Running changes everything

RubyK

Mon 25/07 - leg and lower back sore, so no running

Tues 26/07 - slow run with a friend. 6.10 avg 9.48 min. A couple of twinges now and again.

Wed 27/07 - afraid to chance a run. A walk with the dog instead and lots of stretching & strengthening exercises. Booked an appointment with the physio, and getting a bio-mechanical done tomorrow.

Thurs 28/07 - no niggles at all today, feeling better than I have done in a while. Fingers crossed all goes ok at the physio's this evening, and the past couple of weeks have just been a blip.

racheljev

I'm with Shaz on cutting the mileage a bit - I kept running last year on a dodgy leg, telling myself "sure I'll run it off, it'll be grand, just keep going". I ended up out for longer with stress fracture Every time I feel a twinge now, I'm terrified! :rolleyes: Good luck with the physio, hope you're back to full strength pronto.

RubyK

Had a biomechanical assessment done the end of last week. All seems to be as it should be, so we are now looking at the nutritional side of things post-running, which is something I did neglect before. So I'll be experimenting with recovery drinks, and changing around my diet a bit.

Fri 05/07 - a very early 1 mile run down the beach with the dog, and 1 mile walk back up it. Bliss, having the place to ourselves!

Sat 06/07 - cross training, by walking the streets of Edinburgh.

Sun 07/07 - more cross-training in the form of retail therapy, which ended abruptly when my sandal got caught on a slightly raised pavement slab. Crash, bang, wallop. Left hand grazed, left knee black & blue, right knee cut, pride severely dented due to it being on the busiest street in the city, beside a bus stop

Mon 08/07 - travelling back home.

Tues 09/07 - a very handy run with a friend. 6.40 miles avg 9.38 pace. Knees a bit tender, but all in all it felt ok.

RubyK

Wed 03/08 - a nice easy 4.60 miles avg 9.36 pace, half on road half on trail. Knees a bit tender, but no other niggles.

Thurs 04/08 - rest.

I'll do a longer run tonight, and hoping to get new runners tomorrow, and will test them out Sunday.

Today, the leg and lower back feel 100%. I hope this continues, and I can get into some kind of proper training plan.

RubyK

Fri 05/08 - 8.57 miles avg 9.14 pace. Run went quite well, leg a little achey towards the end.

Sat 06/08 - rest day. Went for gait analysis, and I'm back in Mizuno wave inspire. The kayanos are just too supportive and heavy, which could be affecting my lower back.

Sun 07/08 - tested out the new runners. 5.50 miles avg 9.01 pace. A good run, all felt well. Hopefully, the change in runners will help settle things down.

RubyK

Mon 08/08 - 5.44 hilly miles. Avg pace 9.08.

Tues 09/08 - 5.30 miles with a friend. Avg pace 9.13. Cut it short due to a dull pain in leg.

Thurs 11/08 - 4.60 miles, half on road half on trail. Avg pace 9.02.

A very meh week. Feeling a bit disillusioned with the lack of progress. Such a difference from this time last year.

claralara

We all have meh weeks - I'm slap bang in the middle of one myself. But look at the fact that you're getting steady runs in and tapping away at the mileage at a good pace amid niggles / new runners / general disheartened feelings. It'll pass and you'll be flying again in no time. Just make sure to take care of yourself and remember that recovery is more important and than hitting it hard again!

slowsteady

I'll swop my week for yours:D

Achilles still sore and having to convince myself not to go out and give it a try.

This injury crap is hard to tolerate but we need to keep the recovery slow and steady - you are making progress even though it might not feel like it.

Patience is a virtue (but it sure don't feel like it:p)

RubyK

claralara wrote: »

We all have meh weeks - I'm slap bang in the middle of one myself.

That's true claralara, all part and parcel of these fun and games

slowsteady wrote: »

I'll swop my week for yours:D

Achilles still sore and having to convince myself not to go out and give it a try.

