anxiety than a clearly thought out assessment,  it has nevertheless hung around in the back of my mind like a cloud. I didn't want to run in case I found out I had lost my mojo. I just didn't want that to happen.

But that is silly. The only thing you can be in running is honest. You run because you enjoy it and find it satisfying - if you don't  you don't run and that is all there is to it. 

Anyway with those thoughts swirling around I realised there would never be a right time to start back. The only thing was to do some tests, see how I got on and take it from there.

So today I went for a run. 2.5 miles at an easy pace and do you know what? …. It was OK.

My knee didn't stiffen up. I survived intact. It wasn't super enjoyable because all the time I was conscious about the leg and how I was feeling; but it was enjoyable enough.

So now the rehabilitation begins in ernest - slowly, for short distances, but regularly.

Today's photo actually has a metaphorical link to my non-running. I shows how things can hang around for longer than you think possible. These beer casks have been outside an empty pub for several months. I had expected them either to be picked up by the drinks company that owns them or captured by people mucking about. But no! They have stayed neatly stacked and probably will remain there until work starts to turn the building into apartments.