Tuesday, 16 July 2013

All systems GO! GO! GO!

Huzzah! 


A month after I find myself laid on my back with my ankle on a complete stranger's shoulder (without so much as the usual glass of wine as a means of introduction), the body-contorting exercises and the ability to swallow my pride (try finding a secluded room to fit in some lunchtime knee-bends - and an exercise which I'm pretty sure was just the physio having a laugh at my expense - when all your offices have floor to ceiling glass walls and overlooked by the desks of what feels like a million colleagues...),  I have been officially sanctioned to start running again! *Insert big smiley face here.

Unfortunately it's not the end of the exercises. Once I can get up to 50 small knee bends, without holding on to a chair for support, and at a significantly slower and more controlled pace than my usual warp speed, then I'm back to the physio to start on some less static exercises. But in the meantime this is where the fun - and I guess the real blog - begins.

As it feels like forever since I ran, and I'm still quite nervous about the ankle, I'm going to start the Couch to 5k Plan again. As the runs are very short and sweet (or should that be sweat), I'm going to clump them into weeks.

And so it begins.....


WEEK 1

Tuesday 9 July (evening) - 60/90 second run/walk splits. 
20 mins. 1.8 miles. Avg speed 5.4 mph. Avg pace 11:06 min/mile


my cute ickle water bottle
At some point during my 5-week running hiatus I seem to have moved to a different hemisphere. 99% of my previous runs were in the dark, rain, wind and snow. Suddenly it's a sweat fest out there! Now I know that by rights I shouldn't need to take water for a 20 minute run but I always get a really dry mouth and throat (I admit I am a mouth breather, I can't seem to stop it. I'm blaming small nostrils). I've previously used a doughnut shaped bottle but the swishing gets annoying and I rarely drink even half of it,  so I grab my brand-spanking-new from the States, water bottle and head out for Kirkstall Abbey.

This feels harder (and slower) than the last time I started the "Plan". Some of it I'm sure is the heat, but also the last time I started I'd been running 6 or 7 weeks already so I assume my fitness level was better. By the time I'm half way through I'm counting down every running set. The good news is that although I feel a bit heady, and my whole body feels generally tired (in fact it's especially good news that it's not just my calves aching), the great news is that I'm not suffering any pain in my right foot or ankle.

One pleasant opportunity the change in weather afforded me, for the first time I could sit post-run in the field and watch the sunset at the Abbey.

Following day - a little sore generally, but otherwise no discernible ill-effects :)
Lessons learned - make sure you know how to operate your sports watch before setting off!

Thursday 11 July (evening) - 60/90 second run/walk splits. 
21mins. 1.83 miles. Avg speed 5.23 mph. Avg pace 11:28 min/mile

Felt a bit easier than Tuesday's run. The weather was also slightly cooler, which helped. Was slightly concerned that my stomach felt unsettled prior to setting out but happily that settled down and was totally forgotten about within a couple of minutes.

Have become aware that occasionally my right knee will hit the left, especially as I start getting tired. But spending the next couple of minutes concentrating on keeping the leg straight seems enough to rectify it for a while.

Following day - feeling good :)


my route round the Abbey
Saturday 13 July (evening) - 60/90 second run/walk splits.
20 mins. 1.71 miles. Avg speed 5.12 mph. Avg pace 11:43 min/mile

The last of the 90/120 second splits and the slowest of the bunch. In my defence, 3 hours earlier I had been sat in a bar finishing off my third white wine spritzer (not sure what this speaks more loudly of, my interest in my date or my infatuation with running). It was hot, it was sweaty, a guy on a motorbike pulled up next to me as I was walking and told me to keep running. He had nice eyes so I attempted what I hoped was a friendly smile but probably looked like the rictus grin of the soon-to-be deceased....

Following day - no physical effects at all, and another plus point.....no hangover - which was good seeing as, for the first time in at least three years, I was out of bed before 9am to go and watch my friend do something much more impressive.....


Scott leading the men's street dance group running the Leeds 10k

Next week - 90/120 second run/walk splits.

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