This is still a running blog

It is.

I am still thwarted by leg problems. I am still not running regularly. And I am watching the calendar days fly off like on a Hitchcock film - each flying leaf of paper getting me one day closer to running a  half marathon.

A HALF MARATHON for fuck's sake! What was I thinking?!

*sigh*

But I have decided that this is still a running blog. Even when I can't run, it's still a running blog, because I am still working on strength and fitness each week. And, after a quick visit to the Cardiff Half facebook page today, I realised that I am not the only runner in the world to be cross training instead of running.

The visit to the facebook page was something of a gut wrenching revelation actually. There are many many folk running 20, 30, even 40 miles each week ... ALREADY! And it's still 13 weeks to go.

I am comforting myself with the thought that David Icke was in fact right and that we are literally *over run* with aliens under cover as humans. I believe that these aliens show their most alien traits when they run. It is the ONLY explanation I can think of for the immense distances these nutters are already clocking up.

However, there are also some huming beans on the facebook page. Special mention goes to

Joshuua Barker

is it bad if im not running anything yet but on the plus side i have bought some very nice running shoes :)

 I love you Joshuua.

I am secretly terrified that I have bitten off more than I can chew. My trainer is perfectly confident it will be fine. But he has immensely inflated beliefs of what I can do - as shown on monday when I nearly crashed to the floor trying to lift the weight he completely believes is well within my reach.

To business - last week started back running after about 6 weeks off. I was advised to run 3 very slow and steady 2 mile runs. Unfortunately, although my shin feel  better, I have nasty pains in my calf after running. Nasty enough to see me limping for 24 hours after. No amount of stretching seems to help.

Physio is away this week so I have switched to the bike until she gets back, although I think I will try just one more run on Friday. Also have a new upper body weights work out which is much fun as I feel nicely butch and beefy when I heave weights.

So.

That's me.

More soon.

Promise.

Shhhh...

Don't say it out loud yet.

I ran for 3 miles today ... and my shin feels...



































GREAT!!!

Distractions and new dimensions

Life hurls all sorts of distractions at you.

Like, the week after you start a blog to countdown to your first ever race, you get shin splints so bad, you aren't allowed to run for a month.

Since I last wrote, the physio signed me off another couple of weeks running, after the mother of all acupuncture sessions which completely removed the throbbing in my shins. Seriously - any of you running in the Bath area should see her for all running related aches and pains - she is a legend.

That sort of distraction tends to have a negative impact on one's blog. Sorry.

I also had a juggernnaut of a distraction a couple of weeks ago as my darling Ma came out the wrong side of a shitty cancer diagnosis. I have no intention of this blog becoming all about cancer. But my exercise has taken on a whole new dimension in the last couple of weeks. And I want to be able to write about it. So had to explain.

I am still best friends with spinning bikes. The ability to push your heart rate up and up and up is fabulous. I am also entertaining myself with my ipod by altering the lyrics and singing under my breath (at least, I think it's under my breath but this is the woman who "silently" farted on the treadmill whilst ipod'd up, only to attract a knowing grin from the guy on the next treadmill). My favourite lyric bastardisation is replacing "Burn, baby Burn, disco inferno" with "Die, cancer die! Cancer inferno". Ok - it could do with a little more imaginative work, but I can't tell you how much better it makes me feel. Also, just matching speed cycling pace with "Fuck you cancer, fuck you and die" is highly recommended.

I am focussed on getting my running back on track. I am relying on being able to put my shoes on, take off, and park my brain for an hour or so as we all head off down this new path that the juggernaut set us on. Meanwhile, trips to the gym have become a bit less frequent as it takes that much more time and emotional energy to haul one's ass to the gym than it does to open the front door and start running.

Back off the saddle

Yep. Today was off the saddle and back onto the tarmac for a tentative nursery run having been told not to run for a week. I woke up and started to watch the marathon ... but the catholic in me made me go for my own run before I could enjoy it.

(I'm not catholic but if memory serves, I did have some catholic in me at one time.)

My wonderful friend Angel came for my run with me. We did intervals and I did some hills.

Good stuff happenned: My fitness has really stepped up a gear ... WITHOUT having run for almost 2 weeks. Muscles was right all along about those spinning bikes. 40 mins sweating your face off is having huge pay offs. The run today in terms of fitness was my first ever completely comfortable run. (crap for training but exactly what I was told to do) It felt amazing to be able to comfortably jog along ... really amazing.

