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.