Saturday was the moment of truth when I got back on the treadmill. It was pretty much ok, my leg felt weird but not hurty. I was sensible and only did a mile (which is nothing if you're training for a marathon!!). Bad news is that my leg did hurt again today - annoying. I have an appointment with the osteopath and his magic hands tomorrow though, so that should help. Also - did some strength and core exercises this evening, and I felt loads stronger and more supple than I did before I started training, so that's a definite plus. I haven't noticed any difference in my weight or how my clothes fit yet, but things seem to be getting a little tighter. My weedy little muscles are growing! I was contemplating doing one of those 'before' shoots that they have with weight loss stories in trashy magazines, and putting it on here so that I can see if I look any different once the marathon is over. I'm scared of showing my tummy in public though, and after some thought have decided that putting it on the internet is a step too far. So I will take the photo and keep it to myself! If there is a miraculous change I may post it at the end if I'm feeling brave!
Had a very quiet one this weekend. First reason being that I had the grand total of £10 to my name, which has just about covered food for the weekend. Pay day tomorrow though thankfully. Secondly, I really needed a rest. Work has been manic since we got back from the Christmas break. I work for a domestic violence charity, and we are feeling the impact of the recession and spending cuts. Two people have gone on maternity leave and only one is being covered, and one person's contract isn't being renewed so we are seriously down on numbers. I'm doing at least another half a person's hours alongside my own and it's hard going. So running is even more important at the moment as it chills me out and clears my head...need to get back out there soon.
Sunday, 23 January 2011
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Light at the end of the tunnel!
I think I'm getting closer to being fixed and able to run again! Whoopee! The osteopath was fantastic, and after asking me loads of questions and testing my muscle strength he concluded that it was my inner hamstring that was the problem, as it felt very tight and there was a noticeable difference in strength when I used those muscles in the other leg. So he did some massage and gave me a few exercises, and I'm to go back on Monday so he can see how I've progressed and let me know how long it'll be until I've fully recovered. He said that if by the weekend there's no longer any pain when I walk then I can attempt a little one mile run. Seriously, the moment I step back on that treadmill is going to be amazing. It's hardly hurting at all now so looks like it won't be long...
Monday, 17 January 2011
Running helps me to be less of a drunken fool....
I've been a bit rubbish at updating this for the past couple of days. Reason being is that I'm still sulking about being injured and not able to run :( Although, there is an upside - it meant I could enjoy a Saturday night out on the lash without any guilt. Hurray!
Saturday started pretty badly. Woke up to find one of my housemates had a friend to stay and he'd been sick all over the downstairs bathroom and on our sofa. I hate sick and it meant I couldn't have a shower. So I kicked off big time (via text message - can't stay angry at people face to face). Felt a bit guilty later, once I'd got over my rage, but still - I shouldn't have to cope with that first thing in the morning! Once I'd calmed myself down I went for a dirt cheap 2 for £6 pub lunch with another housemate, and whilst I normally stay away from chips I may start indulging in them more often as I had an amazing gym session and swim afterwards. Had so much energy! I guess I'm used to exercising in the mornings before breakfast, so I'm essentially running on empty. More proof that food is the most awesome thing ever.
After the welcome adrenaline boost from my workout I was fully ready to go out and party pretty hard. My friend and I had tickets to a night called 'Shit the Bed' (yes - really), which is a proper heavy dance night. We were both skint so consumed a fair amount of vodka at her house beforehand, resulting in me feeling completely sober in my head but loosing all co-ordination. Needless to say any attempts at dancing ended up with me sitting on the floor. I blame my dodgy leg!! Here are some lovely photos from the night. As you can see, they perfectly capture what my drunk head was seeing!
Saturday started pretty badly. Woke up to find one of my housemates had a friend to stay and he'd been sick all over the downstairs bathroom and on our sofa. I hate sick and it meant I couldn't have a shower. So I kicked off big time (via text message - can't stay angry at people face to face). Felt a bit guilty later, once I'd got over my rage, but still - I shouldn't have to cope with that first thing in the morning! Once I'd calmed myself down I went for a dirt cheap 2 for £6 pub lunch with another housemate, and whilst I normally stay away from chips I may start indulging in them more often as I had an amazing gym session and swim afterwards. Had so much energy! I guess I'm used to exercising in the mornings before breakfast, so I'm essentially running on empty. More proof that food is the most awesome thing ever.
