The long road back: a running recovery success story
Looking back on my running recovery success story: growing determination, steady progress, and the joy of reclaiming one’s love for running.
20k with 325m of ascent seemed a steep challenge. Way above what I had recently done. I put in some training – hill reps that totaled 350m of ascend in one session and long runs in Zone 2 that totaled 17k in total and 2h40, although that happened just once. Else I got up to 15k in Z2 and plenty of time on my feet. It’s very hilly where we are so Z2 is super-slow at plus 8 minutes per kilometer. And the hill reps I’d done were slow even though I tried to target Z4 for them. I had build up to this steadily but my recent focus was very much on very slow and steady (i.e. heart rate below 135 even on the inclines except for hill sessions where I targeted my Z4).
I was nervous before the start and thought I might well be last with it being a small run organized by a running club in the hilly Taunus region with dodgy weather. Would that be okay? Was that a fail? I have never been last. But trying seemed more important regardless of the outcome as long as I wasn’t timed out somehow.
It’s been 3 years and, what, 5 months since I had a C-section and a long road back to running and having time in which to run. Making choices, obviously, along the way that, eventually, took me here, on this run.
I am writing this as we’ve arrived for a week’s break in Chamonix, where I tried to do the CCC a mere 3 weeks pregnant in 2018 and failed. I ran a couple of marathons whilst pregnant (at 3 month and 5 respectively) but its been a long road back since then. On the CCC I was just too tired. My body protecting its treasure.
The run in the Taunus was great fun. I had my phone and headphones but ended up just running. Concentrating on the effort and encouraging fellow runners by telling them‘allez, allez, allez’ as heard in the Alp.. For the Germans take things very seriously and it felt like some cheering up was much needed. It’s a run after all, not some sort of torture.
I did start in last position and tried to run easy. But my heart rate was high from the start. Maybe it would settle? It never did. But my effort still felt measured and the inclines less severe then I was used to. Perhaps it would be okay along one wooded unmetalled road after the other.
Soon I overtook someone who had set-off just a tad faster and now found their pace. And for a while I yo-yoed with another runner and their supporting partner (also running slowly but clearly vastly fitter then the pace suggested) who was a lot lighter than I am currently. After about 5k they stopped at the drinks station and I jogged on.
Staying in the zone, remaining focused on the ks, being present, cheering people on, the kilometers ticked by. At 13-14k I felt elated. Now faster runners were passing me by in the opposite direction and I cheered them all on. The smiles I harvested were bouying.
But then that buzz faded and I faced the biggest hill of all. Still, I jogged on and made it to the highest point – 375 meters – overtaking a runner in the following downhill. Up four places now and still feeling strong. Staying focused, in the zone, flowing.
I knew from my little print-out of the hills that I carried with me that more downhill would now follow and kept judging my efforts. I kept fueling every 20 mins and bombed downhill (it did feel like this) and soon made it to 15k. Places named ‘autobahn’ to encourage you to let rip.
From there on in, it was clearly manageable and I still felt good. No tummy upset, no over-exertion, no sore muscles. Maybe that’s what the caffeine gel is good for?
It continued until the end. A half-lap of the stadium and waves from my elated 3-year old. What sweet memories of a run, of being in sync with thee effort for 2hours plus, of him cheering me on on the shoulders of his dad.
To cap it all off, I ended up 3rd in my age category and standing somewhat embarrassed on the podium winning a cup. My son also winning a medal for his earlier effort around the track. Nonetheless, the results themselves are nothing to write home about…or are they?
I am still pondering the fact that 4 months of Z2 training allowed me to run like this as well as holding on to the memory of that feeling. With minimal soreness in my legs and manageable tiredness afterwards. Normally, it all comes crashing down at some point, even during a half marathon distance. So, for your own running recovery success story, trust and enjoy the process. Taking it easy is allowed in training?
It gives me hope that I might have found a key.
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