fairweatherrunner

running blog

Monthly Archives: September 2011


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VLM ballot

Well somebody is pleased to have a new fleece!

I entered the London Marathon ballot on a whim not expecting to get a place and being a little worried recently what I’d do if I actually did get a place!  Fortunately today I got the ‘Dear John’ response  and the commiseration fleece so no worries there.

I was actually disappointed for a few hours this afternoon, especially getting caught up in the hype and excitement on twitter when a few people heard earlier on that they had places.  I even researched other possible marathons in 2012 such as the new Milton Keynes Marathon.

However common sense has set in, having asked myself,  ’Do you really want to run 26.2 miles next spring?’  Erm.. Not really!   I’m not even half marathon fit at the moment after injury!  All sorted.  I am going to concentrate on rebuilding my fitness and set myself a few goals to improve my 5K, 10K and HM times by running a few more of these races in 2012.

I always did say that I would run a marathon when I was very very old and therefore could have the excuse of stopping for a cuppa tea en route!


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To Half Marathon or not to Half Marathon

This morning I warmed up for my run with a boogie round the kitchen to ‘Night Fever’ (its OK, the boys had gone to school so did not suffer the embarrassment of witnessing my full disco routine!).  The forecast for hot weather today focussed my mind to get my run done early and I was also keen to run and see how my hip is recovering and coping with increasing length runs.  So I was revved up and ready to go.  Basically it depends on how today and another longer run of 8 or 10 miles at the weekend go as to whether I can go the distance in the Royal Parks Half Marathon in 10 days time.

Last week I was exuberant to be running again and had a busy week doing 2 BMF classes, a 1km swim, a gym session, including 20 mins on the dreadmill, plus an outside run.  I found the run (my first decent run outside for 2 months)  hard work but after a tough couple of miles at the start things got easier and I was pleased to manage 4 miles.  I stretched well and was delighted to find my hip felt fine the next day and therefore bounced off to BMF where I got stuck in and enjoyed a bit too much sprinting! (You just can’t jog a race…  Well I can’t!)

The result was that by Saturday when I ran to the park my hip flexors were tight again and by the time I got there I was limping. On Monday after a day off I was frustrated to find running painful and limped through my BMF class.

A return to the Physio found that my hip flexors were slightly inflamed again, although not as bad and luckily the associated muscles are now OK.  On reviewing my weeks exercise we worked out that it is probably overdoing it and bursts of speed at BMF that are the culprit and if I want to get back to running half marathons I need to concentrate on strengthening and building up my running distance at an easy pace.  So no more sprinting :( :(   (for a while).

The Physio stretched and loosened my hip out and the plan was to keep it slow and try another outside run, up to 5 miles, before my next visit to see how things are going.

Which brings me back to this mornings run.  All fired up with the Bee Gees I strutted my stuff out the door… I kept it slow, however the first 3 miles were horrible.  Really tough going, I just couldn’t get into a rhythm at a pace that didn’t strain my hip plus all the other bits of both legs were grumbling and aching after recent under use.  It didn’t help listening to ‘Tragedy’… “When the feelings gone, And you can’t go on its Tragedy…”   “With no-one beside you, Your goin’ nowhere”  Yes it was that bad! By 3 miles I had resigned myself to the fact that me running a Half Marathon in 10 days was impossible. I don’t know why   fortnightflo and plustenner  think I’ll need to go at a faster pace than them because on the basis of those 3 slow awkward miles I will have quite a struggle to maintain their pace!

The breakthrough came around 4 miles.  I upped my pace (It wasn’t sprinting, honest!), to clear a pedestrian crossing before the lights changed, which felt much more fluid and natural although I could feel a slight strain on my hip flexor.  I adjusted my stride and reduced my pace to slow again but then found that my running felt more natural and finally comfortable and enjoyable at the easy pace.  Typical!  I start enjoying my run just as I approach home, so I added an extra loop to savour the good running feeling and optimism about 13.1 miles in 10 days!

I started my run with ‘Tragedy’, but  finished on a high with my ‘Spirits Having Flown’! My favourite Bee Gees track.

“I am your hurricane, your fire in the sun.
How long must I live in the air?
You are my paradise, my angel on the run.
How long must I wait?
It’s the dawn of the feeling that starts
From the moment you’re there.
I’d like to take you where my spirit flies,
Through the empty skies we go alone,
Never before having flown.”

