Training...weeks 4 & 5

A disastrous week unfortunately, full of nothing but setbacks - at least on the training front...more in a bit on that. The good news is that my sponsorship for Cancer Research UK has had some new donations, and we're up to quite a nice figure as things stand right now:




And now onto the training update:

After running the 6 miles last Saturday I have been in constant pain with my thighs, to the point I could barely walk. Initially I thought this was just some soreness/stiffness in my muscles. So despite everything I tried going for a run on Tuesday. This was clearly a mistake...after 2 miles of very uncomfortable running I had to stop.

Now, not being a qualified quack in any way, shape or form I did some digging around the inter-web thing, and the initial diagnosis seemed to be that I might have strained the ol' groin, the cure for which is rest, some more rest, and, oh - you guessed it, more rest. So that's what I did, and have been doing since. Running strictly off of the agenda for now.

However, come Saturday (18th) things still hadn't improved so I bit the bullet and made an appointment with a sports therapist in the hope that a muscle massage would help.

It's now Tuesday, and a day after having the massage...man alive...did that hurt! The upshot is thankfully I appear to have done no real damage - I've just over-trained, and run too far, too soon, too often. All the muscles in my thighs, the abductors, quads and the IT band were all very tight, with a few knots in.

Thankfully the massage has now eased all this, and I am at least walking instead of waddling now. Unfortunately, where I have been walking/running with an incorrect gait/stance/call it what you will, I've got a very sore left ankle. I'm hoping this will ease in a few days. The plan after this, once I can jog is to go to a running shop and get on the treadmill where they can assess whether or not I have the right footwear.

I don't care if I've spent money on incorrect trainers for my feet and my running style - right now it's about getting back to running, and making sure I have the right gear. If that means lashing out for a.n.other pair of running shoes...so be it - there's always ebay for the other pair!

Stay tuned, for hopefully a more positive post next week...