My first race back – Carsington 7. It was never meant to be a ‘race’ but a means to go out ‘fastish’ but to keep it ‘controlled’. With my lovely best friend Becky at my side, I was going to run this race myself and try and regain all confidence that I had lost over the past 12 months with my running in hope to rekindle my love for it.
With number pinned onto my Tee, the correct shoes (it was an ‘easy’ trail route), and not a lot else I lined up with the 300 or so other runners, about 1/3rd of the way back knowing I would be hoping to average about 8 minute miling.
The hooter went off and we were off, I picked up pace and began overtaking a few people, nested to one side I got into my stride, or I thought so. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw a runner with a dog on a lead. I thought in my head ‘someone is going to trip ove…..’
Before I could finish the sentence in my head I had gone down, splat! Onto the concreted tarmac, smack, burn smack as the heard of runners came trampling over me. All I could do was to cry out and try and crawl my way to the grass verge as I felt myself shaking and almost going into shock.
St Johns were called as I rolled about almost screaming, my knees hurt a lot, it was the initial shock and pain from the fall. I was given lots of ice to reduce the swelling but I couldn’t get up, my knee was giving way on every step.
Never let a stumble be the end of the journey
Man and dog and lead stopped, got disqualified then asked me if I was going to join him for a mile. (!) I was still on the floor rolling about in agony I was going no where never mind running 7 miles plus.
Eventually I managed to hobble back to the marque and where the runners would finish and wait for my lovely best friend Becky who had found her partner in Crime Michael Moo. My heart goes out to Becky she did super amazing. Just amazing. What Becky is going through right now puts my little tumble into perspective. I am not going to wallow in my own fall for there are worst things in life that can happen to people, its just a little fall, Ok so I lasted a whole 34 seconds a whole 0.7 of a mile. The race was supposed to be 7.6 miles. It was an expensive 34 seconds but I am alive and I can kind of walk.
Be thankful for another day you are blessed with being alive
The day after I hobbled into Minor Injuries. 3 hours later I was given the good news – nothing broken just tendons or ligaments torn and anything between 4-8 weeks. I was unable to work for 3 days, which meant a loss of income for me being self employed. This was my main concern not that I couldn’t run. Hell I’ve not been able to run properly for god knows how long anyway so that didn’t bother me.
A physio assessment a week later told me that I just had bone bruising and it would heal but the pain was the best possible pain it could be. Looking on the positive side I could have torn my ACL or smashed up my Patella so I am one hell of a lucky Helen.
Injury makes the come back sweeter
PLEASE DO NOT RUN WITH DOGS ON PROPER UKA RACE – ITS NOT FAIR.
That’s put me off racing any sort of event for now. Part of me wants to give up doing running events, I was sure that day that I had had my day with them but you never know what the future holds.