I reigned it in after 5 1/2 miles as promised making myself walk the half mile home to cool down.

5.6 miles,  64 mins,  average pace 11.30.

So the jury is still out on whether I’ll make my Half Marathon.  I’m going back to the Physio tomorrow and then will have to see how I cope with a longer run on Sunday or Monday.


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Whoop whoop!

At BMF yesterday I was delighted to find that I really can now run without limping and pain-free. What a wonderful feeling! I took it easy to start with (I was also a bit cautious about hurting myself again, not to mention my loss in stamina) but as the class went on and we continued to run I felt better and better. At one point the Instructor called for a race/sprint to try to catch him so I really put my foot down.

What a fabulous feeling to put on a burst of acceleration and sprint flat-out again – for me the best de-stressor there is. It felt so good that I was very happy to run again quickly afterwards and had to stop myself yelling out ‘whoop whoop yippee my new leg works!’

Exuberance over, I had a timely Physio appointment later to continue to ease my hip and glute muscles plus this time a few other poor bits of me by then feeling the strain from my earlier efforts.

Today I was very keen to run again and was beginning to think about what sort of long runs I could manage before the Royal Parks Half in 2 weeks. Fortunately my sensible side won over and I decided not to overdo it too soon. I went to the gym where I did an easy run on the treadmill doing Audiofuel pyramid 180 intervals (I jogged / ran the intervals rather than ran / sprinted them) for 20 minutes and then after a good stretch I continued on the bike for another 20 minutes to make sure my total calories burned were more than a glass of vino!


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I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but..

For an outdoors running preferring, BMF addicted person I was fairly impressed (by a gym)!

Having recently rejoined the gym I was invited for the usual quick-start session with a member the gym staff to familiarise me with the equipment and give me a personal programme. I have to admit I was sceptical because the last time I went to such a session at another gym brand I was very unimpressed by the spotty youth who gave me the speeal and appeared to understand a lot less than I did about fitness and was also in need of the gym for a little fat burning even more than me!

However I’ve joined up at Virgin Active for a couple of months while I get my hip problems sorted (so I can swim in a clean pool) and went along yesterday to see what they could offer. I also thought it would be a good ice breaker for me and give me confidence in the gym using the machines I’ve not used in years since I used to go there when my kids were toddlers (anything to get an hours peace while they went in the crèche!).

I was asked my motivation for joining (help I’m getting fat!), fitness goals and weighed (oops) and measured (am 1cm shorter than I’ve been claiming for the last x years). Emma asked informed questions about my injury and physio and took on board my need for maintaining my cardio fitness without impact, suggesting cycling and cross trainer intervals and the use of TRX training for strength work (to support my running). She tested how long it took to me to cycle 1km, how many bench squats and press ups I could do in one minute so I had something to gauge progress against as well as body measurements.

I thought TRX was brilliant! Using straps suspended from the ceiling you do the standard strength exercises for upper body, core and legs (triceps and chest pulls, plank, squats lunges etc) pulling against your body weight for resistance. It gives an intense workout and I certainly felt the one leg squats and the lunges the next day even after plenty of rolling and massaging.

I left looking forward to getting back to the gym and started on my programme.

Today I had another Physio session. This time it was not symptom relief (to ease the painful tight bits) but in the gym to learn exercises to strengthen and correct my body alignment. It was interesting that some of the exercises I need to do are some I was given at the gym (one leg squats and lunges) but with an emphasis on keeping my feet knees and hips in line and my pelvis horizontal. Ouch ouch! I also got to use the torture table (I think those in the know would call it a Pilates table) for lots of core and hip exercises and simulating running while using the mirror to keep my core locked straight and not twisting and turning). (Usain Bolt is apparently a perfect example of running keeping core perfectly still – need to go watch him slow motion on U tube).

This evening although my glutes, inner and outer thighs are screaming from all the hard work I am feeling very positive that’s it’s all working really well and hopeful that I really can run the Royal Parks Half Marathon. Just as well because my race pack arrived today!

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And.. when on my way out to the shops this afternoon I sprinted without thinking to catch the pedestrian crossing. And it DIDN’T HURT!!


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Today’s purchase.

I limped through another BMF class today. There was a little too much running for my liking but that serves me right for promoting myself back into the reds too soon. At least I can now manage a moderate speed which is a vast improvement on last weeks full ahead slow. Actually the initial discomfort in my hip soon disappears once I get warmed up and moving (slowly) so I had few excuses for stopping to rest other than my burning lungs because of my complete loss of fitness!

