I started running about a year ago. No specific goals just for fun, was making good progress till I got up to being able to run about 7 km 5 days a week no problem.
Unfortunately a series of health problems lead to getting really out of condition and I’m dealing with some knee tendonitis due to irresponsibility when doing strength training.
Now I’m gasping after 3 km and having to carefully pace myself to avoid aggravating the knee while I build it back up.
On one hand I know that a lot of the long term adaption isn’t totally gone, that I’m not starting from zero. When I started I would throw up after running a block.
On the other hand it’s demotivating as fuck putting in so much effort to hobble through stuff that recently was relaxing.
I’m obviously not the first person or the last to deal with this so I’m asking if you could share times when you’ve dealt with recovering and what kept you going.
It’s not motivation, it’s discipline. If you’ve taken some time off (for whatever reason), slow down, cut miles, and build back up slowly and sanely.
I don’t really know how to turn what you’ve said into looking forward not backwards
Cut your weekly miles. Maybe even in half. Make every run an easy run. If the pace ever feels hard, slow down. Add no more than 10% of the previous weeks mile total on to next week. Don’t try a workout until you’re completely healed up.
You might have been stronger, or faster, before. But you need to embrace where you are right now so you can get to where you want to be.
Determine the max you can do safely and comfortably right now, today. That’s you’re new limit for now.
Plan walks and jogs that inch towards that for a few weeks then slowly move past it.
Focus on the discipline of getting out regularly, and the enjoyment of not being injured, and of completing your daily task.
Only once things are very, very comfortable, start moving a lot more and enjoy new goals.