Back up to 5k from the Injury Couch

[Equi-geek]

Hi all, Sorry I’ve been quiet - busy with work and new horse. Not running as much as I’d like but ticking off the interval runs up until today🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️.

As I graduated last year I went to Parkrun today knowing I could do the distance and determined to take it steady. I still lack strength in that chain of muscles up the back of my legs into my hips and core, so now I run with glutes and an engaged core as much as possible.

Fatigue for me set in at about the 3.5k mark but it was strange. It wasn’t like I ran out of breath or ‘legs’ as I knew it before the rehab - but I was struggling to put one foot infront of the other. I was at a loss 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’d survived no problem after a Friday night of wine and chips before today!! 🤣

It was clear after the finish why - the hamstrings and glutes started to tighten up and cramp 😬 a bit of a new experience!

So it wasn’t a great finish time - only slightly above my average. But my hip feels ok and all the right bits are hurting 😝

Happy to be back among the 5k runners again. I am so rubbish when I am injured and I find it hard to be motivated, when I can’t do as well, or feel as well as I used to. But this feels like real progress, and I have a stronger platform to build back up to 10K. Right now though, 5k is my limit - time for ‘proper’ consolidation and strength/speed intervals... yummy!!!

[Dexy5 Graduate]

Congratulations on your graduation Runniversary Equi-geek and it’s good to see you have made it back to running parkrun again. It sounds like everything is going the right direction for you now.

I died a bit after 3.5k today too, but I put that down to my extending the long run to 13k in the heat this week. My turn to do the GSR this year after watching and cheering everyone else on for years. Keep that picture of you chasing a portaloo in your mind. You’ll be an even better runner in time. 🏃‍♀️🐎👏👏

[Equi-geek Graduate in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks Dexy5! If you are up to 13k already you are in really great shape for the GSR! 🤗

[Dexy5 Graduate in reply to Equi-geek]

Thanks. There’s 3 of us aiming for 10 mile since cheekychipmunks and UpTheStanley got there. I think I’ll be aiming at a very long run every 2 weeks now, as doing it every week in the summer heat is going to take too much out of me. I just need to look after myself and stay off the couch. 🏃‍♀️

[Equi-geek Graduate in reply to Dexy5]

I agree with the every other week long run - very sensible! It’ll be fab to have all 3 of you in it 🤗👏

[Dexy5 Graduate in reply to Equi-geek]

Four in fact. Cheekychipmunks and UpTheStanley who have reached 10 miles and seem to be heading for HM! Sandie1961 and I are still on our journey. I think Sandra is doing it for the third time so hope to meet her too.

[Equi-geek Graduate in reply to Dexy5]

Brilliant!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well done you and happy runniversary...time to stretch, massage and roll now.. ( To the tune of.. Shake, rattle and Roll ) xx

[Equi-geek Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks Oldfloss - great to read about your progress too - definitely not so snail-like these days!!!! 👏👏👏

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Equi-geek]

Getting back to it

[Fabulous450 Graduate]

Fantastic Equi!! Well done on today’s achievement!! That’s brilliant and I’m sure there’s more to come!! So great to hear you’re back at Parkrun again. 🤗🤗🤩❤️

[Equi-geek Graduate in reply to Fabulous450]

Thanks Fab! Great to see you back out there again too. 🤗 Next Saturday’s Parkrun at Lydiard is cancelled, by the way 🙁. I am tailwalking on the 10th August as part of a GoodGym pacing take-over as I couldn’t guarantee I could make it round running a set pace when they were allocating pacers. So I am grateful for regaining the ability to run a decent distance again 🥳

[Fabulous450 Graduate in reply to Equi-geek]

It’s just such fantastic news Equi! I’m so glad you’re back doing what you love!! I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other at Parkrun again. Keep being brilliantly you!! 🤗🤗🤩❤️

[Equi-geek Graduate in reply to Fabulous450]

You too Fab!

[Tartancat Graduate]

Welcome back to 5k! Having a new horse is an excellent reason for running to have to take a back seat. And riding is good for your core strength, so you could call it cross-training 🐎!!

[Equi-geek Graduate in reply to Tartancat]

Haha! I was talking about the two complimenting each other with a horse physio the other day; the riding stretching the hip open - like my human physio has been doing gently - and then running closing and strengthening it 🤣 A fine line when managing permanent damage!!!