After the welcome adrenaline boost from my workout I was fully ready to go out and party pretty hard. My friend and I had tickets to a night called 'Shit the Bed' (yes - really), which is a proper heavy dance night. We were both skint so consumed a fair amount of vodka at her house beforehand, resulting in me feeling completely sober in my head but loosing all co-ordination. Needless to say any attempts at dancing ended up with me sitting on the floor. I blame my dodgy leg!! Here are some lovely photos from the night. As you can see, they perfectly capture what my drunk head was seeing!
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Frustrated....and scaring myself
The pain I have been experiencing in my thigh (and, to a lesser extent now, my knee) has come back with a vengeance today, after doing a 6.5 mile run on the treadmill this morning. It seemed to have been getting better after 2 days rest, but alas I think I started up again too soon. I've had a couple of suggestions for what it might be on the brilliant Real Buzz running forums, but decided to do some internet self-diagnosis regardless (I know, never a good idea!). I've now scared myself into thinking I could have a femoral stress fracture, the signs of which seem to be alarmingly similar to the type of pain I'm feeling. And a stress fracture would mean the end of my marathon dream. Sob!
I'm sure (or at least I hope) I'm just being paranoid. I've booked an appointment with my doctor for next week and am going to rest for at least 72 hours. May do some gentle swimming and strength training to try and keep my fitness up, but aside from that I'm going to take it easy, try not to sulk too much, and see what happens. Fingers crossed eh?!
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Too much, too soon
Seems like I maybe did too much too soon...I've got an injury already. Sigh. My left leg is still being a total bugger and I think I may have something called ITB (iliotibial band syndrome if you want to get technical!), which basically just means that the muscles in my thigh and knee aren't strong enough to support it properly when I'm running so the muscles rub against bone (or something like that - it's complex!). From what I can gather the best way I can prevent it from happening again is by doing stretches and standing like one of these guys when I'm brushing my teeth....
Erm...ok!
On a much more positive note - I HAVEN'T SMOKED FOR 9 WHOLE DAYS!!!!!!! Not only that, but for the past 4 days I haven't even been using patches or gum. It's a miracle I tell ya!! I have been chowing down big time though, so need be careful I don't podge up.
On a much more positive note - I HAVEN'T SMOKED FOR 9 WHOLE DAYS!!!!!!! Not only that, but for the past 4 days I haven't even been using patches or gum. It's a miracle I tell ya!! I have been chowing down big time though, so need be careful I don't podge up.
Sunday, 9 January 2011
First long run in the bag!
Last night was spent in a very different manner to my usual Saturday nights. I did some ironing, watched 'Horton Hears A Who' (highlight of which was Katie - only in a couple of scenes but hilarious - vid below), and not a drop of alcohol passed my lips. I was nicely tired and, to be honest, wasn't really missing going out on the town much.
Having such a saintly evening meant that I was up early today and feeling pretty spritely. After faffing around for literally hours (I'm the queen of procrastination), I set out for a long run at just before 3pm. The weather here in Bristol was absolutely ideal. Gorgeous sunshine, cold, but not freezing, with a breeze but not windy. My route takes me alongside a river (I think it's a cut actually - doesn't lead anywhere!), then across a couple of busy roads and alongside the main river (erm...River Avon?) for a good 3 miles. It's a long straight road which I sometimes find boring but today quite enjoyed. I think it helped that I was able to distract myself from running and let my mind wander off by drafting what I was going to write in today's blog entry in my head! It also helped that I'd managed to find a download of a 2 hour mix that Sub Focus (drum n bass producer/dj) did for Radio 1, and that did a sterling job of keeping my pace up and keeping me in the trance-like zone that I need to be in to run for over an hour. Got it from the Dubplate Digest website, and there are loads of others there, so now I can have a different dj providing the soundtrack to each of my long runs (not sure what to do when they go above 2 hours - I'll address that nearer the time)!
After reaching Sea Mills train station, I turned back and traced my route back, adding on an extra small circuit (with a hill!), at the end as I had planned to run for 90 minutes and had made better time than I expected. In the end I managed 9.7 miles in 90 minutes (9.3 mins per mile). This was much better than I expected for my first long run, so I'm really happy. There wasn't any point when it felt like really hard going either, so it seems that even the small amount of committed training that I've done so far is having an effect. The only downside is that my lower back is really stiff and painful now (the result of an ice incident this time last year), so I'm going to start doing some exercises to strengthen my core, as advised by a physio.
Argh - this is a really long post and I wasn't planning for it to be!