This injury crap is hard to tolerate but we need to keep the recovery slow and steady

Hope the achilles sorts itself out for you slowsteady, it was a very unlucky thing to happen you, just when you were getting over the shoulder surgery.

RubyK

Sat 13/08 - 8.35 miles avg 9.17 min pace. All was ok for the first 5 miles, but went rapidly downhill after that. My body and head felt like crap, and couldn't wait to get home. I could not have gone a further 100 metres. Took to the bed for an hour, and felt better for it.

Sun 14/08 - rest day, took the dog to the beach for an early morning stroll. Bliss.

RubyK

Mon 15/08 - although I was feeling good, great actually, I decided not to run, to do some strenghtening & corework instead. Looks like I made the wrong decision, as I seem to have aggravated my lower back, and I'm sore again today. The new Nike Traix 14's, which arrived today, are taunting me Can't see myself running for a few days.

Jebas :mad:

DigiJem

Jeez you're having a nightmare with injuries, hope its only a minor setback

RubyK

DigiJem wrote: »

Jeez you're having a nightmare with injuries, hope its only a minor setback

I'm well p*ssed off with it all DigiJem. And this log is turning into a right moan-fest.

RubyK

Wed 17/08 - took the new Nike Triax 14's out for a test run. 6 miles avg 8.55 pace. The best bit of running I've done in months. Everything felt good. It's early days, but I think I might be falling in love with these Nikes :pac:

Back a little tight, when driving/sitting, but was I felt fine walking the dog on the beach earlier. I might do a few easy miles on grass later.

RubyK

Thurs 18/08 - my second outing in the Nike Triax. I really enjoyed this, felt great all through and managed a 8.03 mile, which I haven't been able/brave enough to do in months.

4.60 miles avg 8.46 pace, half on road half on trail.

Lower back and leg feel grand this morning. Woo hoo .

RubyK

Sat 20/08 - 10.05 miles avg 9.07 pace. Took in a good part of the Waterford Half marathon route, which I really enjoyed. First time using this route in training. Beats my usualy loops. All in all an ok run, but found the last mile tough.

Sun 21/08 - 2 miles on grass, 2.40 miles on trail. Avg 9.38 pace. Lower back a bit tight afterwards, but fine when running.

RubyK

Tues 23/08 - lots of physio work done - piriformis issues on both sides now, plus a knotty quad. Nice :pac:. Weak back muscles are causing the back pain.

Stretching like a mad woman, but I can continue running, which is good. Starting pilates in 2 weeks time, so hopefully that will also help.

Wed 24/08 - 4.21 miles avg 9.22 pace. Sore, where the work was done.

Once I can keep moving I don't mind keeping the pace slow.

RubyK

Fri 26/08 - 6 miles avg 9.00 min pace. Not too bad a run. Lots of stretching afterwards.

Sat 27/08 - cross-training of the retail therapy type in Cork. Great fun :pac:

Sun 28/08 - 10.80 miles avg 9.12 min pace. Toughest mile was mile 7 - legs turned to jelly and I had to stop for 20 secs and take a couple of glucose sweets. Felt ok, and carried on. Last mile was tough on the left leg. Lots of stretching afterwards.

The extra stretching seems to be working on piriformis muscles & lower back.

shazkea

Excellent, you're back and you can't beat the ould retail therapy! How much running stuff did you buy

RubyK

shazkea wrote: »

How much running stuff did you buy

I was very good, I only bought one running top. August was an expensive month, spent €100's on runners/gear. I did make up for it in H&M/New Look/Penneys though In my defence, the shopping at home is pretty poor, so I have to make the most of it when opportunity arises :pac:.

Mon 29/08 - 5.15 miles avg 9.10 min pace. It felt harder than it should have, and I must have looked wrecked, as a guy offered me his bike just after mile 2 :rolleyes: It did make me laugh though!

Nules10

RubyK wrote: »

Starting pilates in 2 weeks time, so hopefully that will also help

I swear by Pilates but it does take a while to get into it so be patient with it and before you know it you will have a rock solid core

slowsteady

Good to see you back on track. Niggles are to be expected but if you can keep putting in the miles it should all come together.

