You won't be a different person tomorrow.

Walls

Thursday: I spent Wednesday evening with the leg up (well, maybe for an hour). Then early to bed.

Thursday, woke up with the alarm. Would the knee hold up? I got up and felt no real pain. Decided I would start the run and if there was any problems I would stick to two miles.

Ran like my knee was made of china, but there were no problems. So I did the three mile route and managed to see an amazing sunrise over the Liffey while this played. Am delighted.

Walls

Friday: Yes, I got up, and I did my three miles. Have a great Easter everyone!

Walls

Monday: Yes, I got up and ran three miles.

Tuesday Yes, I also ran three miles. Did my measurements last night and am exactly the same. EXACTLY.

What the hell is the point?

Walls

Tuesday evening So I am getting a cup of coffee in the cafe, turning away from the milk dock area, when suddenly.... ow! My left shin gives out an almighty tinge that freezes me. It's not a muscle spasm, it feels like genuine damage to my leg. It feels that if I just move my leg a certain way, it is going to dislocate. It passes, but I'm scared I have a shin splint on the way.

Later that evening, I'm walking to the bus, and I tell myself that I've felt nothing else that day, and if I just take it easy I should be able to run Wednesday. Right then, the pain starts up again, and whoever my voodoo personal trainer is they have me paying attention. No running tomorrow. Right. Got it.

Wednesday: I am up at 6am, and I do an hour of stretching. I carry out Callan Pickney's toning exercises. These are based on ballet and you need to pay attention doing them because they are precision movements. Most of the exercises are to be done in groups of one hundred. I do three hundred each, to make up the hour's worth, and then hit the shower.

The day itself is great; I and my colleagues have an excellent off site meeting, but find a political storm waiting for us when we get back to the office. I go home that evening and eat emotionally, not caring. Bah. Humbug.

Thursday: I get up, and on the way out the door see my reflection. Is it me or does my stomach look... flatter? Huh.

I run the three miles, but carefully, as I still feel the leg from time to time.

I get to work, and get nothing but complements. I've made it to 2.05pm and have three complements about how slender I look. My new trousers, snug on Saturday, are loose on me today.

The hell?

Walls

Friday: three miles down and exercising for the win. You should see me, Angelina Jolie goes home and cries, cries that she doesn't look like me.

Okay, well, I'm still clinging to my delightful, imperfect self. My delightful, solid, solid self. But things are going in the right direction so hopefully it is set to continue. [Sucks in stomach]

Walls

Monday: I'm no navy seal, but I got up and ran my three miles in just under thirty minutes. Spent 30 minutes exercising, and saw another pound down on the scales. Slinky!

Walls

Tuesday: Oh hurrah! Hurrah hurrah hurrah! I'm back to work! Thank goodness we have that whole relaxing with friends and family thing over and done with, that was really awful. Now we can get back to the delightful workaday world that is my life.

Yay.

So, up at 6am (for the win) and ran like a bloody old lady, but improved after I kicked her out of the way. Stupid cow.

Ran, in I think 32 minutes. And the weight I lost yesterday? All back on. Wadda gonna do?

Oryx

This log is better than anything padraiggg could dream up.

But throw out your scales. Instrument of the devil, it is.

Walls

See, ya say that, but really and truely I need to have a daily reminder that I'm touch and go on the hog scales and to keep it up. So I do. But thanks for the complements, they do and will keep me going.

Wednesday: So Le Chica Mucho Lardo got herself up and out and was doing the running. Slow old day, not much in me if I'm honest. For the second day in a row, though, I saw this old guy (well, in his forties) out running. He went one way and I went another, and we met up again at the half way mark, friendly waves all the way. If I see him again I'll sprint like a mad woman to look faster than him, sod that noise.

Walls

Thursday: And why it couldn't be Friday God knows. I worked late into the night last night and went to bed wrecked, and woke up this morning so tired... Slowly got up, slowly got dressed, and slowly got out there.

To find it was Runner Central out there this morning. There was any kind of runner out there this morning, we've got young male runners, we've got fast female runners, we've even got that rather large slow runner over there going the other way. I shouldn't complain, she was doing well. So off I go, get a good pace, but really and truly I'm tired. I get over a few hills, and walk for a few minutes. No sign of that guy from yesterday, though. I make myself keep going and get what I hope is a decent pace. Then I make my way back and surprise surprise, who do I meet?

The large, slow runner I looked down on earlier on in my run.

Shame on me for not trying harder. I give her a big 'Aren't we cool?' smile, though, and she gives me one back. And I tell myself, tomorrow is another day Scarlett.

Walls

Friday: Yup, ran the three miles. No other runners anywhere, guess Friday is not the day for it. Really do need to get to bed earlier though, am so tired it is not funny.

Walls

Wednesday: Sick. Sick, sore and tired. Doctor says I don't just have a cold but an underlying infection, and so have to take it easy. Am on antibiotics that are really strong. You'll all have to talk amongst yourselves for a bit. Will be back soon, promise.

Oryx

I had that 'Im tired and I dont know why' thing last week and came down with a bug too. Tis just the season for it I think. Hope your well soon. Rest well.

Walls

Oryx wrote: »

I had that 'Im tired and I dont know why' thing last week and came down with a bug too. Tis just the season for it I think. Hope your well soon. Rest well.