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I was back at the physio this afternoon where I purchased this new orange instrument of torture to reach parts of my over-worked muscles that the foam roller cannot reach. I also had acupuncture for the first time having some needles put into my ITB and glutes. Much much less painful than massage!

This evening I have declined the kind offer of DIY physio services from my younger son with a compass! I am sticking with my stretches, foam rolling and working out what to do with the rubber orange spiky thing!


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Another month, another Physio and getting to the bottom of the problem!

Having paid my money I took myself to the gym on Monday for a swim, while working out how many times I had to go to make each swim the same price as the leisure centre. The gym hasn’t changed in the years since I left, except that our American Cousins have advanced in their take-over of West London because the ladies changing room is now labelled “Women’s Locker Room”.

There was only one other person in the pool and shock horror we actually had a brief conversation to joke about me swimming in her private pool! We were then joined by another swimmer but otherwise I had 45 minutes in my own lane. It was good to be back in the water and I challenged myself to swim a minimum of 30 lengths. My swimming lessons a few years ago appear to have been some value, I swam 50 lengths (1000m) mostly breast stroke but also managed 10 decent(ish) lengths of front crawl. Not bad after not swimming much since.

My arms and shoulders ached the next day! Maybe I should have quit at 30 lengths… all the same I went back on Tuesday and swam another 1km. This time I managed a little more front crawl. My main difficultly with front crawl is because I rush too much. However I’ve discovered that 10 lengths breast stroke before trying front crawl means I am sufficiently worn out to swim long slow and leisurely!

On Wednesday I couldn’t face anther day the gym on my own. So missing BMF and thinking my leg felt stronger I decided to give BMF a go. I joined the blues (beginners) for the first time in many years and was quite chilled to be almost at the back at a slow pace which was pain-free. I still put my all into the strength exercises and received a few raised eyebrows from newer blues because I could bang out 20 pretty good press ups without dropping to my knees (a girls gotta have some pride!). Despite my slow speed it still felt fantastic to be back, outside and with a great bunch of people and I realised how much I miss BMF when I can’t go.

The next day my leg/hip felt fine but the rest of me ached in true “not been to BMF in a few weeks style!” Yay!! However on Friday morning I was limping again with sharp pains in my hip and decided to stop putting off going to see a Physiotherapist.

I was impressed by the Physio. To cut a long story short, or to get straight to the bottom of the problem; my hips are not completely stabilised when I run because of weak hip, core and glute muscles and the excessive movement has caused stress on these muscles as well as my leg and ITB.

It was a relief to hear its nothing that can’t be sorted out and I was most optimistic that she suggested goals of me walking and running limp free, back to BMF regularly and being able to run HM distance in the near future. I will have more sessions (not too many I hope) to relieve and stretch out my hips and glutes and then in the gym to correct my various imbalances so I can run injury free in future.

Fingers crossed. Me participating in the Royal Parks Half Marathon looks possible, albeit with limited training. I’d better get on with my homework of stretches and foam rolling!


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Got the T shirt but won’t be going there…

I got back to London to find that my race pack had arrived for Run to the Beat, the first of the 3 Half Marathons I have entered this Autumn. It includes a great T-shirt which focussed my mind that the race is 3 weeks on Sunday and I will not be able to run it.

My getting back to running after injury has stalled and I can’t yet run totally pain-free. A mile or two hobbling along slowly is about tops for now so no return to BMF yet for me and certainly no parkruns. (Insert sad face here). I am planning to seek more advice from another Physio next week and hope that I can at least contemplate taking part (slowly) in either or both of the Royal Parks Half and Great South Run in 5 and 8 weeks time.

I have also taken the rash step of temporarily re-joining the Notting Hill ‘Yummy Mummies’ gym (on a month by month basis) which I left 6 years ago when I discovered BMF. At least I can vent my frustrations there attempting to remember some of the finer points (breathing) of front crawl and have a go at spinning. OH was sceptical, reminding me that I never really enjoyed going there and used to be scathing about the unfriendliness of the majority of the other gym users. However, since then I’ve been toughened up by BMF so they will have to put up with the fact that I talk, (‘Morning!’), make eye contact and smile at them. At least it’s some form of exercise to try to maintain a bit of fitness (and avoid too much fatness) until normal running is resumed. Might also give me something interesting to blog about too!

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