Having such a saintly evening meant that I was up early today and feeling pretty spritely. After faffing around for literally hours (I'm the queen of procrastination), I set out for a long run at just before 3pm. The weather here in Bristol was absolutely ideal. Gorgeous sunshine, cold, but not freezing, with a breeze but not windy. My route takes me alongside a river (I think it's a cut actually - doesn't lead anywhere!), then across a couple of busy roads and alongside the main river (erm...River Avon?) for a good 3 miles. It's a long straight road which I sometimes find boring but today quite enjoyed. I think it helped that I was able to distract myself from running and let my mind wander off by drafting what I was going to write in today's blog entry in my head! It also helped that I'd managed to find a download of a 2 hour mix that Sub Focus (drum n bass producer/dj) did for Radio 1, and that did a sterling job of keeping my pace up and keeping me in the trance-like zone that I need to be in to run for over an hour. Got it from the Dubplate Digest website, and there are loads of others there, so now I can have a different dj providing the soundtrack to each of my long runs (not sure what to do when they go above 2 hours - I'll address that nearer the time)!
After reaching Sea Mills train station, I turned back and traced my route back, adding on an extra small circuit (with a hill!), at the end as I had planned to run for 90 minutes and had made better time than I expected. In the end I managed 9.7 miles in 90 minutes (9.3 mins per mile). This was much better than I expected for my first long run, so I'm really happy. There wasn't any point when it felt like really hard going either, so it seems that even the small amount of committed training that I've done so far is having an effect. The only downside is that my lower back is really stiff and painful now (the result of an ice incident this time last year), so I'm going to start doing some exercises to strengthen my core, as advised by a physio.
Argh - this is a really long post and I wasn't planning for it to be!
Friday, 7 January 2011
Weekend cravings
Today's session was a 50 minute steady run. I woke up feeling sick so wasn't sure how it would go, but in the end it was fine. Got 5.3 miles done, which isn't half bad at 8am without having had anything to eat. The leg is still attached and the pain seems to be dying down thankfully.
I'm hugely excited at having made it to the end of the first working week without a) missing a training session or b) having a cigarette. But now comes the hard part - the weekend. Throughout the course of 2010, I probably tried to give up smoking at least 5 times. Each time I did brilliantly during the week, and then slipped up as soon as it got to the weekend. It's as if when the clock strikes 5 on a Friday afternoon a switch is flicked in my brain that makes my determination and willpower dissolve and all I can think about is sparking up a menthol and pouring myself a big old glass of wine. So far tonight I've resisted, but the cravings are really gnawing at me. I'm considering going to bed uber early to ensure I don't give in. I promise I'll be good though - I need to be. On Sunday it's a nine mile run, and I don't want to be wheezing all the way.
Tomorrow is a proper rest day, and I'm going to spend it charity shop shopping and finding some music to get me through the long Sunday run. At the moment Kissy Sell Out's Winter Mix (it's free to download - hooray!) and Justice's live album Across the Universe are the mainstays of my running soundtrack, but I know these like the back of my hand now and could do with something new and exciting.
I'm hugely excited at having made it to the end of the first working week without a) missing a training session or b) having a cigarette. But now comes the hard part - the weekend. Throughout the course of 2010, I probably tried to give up smoking at least 5 times. Each time I did brilliantly during the week, and then slipped up as soon as it got to the weekend. It's as if when the clock strikes 5 on a Friday afternoon a switch is flicked in my brain that makes my determination and willpower dissolve and all I can think about is sparking up a menthol and pouring myself a big old glass of wine. So far tonight I've resisted, but the cravings are really gnawing at me. I'm considering going to bed uber early to ensure I don't give in. I promise I'll be good though - I need to be. On Sunday it's a nine mile run, and I don't want to be wheezing all the way.
Tomorrow is a proper rest day, and I'm going to spend it charity shop shopping and finding some music to get me through the long Sunday run. At the moment Kissy Sell Out's Winter Mix (it's free to download - hooray!) and Justice's live album Across the Universe are the mainstays of my running soundtrack, but I know these like the back of my hand now and could do with something new and exciting.
Thursday, 6 January 2011
Day 4
25 minute easy jog followed by weights. Left leg is still being a pain in the ass - literally.
Day 3 - when I realised you can't be both a smoker and a marathon runner
Yesterday was Day 3, which meant the first instance of dreaded interval training. Interval training has, in the past, been absolutely key for me in improving my running performance, however it also makes me feel like I'm going to drop down dead so is rarely something I look forward to. Day 3 was no exception. The training plan instructed me to do 3 x 8 minute runs at a hard pace, with 3 mins recovery inbetween. I managed two of the hard runs. Towards the end of the second one I felt absolutely awful - legs were fine but my cardiovascular system was not having any of it. I was wheezy, unable to draw in enough breath, felt sick and my heart was racing. I have no illusions as to why this happened - it's because I'm a dirty smoker. I decided to quit smoking on 3rd Jan, and haven't smoked since, however it's going to take more than just a few days to erase the effects of almost 15 years of smoking - and this training session very much proved that. It is therefore of vital importance that I stay off the fags. Plus, it causes premature ageing...
