Hello Fellow Health Unlockerer's!
I managed my second run this week after last weekends torture session with my physio chap. I can report that my long standing injuries seem to be getting to the point of "cured" but I don't want to tempt fate. I feel like one of those footballers that's ALWAYs injured - except I'm being paid one billionth of what those dudes earn! Anyway, I've got a new regime in terms of what I eat before going out. I'm making myself a juice of green sludge which sounds revolting but is in fact DEEEEELICIOUS! Bought myself a juicer a month or so ago and have brilliant fun squishing everything down the chute and watching whole vegetables turn magically into juice! So long as some lemon and root ginger is part of the concoction it's fine.
So I drank my green power juice and headed out the front door for my run. I looked pretty damned serious in my new running clobber which was a bright fluorescent yellow long sleeved running top zipped right up to my neck, long grey jogging troos and my fluorescent lime laces on my nike downshifters!
My confounded fitness levels are not what they once were and mentally, I'm finding it unbelievably difficult to get any near my 5K distance I once did with relative ease. That's a massive lie - it wasn't with ease at all. It was always difficult - BUT I DID IT! Honest I did! So this morning I didn't really set myself any "goal" in terms of distance - I decided to run and see how I went. After my 5 min warm up walk I headed off my usual route along the river Thames and made it to Richmond Bridge, then it was UPHILL over the bridge and my legs were handling the incline pretty damned well (considering just over a week ago I could hardly walk down the bloomin' stairs at home!). Mr Physio had done some good things to my right calf and I felt incredible power in my legs and glutes as I heaved up the hill. Down Richmond High Street, where really posh people were going "Yah! Totes love living in Richmond, yah. Let's buy some over priced tomatoes at the totes fash farmers market"....
Turned left down Water Lane towards the river and past the White Cross pub. By now I'd run 2.5K and was tiring enormously. I tried to slow down to a pathetic walk/jog but my poor old legs wouldn't comply. I had to stop for a walk for a few mins which made me feel really annoyed because I really wanted to go further. Started running once again and I looked over towards the Park Runners in Old Deer Park and wondered if I would ever take part in one of those. I reached Richmond Lock and climbed the steps, walked over the bridge and down the other side. I was puffing and blowing like an overweight hippo as I set off for the final leg. COULDN'T DO IT! Blaaaaaast! So I walked once again until my fury forced me to run the last chunk along the Thames and back towards home. 4.5K in 34mins 32sec were the stats and that included lots of walking. I did manage a 5'41 kilometre at one stage so there's still something in the old dog!
Got in and Mrs Dan had finished putting up our Xmas tree which looked gorrrrgeous. The kittens had punched a few of the baubles and eyed up the tinsel, probably thinking how they'll pull it all off whilst we sleep! "How was it then?" asked my wifelet. "Not great" I said "At least you did it though" came the reply. She was right of course (she always is). Upstairs to the jacuzzi I went and stuck the radio on, as I contemplated how long it'd take to run 5K again. I'll get there before Xmas! That's my goal.
I wonder if the Xmas tree will survive a kitten attack?
Happy running!
Dan
