My first ever running injury

My first ever running injury! I feel so... runnery. Hardcore. One of you. :) Okay, okay, so generally speaking I've never been injured running because I don't really do enough of it, and because I do a LOT of cross-training which I really thinks helps guard against repetition strains, and helps build muscles etc. But some things you just can't account for, and I met my nemesis on Wednesday night. Let's just set the scene....

I drove up to Alloa after work on Wednesday, and met with Helen, Bob and Bob's happy wee collie, Moss. We've done a couple of hill runs over the past month together, but we discussed having a slightly longer, flatter run this time, as both of them are leading deep into taper territory for their next ultra marathon, and they also know I need to be doing longer runs for my own training. Helen had picked out a flat loop near her, part on pavements by the road, part on an cycle path. We set off slowly, and got slower, lol, but I was running fairly steadily, and did the first mile in 12:13. Just after that we took a wee walk break, for just over a minute or so, as we tried to cross a busy road, then started running again, slowly and steadily, completing the next mile in 13:14. A very short walk break followed, and then all running until just before the end of mile 4, clocking the third and fourth miles in 12:31 and 12:11 respectively - we'd picked up the pace a little bit during the 4th mile, then a short walk before the last mile. I was actually quite enjoying being with the guys, the evening was hot and clammy but not too bright, and although I found it a little uncomfortable, there was the occasional breeze to help me out. Didn't stop me having a bit of a whine every now and again, lol. The company was great, though. Moss runs well on the harness, and then when she's off it she pads along at around the same speed as us without problem, occasionally stopping for a sniff or something and then pelting along to catch us up. The comedy moment of the run for me was in the 5th mile, where Helen was going forward to encourage me to pick the speed up and Moss was running just in front of Bob and I. She ran past a huge stick in the middle of the path, padpadpad, then suddenly did a proper double-take, like cartoon level double-take, as if to say "OMG, IT'S A STIIIICK!" before she stopped and turned back to investigate. So funny. I don't think I've ever witnessed a real-life double take like that before. :)

The 5th mile I found mentally tough to keep running, because everything inside was telling me I was tired and should walk etc. although really, I was running slowly and steadily, and were it not for the panickiness inside, I was doing pretty damn well for me!! I had two very short walk breaks in that 5th mile, managing it in 12:05 (negative splits! woo!) and completing 5 miles in a steady 62:14 - with only 5 short walk breaks!!! That's pretty impressive for me, really. I was well chuffed when the watch beeped. So then the car was in sight, less than 200m away, and we ran together for the last little bit, as other runners and walkers passed us the other way as they had been all evening. That's when it happened. That's when....... I was attacked by a huge vicious wild beast!!!!!!

Okay, okay, so I wasn't "attacked", per se. And the beast wasn't, errrr, huge. Or vicious. Or wild. But look, godammit, how can I get any Tough Girl points for saying my injury was caused by tripping over a miniature Yorkshire Terrier on an extendable lead? *laughs*

Hit the deck, hard, with my hands out to brace the fall. The pavement scraped the skin off my palms, and scraped both knees. The right knee took most of the impact, and a bruise instantly began to form, plus the skin was rubbed off, and bloodied immediately. I rolled and sat up, as the dog-owner was utterly mortified and - more importantly - Helen leaned in and pressed stop on my Garmin, hahaha. My knees were sore, but I knew I was okay, and Helen and Bob helped me get to my feet. A quick check, and within 30 seconds, I pressed start again, and lurched a few hesistant running steps to the car, which was thankfully only about 50m away. I washed off the gravel, and tried not to cry as the water washed dirt and sweat-salt through the scrapes. I'm a big girl, I can handle such Terrible Running Incidents. *nods bravely*

The right knee got sorer as the bruise developed properly overnight, and as the scrape began to scab up and heal (omg those things itch like hell, no wonder I was always getting told off for picking at them when I was a kid) - but I found on Thursday evening when I tried to go for a run, the wallop my knee had got off the pavement had left a soreness that wasn't condusive to running. Everyone told me to Man Up (or rather, MTFU....) as if my Running Injury (it deserves capitals) was something minor!! I was attacked!!! By a vicious beast!!!! (Photo found randomly on the internet, this is not the one in question.) Do NOT be fooled by cuteness. It's f*cked up my week. *grump*

Had a gentle swim on Friday, and gave running a miss on Saturday, opting to volunteer at parkrun instead. Sunday was meant to be another Sunday Social trail run at Chatelherault, but my knee was still a wee bit sore, and as it was pouring down and I still don't have trail shoes, I decided to give it a miss this time. *sadface*

Today, the bruise is a rather fetching shade of yellow. I ran a slow steady 2 miles on the treadmill last night, with no walking, in something like 25:45, and the knee felt fine throughout, but as soon as I slowed to a walk at the end, I felt the soreness again. It's definitely fading, though, which is a relief, because I'd hate to have an extended period of time away from the training. Even if it IS freaking awesome to finally have a proper runners injury!! *laughs* None of yer shin splints, plantar fasciitis, or broken bones for me - I got a big colourful bruise, and a bit of a scrape. *smug* Like a proper runner.