And crap stuff happenned: My shin is really hurting. In the same place it hurt when I first went to the physio and I thought was now fixed. I strsapped it as shown, iced it when I got back, and did the special stretches I was told but it really bloody hurts now.

Back to the spinning bikes for me until I get to physio again, hopefully tomorrow or tuesday.

Dear universe. Please send me a healthy shin. I could really do with it right now.

Amenchairsondesksgoodafternoonmrspope

What creates hiatus?

Well ...

A mad dash to Bordeaux and back to rescue Best Beloved can create a hiatus.

A large plate of crepes and a demi beer in front of Paris Gard Du Nord can create a hiatus.

A change in physio advice after a follow up instructing some rest for the shins.

All these things can create a hiatus in training.

And, it appears, so can starting a running blog!

Hence - nothing for a week.

Nothing!

Nowt.

Nothing like starting a running blog to really keep you training.

However!

I'm off to the gym for a spin and a workout.

And am back in the zone!

As you all were.

x

SpinSpinSpinSpinSpin

I did it! Muscles has been trying to get me onto a spinning bike for months. However, an adductor pull that took 75 years to heal has kept me off due to ungainly an completely graceless movements.

But today, wanting to give my posterior shin splints a rest (yep - saw physio ... good news on the whole - more below), I hopped on a cycle for a fast spin. The last time I enjoyed a fast spin cycle, it invovled a large glass of wine, a Best Beloved-free weekend, and bracing myself quite securely against the wall of the conservatory. This was a whole other thing.

And I loved it!!! I particluarly loved the fact that I have never sweated so much in my entire life. (I am talkming about the gym now, not the conservatory.) There's something deeply satisfying about putting your head down and peddling your socks off, watching sweat drip .. drip ... drip off your chin, nose and eyebrows. (Have I ever told you how attractive I am in the gym?) I did some hard 1 minute climbs, but mostly enjoyed head down, very fast cycling. My heart rate was right up there too - just like when I run on the treadmill. I am feeling very pleased that I've found something that gives me the same workout as the treadmill.

I took most of my weights up too and would like to offer a cautionary tale. When you are balanced back on an inflatable exercise ball, with two 9kg weights perilously balanced above your head, beware what your ipod shuffle throws at you. Today I got an attack of the giggles as my ipod decided that was the right time to play Andrea Bocelli crooning jingle bells with the Muppets in lusty support. 9kg weights make a big noise as when they drop 1 metre to the floor.

As mentioned, I went to the physio - I think I love her. She was fab, and with a few questions and pokes and prods, she mnassaged then stuck needles in me. My left leg is now completely free of pain, but my right leg is not as simple. I think it will need another session, but wonderful physio said just to pop in and she'd fit me in between clients at no charge. Have I told you I love her? I can keep on running too, she showed me a cunning way of stretching the pesky deep muscles that are causing the problem. She also gave me some tape to tape up the offending area for 2 weeks and I'm to ice both legs after runs for a week.

I have no idea who I have become. If you had told me 6 months ago that I would be relieved that I can continue running, and be prepared to ice, tape and stretch, I would have laughed. In your face. Loudly.

Q: When is a rest day not a rest day?

Answer: When it is 2 rest days.

I decided against the gym today and chose instead to frenetically manage long distance calls with France to ensure Best Beloved is delivered home earlier than expected - a spot of severe homesickness from a child that knows his own mind has resulted in a bucket load of stress for his poor mother who felt parts of herself unravelling today.

The good news is that flights and escorts are in place and my calves had an extra day of rest. I'm pretty sure at some point today I heard my calves conversing with each other. I picked up on snatches of the conversation - someting along the lines of "It must be Christmas"...

So, gym option rolls over to tomorrow - still planning on avoiding treadmill and using bikes and rowers prior to physio appt.

I have also had some tests today to confirm an irregular heart beat that cropped up yesterday is indeed down to maternal neurosis instead of the long run - looks like I'm right but all the Runningblogs were clear - GET IT CHECKED! So I did.

Other, more fabulous news is that the visist from my trainer, Muscles, on Monday confirmed that I am now within the healthy weight : height ratio as set down by those greek gods and goddesses themselves, the powers that be.

That be what? Mostly overweight and unfit by their own definition maybe?

Anyhoo - my increased fitness and the weight loss that follows is immensely pleasing. And a great motivator for the race. I might actually look like a runner by then ... you know what I mean, lean, drawn, and slightly haunted.

Roll on October.