There is ...tonnes of it going around, they're dropping like flies at work...

Walls

Thursday: Did nothing, didn't even get up at six and do the whole stretching exercises thing. My stomach is a wee bit fragile, so the idea of working on mah abs made me cringe.

So I guess you could say I'm as fit as a log right now...

Walls

Monday: I'm back, no less. Out there at six am, and I've never seen so many guards. Didn't even know we had so many.

As for today, well, lets just say it will be another one without mascara.

Walls

Tuesday: I actually overslept. I didn't know I could. Huh.

Wednesday: Up and out and done. Lots of guards (about fifty) to see how I did. Oh Goody.

Walls

Thursday: Give it up for Fatso, she did it again.

Walls

Friday: Was working at my computer at 6am, nothing to report.

Walls

(some delightful background detail): The only way I could be more tired is if newborns or illegal opiates were involved. I've been pretty much on the go since 6am* and an early start and a non-stop day makes Homer something something. I came home and had a healthy dinner, then opened the presses. I'm not sure there are any biscuits left in the house, and I'm thinking of starting on a small tunnel to next door's to see what they have going on in their snack pile. Hope it's hobnobs. I like hobnobs.

So will try to undo damage/single source of joy in mah sad, gray life/ by getting the whole exercise thing up and going tomorrow. Feel free to post your response to my ever decreasing circle of motivation and win.

Anyhoo, Fatso will be back in the saddle again on Monday. Ta ta for now.

*Note: my hair is still perfect

Walls

Modnay: Yup, Monday sees your correspondent up and out. Three miles down, and boy will I be in bed early tonight...

Walls

Tuesday: Three miles done. I'm in pain, my left leg hurts and I think I'm getting a shin splint. What is so impossible about running 5 days a week that I keep running into problems?

Walls

Wednesday: Still sore. Not cripplingly sore, but enough to notice when I stand on it. So I stretched this morning rather than go for my run. Maybe I need to work it as having a break midweek and running at the weekend....

Walls

Thursday: Overslept. My own fault.

Walls

Monday: Three miles down. Am going to have a reduced mileage plan 3/2/3/2/3 to see how I do. Hurrah for me!

Walls

Tuesday: God that hurt. That really hurt, I'm in a lot of pain all the time. I ran this morning but you'd swear I'd never run before, I was fat, panting, red faced. This is horrible.

I can hardly walk on my leg, never mind run on it.

And I'm going to do the Ladies Marathon Monday.

I'm going to have to leave off on the running until Monday, and then make a decision after that. I hate this, the only thing going right at the moment are these runs. And now those are going from me.

caterpillar101

Hi Walls,

Your writing is hilarious - love it!

I have bad days as well, where I feel like I just cant keep going on a run. Last Thursday, I couldnt do 5K without stopping to walk every 5 minutes! When this happens, I take a couple of days off running, and then it usually gets better. (On Sunday I did 11K no bother with no walking breaks!)

I suffer from shin splints as well. I got orthotic inserts which help, but sometimes it flares up. Again, the only thing that helps me is a day or two of rest - unfortunately.

I'm doing the MM on Monday as well - best of luck. And dont let today's run get you down.
Can you do something else when the pain flares up? Cycling or cross-training?

Cat

Hope you dont mind me jumping on your log here, but I could relate to your post so I thought I'd be so bold :-)

Oryx

If it helps, we all have periods where its going shoite. Its just your turn. If you havent already, see a sports physio and/or get gait analysis. Running with pain or injury will only ever make it worse and lead to more down time in the long run (bad, bad pun).

Good luck with it and hope you get the fun back soon.

cocoemma

Walls, I have just finished reading your fittness journal and I have to say you have inspired me and your soo funny you made me laugh.. Im soo down today, I'm saying since January I'll join the gym but I haven't and NOW its June, Im feeling pretty useless or I'll say I was till after I read your journal, I'll now start my walking tomorrow it just goes to show I need to find my own determination and self disapline (can't spell) that you've showed.., i've a treadmill at home so my fat ass shouldn't be making any excuses..thank you for sharing it...

PS: I might start my own thread humm...

Walls

caterpillar101 wrote: »

Hi Walls,

Your writing is hilarious - love it!

I have bad days as well, where I feel like I just cant keep going on a run. Last Thursday, I couldnt do 5K without stopping to walk every 5 minutes! When this happens, I take a couple of days off running, and then it usually gets better. (On Sunday I did 11K no bother with no walking breaks!)

I suffer from shin splints as well. I got orthotic inserts which help, but sometimes it flares up. Again, the only thing that helps me is a day or two of rest - unfortunately.

I'm doing the MM on Monday as well - best of luck. And dont let today's run get you down.
Can you do something else when the pain flares up? Cycling or cross-training?

Cat

Hope you dont mind me jumping on your log here, but I could relate to your post so I thought I'd be so bold :-)

Thanks so much for posting that, I'm very much annoyed with myself, so its a relief to hear someone else has the problem too. Cycling doesn't cause the same injury? Well of course it wouldn't, now that I think about it. That could be good.

If I had my will, I'd go swimming, which I really do enjoy (shocking for the hair, but what can you do) but there isn't a swimming pool near me. So will chew the pen over the cycling.