Well gor blimey guv'nor! I had a rather superb run this morning. Let me set the scene....
After a hectic week at work I managed a lie in this morning, which for me is a rare thing because I'm one of those people that wakes up at "get up for work" time every bloomin' weekend! Drives me mad. Anyway, I did my glutes exercises that my sports physio told me to do, to "wake up" the muscles there before a run. Then I did my feet exercises which my podiatrist told me to do, using this small rubber spiky ball - great fun! Micro'd some porridge and told the kittens I was going for a full 5K this morning. "What 'ev's!" they replied.
It was cold out there and damp, but not raining. Decided to set off Endomondo as soon as I left the house because even the warm up walks count as distance and exercises in my book! The first 2K was pretty damned fine. My new orthotics were doing their job and projecting me forward on an even keel, I felt fine with my breathing and my legs were grinding along in my compression shorts and my groin felt beautifully calm!
Over Richmond Bridge and then back down to the river formed part of my 3rd K. The air smelt clean and the leaves on the trees made for a lovely scene as I pounded along by the river Thames. Turned right, across Old Deer Park next and I started to feel tired.
"Keep it going Dan, just slow down and keep it nice and tight baby. You're a running God. You don't need to stop for a walk break. Your legs will carry you right round the 5K loop and you'll shout to the Heavens that you didn't need to stop for a walk break! Go ON MY SON!"
I stopped for a walk break. I got fed up with my confounded pep talk as i knew I was talking a load of bo*****s! I'd run 3.something K non stop but my body was saying "Stop! You ludicrous popinjay!" So I did as I was told and walked across the park to the A316 where I would start running again. That mornings Park Run people were packing up their materials and I thought to myself that I must do one of those one day.
Anyway, I started running again and this time it was uphill. I started to raise my legs a bit as I ran, toward my bottom, and my stride lengthened. My speed felt slower but I felt I was covering more ground with each gargantuan stride. Unfortunately I could only keep this up for about 30 seconds before emitting an expletive to myself, and then another walk break beckoned. Who cares? I was loving it out there. It was crisp and cold and fabulous and I was pleased to be running for the third time this week. I popped down the steps back down to the river and headed for home. I felt very self assured and comfortable as I headed for the lamp post that was my "finishing line" and fished my phone out of my pocket to see how far I'd run.
Endomondo said I'd covered 5.8K since leaving the house and my 5K speed was 32'32. Overall I was outside for 40 minutes but I was pleased with a not too bad 5K distance.
Fitness levels are coming back slowly, but one can only listen to your body. It'll tell you when to take it easy, or when to go for it. The best thing was, I felt no injury niggles. No groin strains, no shin pain, no ankle pains. Boy is it good to be back running.
My reward? A long luxurious soak in my jacuzzi. Heaven in a bath tub!
Bon weekend one and all!
What a beautiful run
Week 7 complete - 2 weeks left
What sort of runner do I want to be
W4R3 - It's getting better
