Almost a nice (rather than ice) spring day so thought I would try a very slow run. At first planned on 3k, then 2 miles, and in the end got through 5k. Kept the pace extremely slow and felt very comfortable, just didn’t want to risk another pop of my hamstring, which thankfully behaved itself, hopefully I can keep running, even if it’s very slow for now!
Really wanted to get out for a run and just get some exercise hormones flowing after quite a stressful and strange week.
Figured I might try 2 or 3k, and at first thought the hamstring was going to pop straight away but it didn’t. Kept the pace very slow, and when I got to 3k, decided to keep going at the same slow pace, and although there as a slight twinge after I’d stopped at traffic lights, it passed and I was able to complete 5k in 38 minutes without the hamstring popping painfully, so it’s a start!
After my last entry, I managed to get back to the Sweatshop Running Community in Hyde and run a full 10k as backmarker, gathering pace at the end (as far as I gather pace these days) and while I was vaguely aware towards the end of the hamstring, it was fine and had no further sensations.
Next day was fine, until suddenly I was walking down the street and it kind of popped again. Rest up for several days, tried to run 2 miles at a very slow 12 minute mile jog, and it was popping horrendously by the end end so I had to give up.
Took about 2 weeks off, during a time that was so stressy I really really needed some exercise, and then went out tonight, ran a very sedate pace, but by the end of 2 miles my left leg was not happy all over again.
Really don’t know what to do, if two weeks total rest from running doesn’t seem to have helped, where do I go from here? No, I can’t afford physios etc. 🙁 What I don’t get is after the initial trauma, it wasn’t long before I was back running, didn’t seem to have any problems, now I’m resting for 2 weeks and can’t get through 2 miles at a very slow pace…
Have tried massaging and stretching in the meantime, doesn’t seem to have helped.
Had a bit of a duvet day today, reading psych texts in bed, but decided to go out for a run…
Felt slowish at first, then picked up some pace, plan was to do about 5 miles, or at least 5k. Got to Mill Lane, was going to loop back along Hyde Road to home, but suddenly felt my energy levels drop through the floor and had to stop, was all I could do to walk to the nearest bus stop and jump on the 201 back to Denton, felt quite ill, but knew it was just because I had not fuelled properly and had low blood sugar, has happened before, must watch that, but didn’t think it would be too bad on a shorter run, mind you has occasionally happened walking, just a matter of eating too much crappy white toast and nothing decent all day 🙁
Definitely need to get some Savers porridge in, or take some malt loaf wrapped up in my pocket for on the run snacking!
Been running but couldn’t be a*sed updating this blog for a while – too much going on! Might just do a short entry for each run from now on, unless I feel like writing more.
First run of the year, after a New Year’s Eve run with Sweatshop Hyde, where I seemed to run a bit faster than of late (was nice to be near the front instead of languishing at the rear).
In any case, set off tonight aiming to do over 5 miles, went via Dane Bank and Reddish out towards Stockport then turned back, at which point started to feel very energy depleted. Had to find a cash machine and grab a bottle of gatorade from a shop. When I got to 12k had visions of running 10 miles, but when I went up the motorway bridge near Sainsburys I had to just stop, my legs suddenly went to jelly. It was all I could do to keep going very slowly and was just feeling worse and worse, so stopped the clock at 13.22km, or 8.21 miles, and went to the nearest shop for a drink and a snack to replenish my failing reserves.
My niggly leg held up well – and this is the furthest I have run since my injury in September, so very positive despite imploding at the end!
Just for my own personal record, I have missed a couple of updates, so just making a brief note of them:
The other week, did a 6.5 mile hillyish run with SRC, meeting new people and seeing some familiar faces, and ran at the back at a nice slowish pace. Leg was fine the next day.
This Sunday 11/11/12, did a gentle 5 miler in about 55 minutes, leg felt a little niggly, but still ok as long as I keep the pace down to a very gentle trot.
Will keep plugging away!
10 days or so since I went to the sweatshop Hyde 5k group, leg flared on weightbearing somewhat after that so decided not to run.
Have opted into the Halloween run this Weds, as would like to have a bit of fun in fancy dress. The plan was to go swimming today but the school hols somewhat messed up that plan as the pool was closing in 10 minutes when I got there.