RubyK

Nules10 wrote: »

I swear by Pilates but it does take a while to get into it so be patient with it and before you know it you will have a rock solid core

Thanks Nules10, looking forward to trying something different, and it can't do me any harm! Core is pretty weak, so hopefully it'll make the difference to my running.

slowsteady wrote: »

Good to see you back on track. Niggles are to be expected but if you can keep putting in the miles it should all come together.

Cheers slowsteady! Sorry to read about your own injury woes. Fingers crossed you'll get sorted asap.

Tues 30/08 - headed to the beach for a change of scenery. 5.65 miles avg 9.32 min pace. Shouldn't have run through the soft sand though, as it didn't do my back any favours. Really enjoyed it at the time though!

Thinking of doing a speed session tonight. First one in 3 1/2 months. Won't be pleasant, but I need to get going on these again.

shazkea

RubyK wrote: »

I was very good, I only bought one running top. August was an expensive month, spent €100's on runners/gear. I did make up for it in H&M/New Look/Penneys though In my defence, the shopping at home is pretty poor, so I have to make the most of it when opportunity arises :pac:.

Ah I love it...only 1 top because there just wasn't enough tops in the drawer and it was too easy to close...or maybe that's just my excuse!!
Good to see you bought over stuff; can't rem the last time I bought clothes that weren't running, biking or hiking related - extremely sad

RubyK

shazkea wrote: »

Good to see you bought over stuff; can't rem the last time I bought clothes that weren't running, biking or hiking related - extremely sad

Not sad shaz, it's just funny the way priorities change! Before I'd love nothing better than shopping for shoes (with heels). Now it's gear & runners. But I badly needed a few regular clothes. My next clothes spree will be in sometime in 2012

Wed 30/08 - headed to the track for a group speed session, except I was the only one there

8*400's @ 6.41 pace with 90 sec recovery
4*150's with 50 metre recovery

5 miles covered with warm up/cool down.

Thurs 01/09 - rest day today. Going for birthday meal & drinks instead.

claralara

Fair play getting stuck into that session on your own! Good work.

Happy birthday...:D Enjoy your rest day!

RubyK

Cheers claralara

RubyK

Legs were in ribbons Thurs/Fri after Wednesdays track session, so there was no running done.

Sat 03/09 - headed off early on Saturday morning in the rain, to do the half marathon route in reverse. From the off my right quad was pretty sore. It eased after mile 4 and I started to enjoy the run until mile 10/11 when the quad stiffened up again, and the right hip decided to join in :rolleyes: Both eased off again at mile 12.5. Finished up with 13.15 miles @ 9.18 min pace.

Got home and cleaned up, and headed down to see the half marathoners from the mile 7 mark. Saw RacoonQueen making it look easy, and I think a couple of other boardsies, all flying it! I hope to finally get to do this half in December.

Sun 04/09 - quad still sore, so me and the four legged one went to the beach ahead of the rain, for a stroll.

Thinking of doing a local 10K on Sunday. I haven't a hope of a pb, but it's been so long since I last did a race, I think I'll do it anyway.

shazkea

Oh belated Happy Birthday Ruby - hope you enjoyed the celebrations

Dunno if you do squats or lunges or anything like that but I now swear by them. They've really helped with my quad and hip flexor problems - maybe worth a shot??

RubyK

shazkea wrote: »

Dunno if you do squats or lunges or anything like that but I now swear by them. They've really helped with my quad and hip flexor problems - maybe worth a shot??

No shaz, I don't do them. Tbh, I was always lazy with stretching/strenthening, but have upped the stretching big time, and will include squats from this week on. Thanks

Tues 06/09 - 6 miles avg 8.52 pace. Not too bad a run. A few niggles but nothing major.

Wed 07/09 - I was stuck for time, so only got 4.3 miles done this evening. Avg 8.31 pace. Quite an enjoyable run.

I'll be having my first pilates experience later today. I'm nervous. I have the flexibility of a tree