The 3 stages falling over when on a run

Did you know that this ailment is common in every runner? From the bare bones beginner to the supreme professional, this harrowing issue is with us all.It is one of those things that we try not to think about, but it happens, and if it hasn’t happened yet, it will. It is coming and you need to be prepared for it. The dark shadow of embarrassment is heading your way and it may come more than once like a very bad nightmare, re-occurring forever.

What am I blabbering on about? Oh, nothing, just the fact that as a runner you need to accept that at some point in your life you will for some unknown mystical reason, fall over. I recently made that fateful tumble last week and thought that it should be brought to everyone’s attention. Awareness is key and here are the stages we all go through.

 

Turn that denial into acceptance

I forever had it in my head that I was never going to fall over when out on a run. Who the hell falls over when running? Why aren’t you concentrating on your run? Look where you are going! If you are too tired then stop, don’t let yourself stumble and fall. What are you doing?!

Then I saw a lot of people fall over in races I was competing in. Now some of these were trail races and I would put it into my head that these would be acceptable as conditions could cause slips or falls, lots of debris. But road running? You shouldn’t fall. But the Belfast Half Marathon 2016 came along and I saw 6 people fall during that race. To me, that was an unprecedented amount. What was going on her? But this brought it to my attention, I am going to fall over and I can only pray and hope that it is on a quiet run and not during a big race. But time was officially ticking…

 

The clock strikes 10 and we all fall down…

Let me set the scene, it is late February, it is a cold night, but not too cold, the snow has decided to stay away for a few days. I am enjoying a slow run to mount up the miles and I am just easing into the depths of the 3rd mile. I am hoping for a 10 miler tonight, not going to push it too much as it is a little late and I don’t want to be running when the temperatures plummet. I start thinking about when I should start to increase my pace, if I should. How this can be good for that start of my training again. How happy I am to be out on a run, how great it makes me feel. Not for a second do I know what is coming…

Then I feel my foot hit a raised bit of tarmac caused by the root of a tree, sneakily hidden by a shadow. I am caught off guard and I realise, in crazy slow motion… It’s happening. My time has come. I feel my feet clear the floor and I try my best to take the impact on my side, but I haven’t had enough time to react. I am in trouble and I know I deserve it for not focussing enough. I close my eyes and hope for the best.

 

The Aftermath

I open my eyes and look around hesitantly. Did anyone see this? No, thank God, no one was on the towpath, it is clear, thankfully running later at night has its advantages. I pick up my headphones and check my phone. Everything is intact. Hurray! I have gotten away with it!

Wait, why is my elbow a little sore? Why is my knee stinging? Oh no! I have gotten a little damage, my knee is grazed, enough for it to be bleeding and my elbow is a little scratched, but for the most part, I am okay. I then have a decision to make, do I walk or run home or do I keep going. My knee is bleeding, but that is nothing but a little war wound. I can show this off later to people to show how tough I am. So I tune up the next song and stretch my knee a tad and kick on. I let my girlfriend know what happened and I can tell she isn’t pleased I have continued. But telling someone that you have fallen over will probably have that response! Why would you keep running you fool! Rest up and clean up. But I have all this adrenaline and I need to run, if I don’t I will feel like I have wasted my night. So I kick on.

Have you fallen over? What happened? How did you feel? Let me know!

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