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...
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Saturday 13 March 2010
Training for the 1/2 Marathon...week 3
It's been a tough week, at least that's what certain parts of my body are beginning to tell me! Nonetheless...it's all about raising money for Cancer Research in the UK, so onwards:
Having run 5.4 miles last Saturday I followed this up with a 3.2 on Monday. This was tough 2 days after the Saturday run, so much so I nearly stopped after 2 miles, but I decided not to be such a wimp and reeled off the extra 1.2, lol
I'm beginning to put a few miles in now, and things are getting slightly serious, so on Wednesday I went out and purchased some proper running trainers. These were ever so cheap...not! I also purchased some new running socks. Not that the socks themselves can run without my feet in, but you get the drift :-)
Armed (or should that be footed?) with my new 'hey...I'm-a-runner-too' trainers and socks, on Wednesday I got another 3.2 mile run under my belt. This didn't feel quite so tough as the run on Monday (getting fitter?), but I've developed a rather niggling, and worrying injury.
Each ankle under the bone is getting sore after a run, and this is a new development. Ironically, since the new trainers. I suspect that the new feet I'm wearing may have changed my running gait, and this could be the cause. Nevertheless, it's a worry as I've had issues with my ankles in the past, and as a consequence they've been a weak point on me for many a year. To try and alleviate this I've purchased a couple of supports to prop the ageing body up!
Today (Saturday 13th) I've done a 6 mile run in an hour, and although there was some slight jip from my left ankle at the start that was it. Disappointingly I had to stop a couple of times, albeit for only 30 seconds or so each one, but stopping is
not an option as far as I'm concerned. Having said that it was a 6 mile run at a relatively good pace, so that's the flip-side.
Next week I'll be doing a 4 and 2 mile run in the week, and capping it with a 7 mile run at the weekend.
Watch this space...
Having run 5.4 miles last Saturday I followed this up with a 3.2 on Monday. This was tough 2 days after the Saturday run, so much so I nearly stopped after 2 miles, but I decided not to be such a wimp and reeled off the extra 1.2, lol
I'm beginning to put a few miles in now, and things are getting slightly serious, so on Wednesday I went out and purchased some proper running trainers. These were ever so cheap...not! I also purchased some new running socks. Not that the socks themselves can run without my feet in, but you get the drift :-)
Armed (or should that be footed?) with my new 'hey...I'm-a-runner-too' trainers and socks, on Wednesday I got another 3.2 mile run under my belt. This didn't feel quite so tough as the run on Monday (getting fitter?), but I've developed a rather niggling, and worrying injury.
Each ankle under the bone is getting sore after a run, and this is a new development. Ironically, since the new trainers. I suspect that the new feet I'm wearing may have changed my running gait, and this could be the cause. Nevertheless, it's a worry as I've had issues with my ankles in the past, and as a consequence they've been a weak point on me for many a year. To try and alleviate this I've purchased a couple of supports to prop the ageing body up!
Today (Saturday 13th) I've done a 6 mile run in an hour, and although there was some slight jip from my left ankle at the start that was it. Disappointingly I had to stop a couple of times, albeit for only 30 seconds or so each one, but stopping is
not an option as far as I'm concerned. Having said that it was a 6 mile run at a relatively good pace, so that's the flip-side.
Next week I'll be doing a 4 and 2 mile run in the week, and capping it with a 7 mile run at the weekend.
Watch this space...
Monday 8 March 2010
Training for the Bracknell 1/2 Marathon on 9th May
This is all about raising money for cancer research:
I'm sure you now feel strangely drawn to click on the 'Donate' button above :-)
And now, onto the blog:
Sheesh - what a week.
Having only been out running twice so far in preparation for the event on 9th May (longest distance so far being 2.4 miles) I was laid up for 3 days last week with a stinking cold. This was the the last thing I could do with given the tight timelines I'm operating with until the event - 13 miles still seems a heck of a way off, and 8 weeks doesn't feel like lots!
Nonetheless, on Saturday I managed to run 5.4 miles in 75 minutes, without stopping or walking - a not very small achievement given this was only my 3rd run. On reaching the front door returning home it must be noted that I flaked out on the driveway - completely and utterly knackered. Suffice it to say a long hot bath followed and everything was good again.
That is, it was until the evening - by which time I could barely walk! Advice from friends leads me to believe that stretching after running, or rather, the lack of, was the cause of this pain. Apparently not stretching after a run leaves the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles from the run in place, and this led to my discomfort in the evening - a lesson learned now it has to be said :-)
The plan for the coming week is for 2 x 3 mile runs, and then hopefully a 6-7 miler on Saturday.
Next update in one weeks times time...keep watching.
I'm sure you now feel strangely drawn to click on the 'Donate' button above :-)
And now, onto the blog:
Sheesh - what a week.
Having only been out running twice so far in preparation for the event on 9th May (longest distance so far being 2.4 miles) I was laid up for 3 days last week with a stinking cold. This was the the last thing I could do with given the tight timelines I'm operating with until the event - 13 miles still seems a heck of a way off, and 8 weeks doesn't feel like lots!
Nonetheless, on Saturday I managed to run 5.4 miles in 75 minutes, without stopping or walking - a not very small achievement given this was only my 3rd run. On reaching the front door returning home it must be noted that I flaked out on the driveway - completely and utterly knackered. Suffice it to say a long hot bath followed and everything was good again.
That is, it was until the evening - by which time I could barely walk! Advice from friends leads me to believe that stretching after running, or rather, the lack of, was the cause of this pain. Apparently not stretching after a run leaves the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles from the run in place, and this led to my discomfort in the evening - a lesson learned now it has to be said :-)
The plan for the coming week is for 2 x 3 mile runs, and then hopefully a 6-7 miler on Saturday.
Next update in one weeks times time...keep watching.
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