First Time Falling

Very new experience yesterday, first time I've fallen over running. Out doing a 60 min taper run before next week's first half marathon of the year and I'd included the hill that's part of the course. On the way back down I had to run in the road for about 100m until the pavement started again and as I came up that point I placed my right foot on a storm drain cover, still wet from morning dew, and suddenly my leg was going in a different direction to the rest of my body and I was starting to look up at the sky. I landed on my elbow and arm first, then my buttock and finally my back, performing a slide down the hill and thinking that was next week's run gone and, more importantly, a half marathon in Philadelphia at the end of March might be at risk (entrance money, flights and hotel room notwithstanding).

Fortunately I seemed to land quite softly. My arm took the brunt of the impact and I was left with some very impressive bleeding dripping down my arm, but everything else seemed fine. Having literally picked myself off and brushed myself down I started off running again, adrenaline now coursing through my body. 

All seems fine, apart from a mangled arm, no bones broken and fortunately no damage to my legs, which was my main worry. It could have been quite nasty as there was a low wall nearby which I could have easily headbutted, so I think I've been lucky. Due concern from my partner who asked what medical provisions I had at home (not much it transpires). I thanked her for her care and then said "What does it say on my mug?" She looked at me quizzically. "If you see me collapse stop my Garmin!"

Comments

  • I think I need that mug too! :smiley:
  • We've all taken a tumble at some point. Tree roots are my nemesis! Glad you weren't hurt.
  • I think I need that mug too! :smiley:
    I would suggest making me an offer Kell, but it's very tea stained  ;)
  • Cal Jones said:
    We've all taken a tumble at some point. Tree roots are my nemesis! Glad you weren't hurt.
    Thanks Cal - and I know what you mean with tree roots. I think that was the cause of the problem here, why the drain cover was at such an angle.
  • I'm a serial faller. A couple of years ago I fell over warming up for a parkrun. My right little pinky was bleeding a bit but I didn't think much of it until the next day, when it had swollen. The hospital told me it was just sprained so I could only rest it, but the next day they rang to say they'd looked at the xrays again and it was broken. Cue months with a splint on my finger, and it's amazing how much you need that finger to grip things. It's still a bit bent...
  • My wife fell on a flinty path and landed on her knees ..... on the sticky up flints. Hit hard enough to get a bone hematoma. Extra bone growth that now sticks out. Couldn't run for weeks and when she did she fell again doh!
  • I fell firstly in December and sprained my ankle but I must have twisted a muscle in the leg on the opposite side because when I drive it friggin hurts.When I stand up the pain goes plus stretches hurt too.
  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭

    I was in Barcelona at the weekend with a few mates from my running club (marathon was on Sunday). We went out for an easy sightseeing run on the Thursday night and I tried to run across a main road (off the main roundabout at the start area, a really busy road) - I caught a camofalgued curb and did a commando roll across the road. After working out that I wasn't going to be run down, my next thought was "did anyone see that"? - yes, hundreds of people! Including my mate who was watching me so closely that he tripped over the same curb and went arse over tit as well. Needless to say, the rest of the guys were in tears at this.

    Happens to the best of us.

  • I’m a serial faller too. First fall was on a flint path and mangled my hand and shoulder. Eventually went to A&E 2 weeks later to find I had 2 broken fingers. Had various other tumbles but the worst was slipping on a mud track and breaking my ribs. That really hurt and took a long time to fix.

    Nowadays my wife insists I give her precise details of my route so she’ll know where to send the ambulance!
  • I was running a local route a few years ago having just got a new garmin. I think I was distracted by it and tripped on a drain cover and face planted the pavement. Cut mt face, nose and lip quite badly but was more embarrassed than anything. Also fell on a mountain route and put my hand out to protect which resulted in a huge cut across my palm needing 4 stitches.... and they say running is good for you?
  • I think it’s quite amusing that most runners first thought is how embarrasing it is rather than ‘am I injured’! :)
  • GuarddogGuarddog ✭✭✭
    There is always that "I hope no one saw that!" reaction to having a fall. It is quite embarrassing not being able to stay on your feet, even more so if you're running in a group. I saw someone go down a few weeks back on a training run. They effectively slipped on an apple core, did the splits and went over. I'm not sure what hurt more, their knee or their pride.

    And then what's the appropriate response from your fellow runners? There is the initial concern, just in case someone is badly hurt. But doing the splits on an apple core does have a certain comedic value associated with it. 

    Added to that, what if you caused the fall? I did a race last year which was through a forest. At one point there was a very low barrier to to jump over and as the runner in front of me took off I clipped their ankle. Fortunately they didn't fall, but it struck me after what was the proper form in that instance if they had fallen? I mean it was a team race where finishing position means points. Do you stop and help? Say sorry as you leave them prostrate in the mud and run on? Run over their back just to make sure they stay down longer? In those situations what would Roger Bannister have done?   
  • One of my biggest fears is falling as I'm a new runner and have only just recovered from a year of agonising sciatica (resulting in hospital stays and morphine). The physio suggested running could help and wow was she right!
    But the memory of intense pain and the fear of injury are still there for me
  • I did fall once though when the dog zigzagged in front of me and I tripped on the lead. My dh was in charge of the dog on that run and had just come to close. Nothing but a scrape though, thankfully
  • GuarddogGuarddog ✭✭✭
    I think sometimes it's the fear of falling that's worse than the actual fall. I had over 20 years of playing football so was quite used to going over, but in those instances it was always on a muddy pitch rather than pavement or flinty paths.
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