Still Running (weakly). Issue 30

PAST – inspiration – “Mr. Till, you’ve extracted every last possible mile from that knee,” said the surgeon after he had performed my total knee replacement in November 2022. (I hope this rather more Steve-centric edition of Still Running will still offer you some ideas.)

Well, 130,000 miles, 1,600 races, including 123 marathons and ultras of 100km and 24 hours, are going to take their toll. My knee first “went” in 2010; I let it settle, and then resumed running. But, as the years and the miles passed, it got worse. Bowing outward comically with every stride, it finally gave up early in 2022.

Some injuries you can push through; some will get better with rest, or the right stretching or strengthening exercises; but professional advice concluded that surgery was the only real option for my knee. I still wanted to run: “Let’s do it,” I said.

PRESENT – perspiration – Surprisingly, the past year has been as dedicated as any – to being sensible! After 5 fairly painful weeks of just doing my knee exercises, I instituted my 50 press-ups, 50 sit-ups, mile walk morning routine on Boxing Day, and was marshalling at parkrun in early January and walking the 5km by late that month.

More intense leg strengthening in the gym started in February, as I worked on walking more evenly and quickly, and even introduced limited jogging as the months went by. I am now running a mile at a time, and including efforts up hills.

But perhaps the biggest effort of all has been not doing any more than that – keeping it at a very gradual, sensible build-up. I am an ultrarunner – we don’t do “sensible” normally, but I knew that, if I wanted to get the most from my knee, that was the only way.

FUTURE – suggestion – So, my friends, sitting here in December, what are my running goals for 2024? Received wisdom has it that a new knee takes around 18 months to deliver its full benefit, so I have always thought that January 2024 would be a good time, 14 months in, to at least make a few tentative plans.

I would love to run a continuous 5km by 18 months (May); I would be delighted to get my parkruns back down under 30 minutes by the autumn; I want to participate fully in some summer races; and I’d like to complete a 10km by the end of the year.

Those goals would mean my running four, rather than two, times a week, losing some weight, and varying my running more clearly, into long, speed and recovery efforts.

Wish me luck. I will keep you updated.

What are your goals for 2024?