Warning. Long post. Sorry, but lots to catch up with.
Hello lovely people. I've missed you so much. Not posted for a while as there's been lots going on my life. Where to start?
Well, hubby has retired (this in itself is a huge change as we both have to get used to each other. While at work you spend so much time apart don't you?). We've also moved "to the country". Big change but we love it. We live in a hamlet, not even a village. So different from where we were before (flight path, traffic, noise, people..... you get the picture). Now all we hear is birds, horses clopping on the road and that lovely summer hum of bees, cuckoos and heavy silence. Bliss.
Now, the running thing.
Before we moved it was all going tickety boo, had got up to 7k and then I started having pains and twinges in my ankles, knee and frankly the whole of my right side. I got new shoes but no avail. I saw a physio who said I wasn't using my glutes to run but using my lower legs, hence the twinges. I was also landing on my toes! He didn't want me to run until I strengthened my glutes. He did ask me if I really wanted to run as I needed to learn how to run differently. Did I heck? I wasn't, wasn't, wasn't going to give up running. I loved it too much. To be honest I couldn't face losing all that fitness I had gained. Shortly after this we moved. So, long story short, I didn't run for about 4 weeks and SO MISSED it! I dreamed about running! We also had dire technology problems so I couldn't even get my fix by reading all your great posts here!
So, imagine my delight when I found out that our closest gym had a running clinic and also had a couple of running trails around the grounds! I think I was more excited about this than I was about the house!
So, I booked myself in to the running clinic pronto. Nice lady took one look at me and said " your right hip is slightly lower than your left hip. Do you have problems on that side?" YES! I could have hugged her. She gets this. She's a runner so she knows what she's talking about. My new BFF.
She gave me lots of glutes strengthening exercises, advised me to start off on the treadmill for 10 minutes only and build from there. BTW, I did a VO2 max test (tests aerobic endurance) and I was higher than average for my age. Very happy about that.
I've been doing the exercises religiously 3 times a week for about a month and delighted to say there have been no more aches or pains. I'm now outside but still working up the distances slowly. I'm also trying to land mid foot and not on my toes. It takes a lot of concentration but takes my mind off the other stuff!
On Monday hubby and I went for a run together (he used to do a lot of running but his knees are bug***ed due to cricket of all things!) but he is really fit and I thought I wouldn't be able to keep up with him. But I did! He led which was good for me as he made a great pace maker. I'm like a bat out of hell and go too fast. He kept looking around to make sure I was there and yep I was right behind him! I did a nice 4k and he went on for another couple of kms. But it was lovely to go out with him and we really enjoyed it.
Today I went out on my own and did 4k again and thought I was really plodding as it was so windy (at one stage I swear I was running on the spot) and at the end got a message on my Garmin to say I had a new record. New record? WTF? I had run my fastest km at 6.18. I was so, so happy.
To anyone out there with injuries I have this message. You will get out there again. Just listen to your body ( and the pros), don't push it, do the stretching and plan all those runs you'll do when you're back!
From a very, very happy princess.
A disaster run doesn't have to be a disaster and that pigeon is almost as big as that cat.
Have to take a break but will be back!
Back to the start, fingers crossed it's working
It's a wonderful day; it's wonderful to run in it!
