A long week

I have intended to update this blog several times recently, but I've not been feeling so well of late. My mood has been persistently low despite all the wonderful things around me, and despite an increase in my anti depressants. I have also been injured which means running has been sacrificed for cross training, which, although good in its own rights, doesn't give me the same uplift and sense of achievement that running does. Lots has been happening though, so time for a catch up.

My excitement at getting new running shoes was short-lived when I discovered the next day that I'd done a fair bit of damage to my calves running in my old shoes. I woke up on Tuesday and felt like I'd been run over by a tractor. My knees had that dull achey feeling as though they were jarred in some way, and my calves were sore and inflamed, particularly on the right side. Not good. I took some NSAIDs and got off to the gym, but considering I was limping a bit and struggling to walk down stairs, it wasn't the best work out I'd had. I did body pump mostly ok, but when I went to run some intervals on the treadmill afterwards I realised within seconds that this would be a bad move. So I spent the remainder of my gym time staring forlornly at the treadmills from where I was on the cross trainer, cursing my stupid legs under my breath. I don't like having my plans scuppered, and it was frustrating not being able to do what my training plan laid out.

Sports massages bruise. A lot.

When Thursday came around my legs were feeling a bit better but were still painful. However, that marked the first day of my training journey with TT, and there was absolutely no way I wanted to sacrifice a run out with someone who could assess my gait and running style and help me to improve it and thus become a better runner in order to do more cross training. So I made a decision, and this turned out to be a MASSIVE mistake. NEVER EVER do this. I dosed up on pain killers so I couldn't feel my leg pain, and I went ahead and ran with only a little niggle. Yes, I felt absolutely fabulous for a good run, and identified some areas in which I could work on, but in retrospect I did my body no favours. For when I woke up the next morning I could barely walk. The inflamed leg had turned into a full on strain, and it was horrendously painful. It was then that I decided to attack it full on, and got my talented hubby to perform acupuncture on it, I had it massaged and I iced it loads. Then I wore compression socks all day and didn't run.

TRX handstand

Fast forwards nearly a week and I think I'm finally fit to run again. It's been a tough week without having my "therapy"; it's such a good way to process all the stressors and rubbish bits that occur day to day, and I often finish a run a completely different person to how I started it. But this week has had some benefits. I've had more time to "mess around" at the gym and play about on the equipment a bit more which I don't usually do as I'm either rushing to a class or out for a run. The best thing I've learnt how to do is handstands using the TRX equipment. That was a great abdominal and upper body workout, and completely unlike anything I'd usually do. I've also been doing leg raises on the monkey bars and trying to move across them. What has struck me is how amazingly strong children are to be able to support their body weight so easily and swing from bar to bar like little monkeys. It does make me wonder whether, if the natural fitness, strength and flexibility children are born with is cultivated from an early age so they don't lose it, humans would be capable of far more amazing feats than the average person is.

Anyway, I digress. I'm going to head out this afternoon once my husband is home and can look after the children, and see what these legs can do. I know I still have a large amount of time before the VLM, but the anxieties as to whether I'm capable of running 26.2 miles in one sitting are still there. Taking a week off for injuries does little to quell that worry. So fingers crossed my legs are back to normal and I get to have my run later on. Goodness knows I need the blast through, and I think my family would appreciate their grumpy mummy/wife cheering up too! But before I go, feast your eyes on my latest bit of bling for running a 10k this month:

Pretty, purple and glows in the dark!

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