I’ve been participating in a beginners running group for about four weeks now. Much to my dismay, in the last few days, I’ve come up against my first major setback. Runner’s knee. It’s probably because I over did it. I went from not running at all to running 5 days a week between the group schedule and a schedule outlined by an ap I’ve been using called C25k. Both are designed to train a new runner for a 5k within a couple of months. I was almost in tears when the coach told me I may have to pull back and just walk until my knee heals. I’m imagining this taking months.
But I’m determined to work through it, even if I have to walk the entire 5k in September. In the meantime, I’m taking every measure within my own powers to improve the situation. In the last 3 days, I’ve stopped running all together to allow my knee to heal. I’m still following my running schedule, but walking instead. I’m dutifully following the knee strengthening exercises the coach outlined for me. I purchased a new pair of running shoes, that were fitted specially for me and my running style. And I have an appointment with a physical therapist this week.
Once I set my mind on a goal, it’s difficult for me to just give up. It took me a long time to take the first step and I’m not going to let my first setback stop me. There may be more setbacks along the way. If so, I will face them, and hopefully they will make me stronger.
“I never could stand being forced to do something I didn’t want to do at a time I didn’t want to do it. Whenever I was able to do something I liked to do, though, when I wanted to do it, and the way I wanted to do it, I’d give it everything I had.”
― Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
