Hi guys
Long time me no post!
About two months ago I hurt my knee and had to stop running. I built back up to 20 mins on treadmill using my vibrams (I feel so much less clumsy and heavy with them!) and then decided it was time to get back outside. My knee was almost completely better.
I went for a run on one of my usual routes and decided I would stick to just the 20 minutes and see how I felt.
I nearly tripped, saved myself and then did trip. I did a proper full body skid in slow-mo! Checked hands as sore no wounds, so carried on very self conscious and not wanting anyone to make a fuss of me. After a bit I realised my knee was hurting and looked down to see I'd made a hole in my running trousers and had skinned it. It hurt a lot but not a big deal really. I kept running but slowed right down as it really scared me.
I have only been once since and was very careful and tame. I am really gutted cos I feel like any excuse not to run now I won't.
I'm not a wimp just horrified at what a mess a simple trip can do - had to hide it from my mum as she would have freaked!

So - how do you get your confidence back up from something like this? My biggest fear is hurting myself and not being able to look after my two young boys.

I don't think the vibrams were responsible as if anything I'm lighter on my feet not heavier and more clumsy.
Was it just a matter of time before I tripped and did this or did I do something wrong?

I will keep trying but guess I just need reassuring and advice if you have any...
Thanks

Hi Rosie - I think you just need to get back out there. I've tripped a couple of times when running - it's just the old back on the horse with me.

Is there a park you could run around to get the confidence back? Falling onto grass would hurt less

__________________
2013 Goals: Complete first tri. Run 750 miles. 50 minute 10k, 2 hour half (tick - 1:57:19).
My Garmin & My Blog

Not really tbh I snatch my runs during the week so driving somewhere in those 30 - 60 min slots means even less time.
Not much green near me and loads of glass where it is. Think i prefer tarmac lol.
Thanks fella. Anyone think the vibrams made this worse?

Feeling like that is perfectly natural after a fall. ofc you dont want to do it again and human nature being what itis , will tend to give you bad thoughts about "what if...."
Try not to worry too much. get out there and back doing what you enjoy / enjoyed before that fall.
Feelings will wear off over time

__________________
Member of Nailsea Running Club.
http://www.nailsearunningclub.org.uk/

Why don't you do a run in your Vibrams and one on your regular running shoes, then you will know which you feel steadier in. I guess as Gareth said, it's just a case of getting back on the horse so to speak.

__________________
"It's not on the smooth days that you find out what you're made of, it's when it all falls apart and things seem to go wrong at every turn". Wise words from Miss Lilyloo.

Thanks guys. Might try trainers tomorrow then.... Will let you know how I get on :-)

I guess you haven't got someone you could run with for a couple of times, till you feel more confident?

__________________
Je ne regrette rien!
Leader in Running Fitness (UKA)

No. I don't now. I used to but had issues and decided against it.

I'm forever falling. My partner worries every time I set off into the hills alone and is tired of patching me up, or driving me to hospital.
On a final run round the coast of Bryher I fell down some rocks at the cliff edge, got back covered in blood and had to be taken to hospital on St Mary's for chest X-rays, have my wounds dressed, etc.. before we could go back home.
Last October I tripped over a stone on a ten mile run and broke my Rt upper ribs (exceedingly painful) and finished up immobilized for a week or two. I haven't quite got over that but it hasn't stopped me running, though I'm not back racing - yet.
It's nothing to do with what I wear on my feet, just that I wasn't lifting my feet up enough - which I could probably get away with on flat surfaces but not in the wild places where I tend to run.
I'm currently studying Danny Dreyer's book - Chi Running - which suggests you lift your feet as if stepping over a bar protruding horizontally inwards from each ankle bone. Fingers crossed, I haven't fallen for a week or two!

__________________
Run for your Life

I used to but had issues and decided against it.

Just get back out there! even if you do fall you won't die, the body is great at healing itself, a few scuffs aren't worth worrying about!

I must admit i do know how you feel. I came off my mountain bike last year in a big big way after messing up a jump. My helmet certainly saved my from very serious injury if not worse, i was knocked out for a while. It took a few times of riding to do things id done before but my confidence came back slowly.

You fall over you just have to get back up and go again otherwise you will never do it. Why not try some gloves if you do fall over less chance of hurting your hands. Or if you do fall kida roll over you wont get hurt as much if you do that.

I think you have more chance of not being able to look after your kids from injury rather than a fall.

I fell over on two separate occasions while training for my first 10k - once I managed to commando roll and style it out, but the second time I went flat on my face over a kerb on a main road. I think as long as you're not seriously hurt you've got to just laugh it off, sure it's embarrassing but I see people falling over in public all the time and most of the time they're not even running!

P.S. What's a vibram? Are they those shoes with the curvy soles? If so they might have contributed to your fall as if I'm not mistaken the idea of them is to put you slightly off-balance so you have to use your muscles to steady yourself? I've never tried them but my GF has a pair she went running in once, she reckons it was MUCH harder to maintain a decent pace without wobbling!

EDIT: Ignore that last bit, I've just googled vibram!!

Regaining confidence is difficult.

Ever since my back/hip/groin problems I have struggled to find the confidence to do any speed or hill sessions and therefore recover what pace I had as I'm constantly worried I'll do something to stop me running. I'm hoping that taking my runs steady for the time being will eventually lead me to trying a hard session one day but in the mean time I consider myself lucky to be able to run at all and think that may be the way for you to think.

I've had a few falls in my time most spectacularly at approximately the 30mile mark on the London to Brighton run in 2009 which resulted in being overly fussed over by medics at the next checkpoint....

Try to get out...take it easy and keep an eye open for the terrain ahead of you.

All the best.

__________________
As unfit now as I ever have been

god I have lost count of teh amount of tiems I have fallen over, especially in teh winter when it is icy.


you just have to get back up and carry on. it's hard especially when you hurt yourself. I fell over whilst saying hello to two dog walkers they had to help me up but I just carried on even though I must have looked a right tool. everyone falls it's a right of passage get the scars and wear them with pride.