Swapping One Race For Another

Monday was a tough day. I was back at the gym, and prepared to try to get my running back on target. After only a couple of kilometers I was suffering, finding it very heavy going and in pain. I pushed on, and had to yield at 3.5k thoroughly disappointed.

Wednesday was a better day. I managed to cover 7.2k mostly at 12.4kmh, although it was peppered with slower 6kmh “jogs”.

My stamina has certainly suffered as a result of the injury. With only 4 days to go until the Denbies 10 mile race, it is clear that I am not going to be fully fit and unprepared. The confidence I had before my injury has taken a hammering.

This morning I have swapped over from the 10 mile race to the 5 km race. Not happy that I have had to do this, but happy that I feel confident that this is something that I can achieve. I’d feel better finishing a shorter race in one piece, than I would at not finishing a longer race, and being in agony from the jarring.

So, just 3 days to go, and I feel much more confident for having made the switch. I’ll try and find another longer race for when I am over my aches and pains.

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1 Week of Running

So I’ve been running again for 1 week now. Started off with a gentle 3.5km jog at 9k. Didn’t want to push things and risk agitating my recovery

On Monday I pushed this up to 5km at 10k. Wednesday, only got about 2km at 11k when I had a sharp twinge from my arm so I stopped. Nothing seemed to have come from it by Thursday and Friday, so back to the gym on Friday, and I managed to go 5.5km at 12k.

Still way behind where I was, but at least I’m getting back to running again.

I now only have 1 week to go until the Denbies 10 mile run. Still haven’t decided whether or not to run it. My aim was to participate in my first competitive race, so I might explore switching over to the 5km instead of the 10 mile. At only about 1/3 of the distance, it will certainly be more forgiving. and at least I will get the experience of a race without the danger of causing further problems to my arm.

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Back on my Feet

Well, the signs are looking good. This morning I awoke (almost) pain free for the first time in more than 3 weeks. I’ve been in two minds about returning to training. I’m obviously very keen to get back into the swing of things again, but also I don’t want to risk my recovery by causing any damage before I’m fully fit again.

Well today I went down to the gym again for the first time in over two weeks, and decided to take a gentle jog. I managed to put in a 3.5k run at a very gentle pace of 10km/h. I felt as though I could have run much longer and faster, but I just want to see how my body copes with this first. If I wake up in the morning and am not too stiff, then the signs will be good for building up the running again.

During the next week, I’ll try to get back to where I was in the running once more, but I think I’ll keep off the weights until after the Denbies 10. Still haven’t decided whether or not I will be up to strength again for this, or if I’ll have to sit this one out. I will be very frustrated if I have to miss it. The next two weeks will tell.

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Finished the Physiotherapy

Had what should have been my last session of physiotherapy today. Playing things by ear now, but I’m hoping to take a gentle run tomorrow to see if I can take it without wrecking my recovery again.

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On the mend

Well, not wanting to tempt fate, but I seem to be on the mend. It is now almost 2 weeks since I last ran, and more than 3 weeks since my injury that put a halt to my training.

the last 2 weeks have been very rough. Unable to stand or sit or walk or drive. I’ve been off work, and missed training, and made absolutely no use of myself around the house.

The good news is that things are definitely looking up. Whilst I am still in pain, I can now at least stand, sit, walk, and go to work. The pain isn’t nearly as intense as it was.

Of course I don’t want to begin training again too early and set myself back again, or put myself out of work again (this would be too expensive), but I am desperate to get back to the gym if only to start running again.

I have another session with the physio booked in for tomorrow (Thursday), then if all is feeling well, then I would like to have a gentle running session at the gym on Friday night, and see how I cope with it over the weekend.

We are now just over 2 weeks away from the Denbies 10, and my preparation has been catastrophic since my injury. Incredibly frustrating.

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Training on Hold

Training is temporarily on hold until my injuries begin to improve. I’m now under doctors orders and starting physiotherapy. Hope to get back to training again before too long.

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Training Again

OK, so the Wednesday training session didn’t happen. I found myself instead laying on a chiropractor’s couch with ultrasound bombarding my elbow, needles sticking out of my back, and having my arms and neck cracked, and prodded and manipulated in every which way.

All of that out of the way, I finally made it back to the gym on Friday night, and after feeling a bit stiff in the arm/shoulder for the first 3 or 4 hundred meters, I soon settled into the running, and the pain seemed to drop away, and my arm/shoulder felt better than it has felt all week. I only managed about 4.5k (I didn’t want to do any more in case it caused a problem), and at the end of it I felt great. Perhaps this is the treatment?

No!! Hardly slept a wink on Friday night, and I was in more pain and discomfort than ever. Still, I think that this is the way forward, and I’m planning on taking a 5.5 mile run around Denbies later today to start to get me used to the terrain that I will experience in the Denbies 10, in just 4 weeks time.

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Changing Patterns

Since taking up training back in August 2009, I’ve been pretty methodical, and strict with sticking to my training regime… Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, week-in, week-out, Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

This pattern has only been disrupted by our trip to Lake Como late last summer, and the Christmas period (including being snowed in and the gym being closed).

Unfortunately this past fortnight has seen some disruption to the rhythm also:
Last week: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday (on Friday we went to see Alice in Wonderland)
This week: Wednesday, Friday, Sunday (‘cos Monday was Ellie’s birthday)

On Wednesday of last week, I inflicted myself with an arm/shoulder injury, from which I am still suffering. It hasn’t made training easy since I am still in a lot of pain/discomfort. Still I’ve been x-rayed and checked over, and given the all clear. I have to lay off the weights and swimming for a fortnight (which isn’t ideal preparation for the Denbies 10), but at least I can still run, so I’m looking forward to hitting the treadmill again on Wednesday, although a little anxious about how much the arm will impede me.

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