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Who needs a left leg anyway?
Feeling bolstered by the unexpectedly easy first training session, I moved on to day 2, a rest day from running. Having decided that the only true (i.e. no exercise at all) rest days I would take would be those before my long weekend runs, for me the day 2 activity was a leisurely half an hour swim. As my gym membership is off-peak I can only use it in the mornings during the week, however as it's conveniently located 5 mins from my house I can get in a morning session before work without having to get up at too painful an hour (I'm really not a morning person).
So, the swim was lovely and relaxing, and it felt good not to be pounding the hell out of my joints for once. However, once I got out of the pool and started making the short journey to work on foot, my left leg started to feel like it was literally about to fall off. Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating slightly, but it really did hurt. It felt like there was a cord running from my butt to the back of my knee and it had suddenly been tightened. This was accompanied by a localised pain in the middle of my thigh. There was no explanation for either pain - I hadn't pulled anything during the previous day's run (although my hungover state may well have rendered me immune from pain), and I literally swan at pensioner pace earlier in the day. The only thing for it was to grit my teeth, smile through the pain, and hope that it would have disappeared by day 3.
So, the swim was lovely and relaxing, and it felt good not to be pounding the hell out of my joints for once. However, once I got out of the pool and started making the short journey to work on foot, my left leg started to feel like it was literally about to fall off. Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating slightly, but it really did hurt. It felt like there was a cord running from my butt to the back of my knee and it had suddenly been tightened. This was accompanied by a localised pain in the middle of my thigh. There was no explanation for either pain - I hadn't pulled anything during the previous day's run (although my hungover state may well have rendered me immune from pain), and I literally swan at pensioner pace earlier in the day. The only thing for it was to grit my teeth, smile through the pain, and hope that it would have disappeared by day 3.
Not the best of starts
Having equipped myself with an official London Marathon 16-week training plan (intermediate level - may regret that), I had carefully worked out by working backwards through my diary that I needed to start training on Monday 3rd January. Fantastic - I could spend the whole of Christmas and New Year partaking in guilt-free boozing and slobbing about. So I did. Then, on New Years Day, whilst nursing a sore head and resolving never to drink wine again, I realised that I had got the date of the marathon wrong and it takes place a week before I thought it did. Bugger. A week behind already - not the best of starts.
Still - I wasn't going to let that get me down. On the 2nd Jan I went to the gym and did some weights to prep me for the fresh start the next day. I was feeling good and determined...and then I went to visit friends in my home town and ended up drinking cocktails until 4am. Once again - bugger. Woke up with screaming pain in my head, my every movement causing searing pain, and the threat of vomiting never far away. My training plan said that today should involve me doing a 45 minute easy run. I couldn't think of anything worse. But I couldn't mess it up on the very 1st day, so come mid-afternoon - having consumed my tried and tested hangover cure of ice cold diet coke, a pain au chocolat, and a pack of cheese and onion Square crisps - I dragged myself to my over-priced but conveniently located gym. And...it was one of the best runs I've done in ages. 4.6 miles in 45 minutes and it felt great. No pain, no shortness of breath, no nausea, no heavy legs - amazing. It seems a hangover isn't an excuse for not training after all...
Still - I wasn't going to let that get me down. On the 2nd Jan I went to the gym and did some weights to prep me for the fresh start the next day. I was feeling good and determined...and then I went to visit friends in my home town and ended up drinking cocktails until 4am. Once again - bugger. Woke up with screaming pain in my head, my every movement causing searing pain, and the threat of vomiting never far away. My training plan said that today should involve me doing a 45 minute easy run. I couldn't think of anything worse. But I couldn't mess it up on the very 1st day, so come mid-afternoon - having consumed my tried and tested hangover cure of ice cold diet coke, a pain au chocolat, and a pack of cheese and onion Square crisps - I dragged myself to my over-priced but conveniently located gym. And...it was one of the best runs I've done in ages. 4.6 miles in 45 minutes and it felt great. No pain, no shortness of breath, no nausea, no heavy legs - amazing. It seems a hangover isn't an excuse for not training after all...
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