Falling Over?

Likewise, sorry to hear about your mishap Pete. Similar to Mike I (when not off running due to injury) normally trip/fall every week or so. The vast majority have no significant impact. I do find that most of my "worst" fall related injuries occur when I am close to the end of run and tired, or not concentrating on running and thinking ahead to the finish. It seems reasonable that when I'm tired I don't pick my feet up as high and therefore am more likely to trip on those pesky upward protrusions.

Like you Pete, when coming back from a "bad one" I am usually much more circumspect/nervous when running at 'speed' over the rough stuff. I usually find that a combination of conciously picking up my feet and time helps me get back into stride. It might take me a few months to 'get over it' completely.

Don't tell anyone, but a 'near miss' fall was a factor in my deciding to focus on long and ultra races for while. The inherent slower pace was a good excuse not to have to go so fast over the dicey ground.

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Originally Posted by Mike T

Sorry to hear about your fall - it sounds like you were going quite fast.

I trip and fall about once a week. When I go back to see what I tripped on it is usually only two to three inches above the surrounding ground, and one of many such protuberances. Avoiding them all would be virtually impossible, so my solution is to slow down, and wear gloves. Slowing down is of course not very useful if wanting to perform well in a race, or even in a competitive feeling club run.

Apart from sharing your sense of being rattled I am afraid I have no helpful answers.

Good luck with your recovery.

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Thanks Mike. I guess with the miles you put in, a trip or fall once a week isn't surprising.

We revisited the scene of my mishap a few days after the event. The path was quite rough and rocky but I think it was the stump of an old metal fence post that really did for me.
I guess I really need to slow down and run more wisely when training....

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Originally Posted by PiesAreGood

Likewise, sorry to hear about your mishap Pete. Similar to Mike I (when not off running due to injury) normally trip/fall every week or so. The vast majority have no significant impact. I do find that most of my "worst" fall related injuries occur when I am close to the end of run and tired, or not concentrating on running and thinking ahead to the finish. It seems reasonable that when I'm tired I don't pick my feet up as high and therefore am more likely to trip on those pesky upward protrusions.

Like you Pete, when coming back from a "bad one" I am usually much more circumspect/nervous when running at 'speed' over the rough stuff. I usually find that a combination of conciously picking up my feet and time helps me get back into stride. It might take me a few months to 'get over it' completely.

Don't tell anyone, but a 'near miss' fall was a factor in my deciding to focus on long and ultra races for while. The inherent slower pace was a good excuse not to have to go so fast over the dicey ground.

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Thanks. I'll be doing likewise for a while (though maybe not the ultra bit!)

I'm sure there is a degree of tiredness in all my falls but I'm also a great believer in that there is a greater factor in risk compensation i.e we take more care when perceive a greater level of risk. My worst falls have all been near the end of run and usually on relatively flat ground.

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Originally Posted by PeteS

Thanks. I'll be doing likewise for a while (though maybe not the ultra bit!)

I'm sure there is a degree of tiredness in all my falls but I'm also a great believer in that there is a greater factor in risk compensation i.e we take more care when perceive a greater level of risk. My worst falls have all been near the end of run and usually on relatively flat ground.

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Hard luck Pete. Coincidentally I also broke a finger running near Crowden. I was doing the Holme Moss race and descending to the stream before the climb to Laddow. Thought that I should speed up and immeadiatley fell over and landed on my stuck out finger. Should have taken my wedding ring off as it was a bugger to get off later when the finger was swollen.Finished the race though.

That descent of the Pennine Way to Crowden is lethal. I gave up trying to run any of it years ago. Walking is so relaxing anyway. :) Another dangerous part is the bog at the beginning of the short stretch of flagstones where every unsuspecting runner puts their last step. A gouged shin and smashed knee are guaranteed.

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Originally Posted by BritNick

That descent of the Pennine Way to Crowden is lethal. I gave up trying to run any of it years ago. Walking is so relaxing anyway. :) Another dangerous part is the bog at the beginning of the short stretch of flagstones where every unsuspecting runner puts their last step. A gouged shin and smashed knee are guaranteed.

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The tarmac lane between Crowden and the A628 nearly did for me one evening!

Unlike Mike T and PiesAreGood, I fall over rather rarely, due to usually taking care where I'm putting my feet. This may be correlated with my dreadfully slow speed on the downhills in races!

However, I did fall over on a walk (not a run) last week; hurrying to get home because I was desperate for the loo, tripped over a tree root and came down on the only bit of concrete on the whole walk (a little bridge over a stream). A couple of nearby dog-walkers assumed that the loudness of my screaming was due to serious injury, when in fact it was just due to annoyance.

I have sprained ankles on several occasions, but the most severe was done on a kerb in town.

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Originally Posted by PeteS

So I'm still recovering from my latest fall a few weeks ago after running down the Pennine way off Black hill into Crowden. A mere 2k from the campsite, I bit the dust and ended up with a sprained wrist & shoulder, broken finger and various cuts, grazes and bruises. Largely healed now but the mental scars remain and I wonder if I will be able to run as hard over rough terrain again. I know time is a great healer but I've had my fair share of falls over the years and thankfully managed to walk a way from them all but this latest has rattled me deeply and I'm lacking any kind of confidence running over even mildly technical terrain. Maybe it's just a symptom of my aging years and a sign to take it easier.
Thoughts?

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Sorry to hear of you mishap Pete

But as a fatalist I just figure what will be will be and just get on with what I enjoy and try to learn from my mishaps without lengthy reflection on them, however I do try not to tempt fate;) and use my past experiences to remain focused on the now without my mind wandering from what I am currently handling, particularly important when tired.

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Originally Posted by JohnK

Sorry to hear of you mishap Pete

But as a fatalist I just figure what will be will be and just get on with what I enjoy and try to learn from my mishaps without lengthy reflection on them, however I do try not to tempt fate;) and use my past experiences to remain focused on the now without my mind wandering from what I am currently handling

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Thanks John. I do try to be philosophical about these things and on reflection, I was probably far more gung-ho than I should of been on terrain that was a) relatively unfamiliar and b)'lethal' if you get it wrong.
So I will learn from this and move on but I guess the more often these things happen, the more prevalent the thoughts of "what if it goes really wrong" becomes and we all know that running fast over tricky terrain is all about confidence. Maybe that's not a bad thing though - this has at least taught me that I should take more care and as you say, not tempt fate.

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Originally Posted by PeteS

Thanks John. I do try to be philosophical about these things and on reflection, I was probably far more gung-ho than I should of been on terrain that was a) relatively unfamiliar and b)'lethal' if you get it wrong.
So I will learn from this and move on but I guess the more often these things happen, the more prevalent the thoughts of "what if it goes really wrong" becomes and we all know that running fast over tricky terrain is all about confidence. Maybe that's not a bad thing though - this has at least taught me that I should take more care and as you say, not tempt fate.

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Sorry to hear about your fall Pete and the injuries you sustained.

Yes, confidence is an important element, but I was wondering whether some light weight training might help. As someone who is erm...also definitely advancing in my own years, I'm aware that muscle tone, etc, can slacken off as we inexorably shuffle our way towards the door marked 'exit' ( :D ) Weight training helps maintain our proprioception and general balance and, supposedly, helps us to catch ourselves, even unconsciously, before we list too far from the vertical and catch ourselves before we hit the dirt if we do stumble!

Have a speedy recovery.