So decided to do a short run, and see how my leg was holding up – was aware of discomfort in the lower right leg as usual after the first step, and it was present all the way through the run, despite going at the meagre pace of 7 mins or slower per km. Felt fine fitness wise but really not sure what is wrong with leg now, it’s been 2 months since Salford 10k, have rested up for weeks at a time, but this problem isn’t going away – just hope it’s not another winter of no running as visits to the pool could be costly!!
Another 5k with mixed feelings, right leg never felt 100% but seemed to survive if I kept the pace really slow. Had been swimming earlier in the week, which is great, but at £2.80 a time can work out more expenseive than hitting the road!
I have a current theory about my injury, which goes back to the fall I had over the summer, cracking my back hard on a rock. I’m wondering if I compressed a nerve, as when I had 2 weeks off running, some other symptoms I had, such as a mild numbness in certain places, subsided, but seem to have returned along with starting running again, so am wondering if running is putting pressure on it and this is in fact what is causing the leg pain…
I will see what happens after this run. It may be that I need an extended break for the nerve to uncompress itself (funnily enough, after swimming, and stretching my body out, the symptoms greatly ease). Maybe I will even have to quit running altogether.
Good or bad news? Who knows! I’m thinking of the Zen story where a farmer’s son breaks his leg, but thus avoids being conscripted into the army and killed. Maybe my injury will help me avoid a rendezvous with a truck or maniac gunman…
Just a very gentle 5 miles, with a hill in the middle!
Left ankle felt a bit niggly on starting, and when I got a little quicker in 2nd km, left hamstring started to protest a little too. Kept my stride length shorter and just plodded along, took it easy on the sharp descent to Denton woods, and enjoyed some nice trail running in the evening sunshine. Had a few bursts of quicker pace but didn’t sustain them.
Took the ascent up Stockport Road very easy but started to get really hot and felt hungry and thirsty. Plodded around random streets at a very slow pace until I got to the 5 mile mark, the legs were OK, not sure how they will respond to race pace on Sunday – and not sure what race pace will be, but will just run how I feel on the day, and see what time I end up with!
Weather was looking bit cloudy so ideal conditions for a long slow run. Wasn’t sure how my legs would be as they had felt a bit achey after the recovery run on Tuesday – still, they’d had 2 days to recover from that!
Unlike my long runs in the past, where I felt good and upped the pace, and eventually ended up with injuries, I was determined to keep the pace nice and slow. For the first 3k felt very good, although there was a moment where I started to breathe hard and wondered if I would get anywhere near my target of 10 ish miles. The plan was to run just over 10 to take me into 20 miles for the week.
There was a bit of a breeze, and a little drizzle helped me keep cool although it was mainly dry and towards the end of the run there was a nice red sky. I ran out through Dane Bank, then Reddish, then all the way to the edge of Stockport until I came to a sort of dead end of dual carriageway, and turned back, opting for the route via Belle Vue and back to base through Gorton. Barely got out of breath although my knees were a bit sore at times, and I was sweating quite a lot – at about 12k I popped into a shop for some energy drink, which only lost me about a minute, but I needed to refuel, and it did me good. Kept plodding along at a nice steady pace, felt I could keep going all night really, and 10 miles ticked over while I was still a ways off the motorway bridge at Denton Rock.
Took it slow over the bridge, and started to calculate what I would end up running, figured I would easily make 11 miles and when that ticked over realised I only needed to run another 1.6km to make it 12. My pace was slowing and feet were a bit sore, but just kept going at an easy pace, and when I got to 19.4k I figure I couldn’t quite trust my own maths, so I thought to make it 19.8k and by then I just decided to jog another 200metres to make it a nice round 20km, or 12.43 miles. I could have carried on and made it a half marathon, but time was getting on, and I had already exceeded my planned distance, and was near my front door, so I petered to a stop, took a well deserved slug from what was left of the powerade, and got inside to cool off!
21.8 miles for the week, with a nice mix of runs, have a little time away now so will be having 4 days off running with some hiking instead, but I feel in really good shape. Probably my last really long run before the Salford 10k race in September, hopefully this time I have got the preparation right, and will be able to do myself justice.
Might try a 5k time trial next week, just to see where my pace is at!
