My plan was
to write a blog every couple of weeks to chart my running progress, but it’s
been 8 weeks since my last one – I’ve just not felt like writing. I’ve just
been a bit too down-in-the-doldrums. Oh yeah, and I’ve not actually been
running….
Firstly, I
picked up an injury – every runners worst nightmare. I think I over did it,
increasing my weekly and long-run mileage too quickly in order to be ready for
a half marathon at short notice. My last long run, 2 weeks prior to Wilmslow
half on 25th March, I did 15 miles (hardly the right mileage 2 weeks
before a Half) and felt a *niggle* in my left groin during the first few miles.
The two weeks that followed, I really struggled. I attempted a couple of short
runs, but my groin was really troubling me. Then race day:
After 7 days
of no running at all, I had hoped I’d be OK and I sort of was. I set off at the
back of the pack as I was with a guy doing his first race and he didn’t have the
confidence to start further up the field. It was a slow start, so much traffic
to get through. I think I spent the first half of the race weaving in and out
of people and running up grass verges! I felt really good though and so I kept
pushing the pace, leaving my race partner behind. The end was tough, but I
finished my third half marathon with a new PB (by about a minute) of 1:52 –I’m
sure I could have done better with a better start!
The groin
didn’t bother me too much whilst running the race, but as soon as I crossed the
finish line I was in trouble. I could hardly put my foot down and certainly I
couldn’t put any real weight on my left side, and so it was a long limp back to
the car park.
This was the
start of 5 ½ weeks of no running. Oh. My. Goodness. I would never have thought
not running could be so hard. Now I know what a running junkie I am. It was
hell. I’ve only been running properly a year and this was my first injury so I
didn’t know what to expect, but now I sympathise with anyone who is out of the
game. It’s tough.
But now I’m running
again…..and it feels great!
I’ve lost a
bit of fitness, and the position of my new house is making running harder, but
I think I’ll thrive off it going forward. This morning I did my third run this week and felt
completely injury-free J
It was
glorious sunshine as I headed out my door and turned left up the hill. It’s
about 0.3 miles of lung-busting ascent right from the off, but when it levels
off on top of the hill its absolutely sublime! It’s then downhill for a bit,
then uphill for a bit, then a long gradual downhill…..I think you get the idea!
Anyway, all
new running routes to look forward to. I can’t wait.
So, I’ve
done what I said I’d do in my first blog. I’ve entered Chester Marathon – my first
full marathon. I entered last year and didn’t make it, so this is unfinished
business. There’s dozens of us in Twitterland doing it, so I know the support will
be amazing. It will be a tough challenge for me – particularly training in the
hills for a marathon on the flat, but as someone said to me recently, put very simply: *hills
make you stronger*. That they do. What can I say……..
Bring. It.
On!
This blog
was brought to you by a Berberana Reserva 2007 Rioja … hic!
A couple of years ago a chiropractor appointment went very wrong and I ended up with a bundle of pinched nerves going through my neck and down my left arm. For three months I was in such pain that I cried myself to sleep every night, and running was out of the question. As bad as the injury was, it was the not running that was far harder for me.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the half-marathon PB, and I'm glad you're back on the road again!