Scheming on a thing that's sabotage

HS3

So, if there was a song to describe my running this year, The Beastie Boys Sabotage would be it. I'd plough along fabulously for a while, then a distraction would come and bam I'm struggling to get back on track again. There have been all kinds of shenanigans going on that are not conducive to productive running. But in my defence I tried to keep my toe in the water as much as possible.

Whilst some of the blame lies solely with my lack of work ethic, part of it has been due to my leg. The pain became gradually worse, I would take extra rest days and sure if I'm not running I might as well have another glass of wine, or a cigarette . And round and round we went. So to try get a grip, I went to physio. Apparently it's a nerve in my back causing the problems all due to lack of stretching!

Only one session down so far, and I'm confined to three gentle runs a week, I can walk on rest days if I want. I really need to log again so I can report back and there's only so much info you can fit onto the description tab on Strava. I am desperately bad at keeping any sort of diary. Logging here was the only thing I committed to!

If possible I'd like to work away quietly in here, starting afresh, because the other plan was not coming together at all like I envisaged! It will be of little interest to anyone and the mileage will be laughable, for a while, but I'll see if I can crack something decent out of this aul dog yet :pac:

So with that in mind:-

Sat 10th Sept 4.4m avg pace 11:49p/m

Loosening done by the physio was obvious. It's been a long time since my legs extended like that and my hips worked evenly. Ball of foot sore for 2 days after though.

Tues 13th Sept 3.8m avg pace 11:29p/m

This was good! Initially pain in inner thigh and hip and when starting again after traffic light stop. Warmed in to it. Legs extended perfectly breathing was on track, did a naughty bit of pushing when it felt good. When my calf felt tight I became aware of favouring right side, evened it out and got more out of myself.

Wed 14th Sept 3.1m walk

Legs felt fairly tight after yesterday. Was happy not to run tbh. Took the opportunity to try source a new route. Even at this calf was a bit jippy.

Thurs 15th Sept 3.2m Avg pace 11:42

Jaysus it was bad. Was very surprised given that I didn't run yesterday. Perhaps rest days should be just that until this sh*t is loosened a bit. Pain in both hips, Calves, foot. Stopped and started so many times, sat down at a Luas stop. It was 50 shades of hell. Legs felt like Id ran 5 miles each day for a week. I wondered was it pain hurt or tired hurt. The former shouldnt be rattled, the latter you can get over. So I thought I'd test it. Picked a set of lights and gradually picked up speed, when it hurt it became very clear it was tired hurt. Which was good. I told myself it's the last 200 meters of a race, you can't stop now. If there's room for more pain, lets beat it out! And I ran and ran. It felt fantastic. Moments like that, tomfoolery as they may be, will make it worth while and will help the confidence no end. Still a bit concerned that I was so tired after nowt of a week, but distinguishing good pain from bad is.a.good learning point.

Feel pained now though. Hip very sore.

All stretching done each day.

6 x 1.5m cycling commute done.

One more run to do that will have to wait until Sat.

Embarrassing start to a log in a running forum but there it is :pac:

HS3

*sneaks in and drops this here while no - one's about*
Monday 19th Sept - physio
Movement on both sides improved. She was delighted. Told her about feeling so rubbish after last Thurs. Came as a surprise to her too. She said it was either the body reacting to the stretching or being generally run down. Anyhow she's chucking strength exercises into the mix now. Apparently it will make me a more efficient runner but to be prepared that they will be like a run in themselves so to knock a run out if Im in anyway sore. So my plan is, strength ex one day, run next day and stretch everyday. Bit of structure at last!

Tues 20th Sept - rest stretch

No run post physio :P Just stretching.

Wed 21 Sept 3.1m avg pace 10:59 (strava fecked up and though Id love to claim the pace it was for sure slower)

Wasn't sure how far to go. When I started off breathing was heavy straight away and inner thigh was so painful I thought it would ruin the whole thing. But I thought just warm into it, it'll work itself out and sure enough it did. Breathing was still heavy though and I thought f*ck it, you've lost fitness, you can build it back up just relax and keep going. So rather than taunting the leg and myself I decided on a 5k jaunt, but chose a route with a fair hill on the turn back so it would be short but not a cop out. The extension in both legs since the physio is just such a relief. I never realised how stiff things got. My lower back is moving, my core is working and my leg from the hip down has a lovely smooth motion. It is so enjoyable. There are still pain spots, but every cloud. Might have been cheaper/easier if it was down to the runners though!

Stretches post run and full stretch programme that eve.

Thurs 22nd Sept - stretching and strength. I get all exercises emailed to me but my phone died. I remembered all the exercises but couldn't remember the amount and overshot by about 40 squats and 30 lunges. Sure no harm, what's the worst that could happen!

Fri 23 Sept - 3.4 - 11:35

Well the worst that could happen was that I could wake up walking like a cowboy the next day! Legs were in bits. Hadn't twigged I did too many squats and lunges the day before. So just took it as a good sign I'd put a decent effort in. Also, the drained feeling the last while revealed itself as a cold. I'm hoping that explains all the heavy breathing. Anyhow against my own better judgement I went for the run anyhow. I hadn't enough energy to go too far from home and 3/4 way round the route the battery completely went and it was a stop start from then. Leg hurt all the way down the back all the way to the base of my foot and my breathing was very hard, but I enjoyed it so much. It felt good to be running and the joy was coming back. If onlyI'd

known before, pain isnt a necessary part.

Sadly, I barely survived the aftermath :pac: Cold induced aches and pains all over had me popping paracetamol, which I dont recall ever having to do before. And cold aches and pains brought out every ache and pain from the squats! It was bloody awful :pac: Sat there was no strength work. I was bed ridden for the day. Sun I had planned going down to the Rathfarnham 5k and seeing if they had room for a little one (missing out on the hm (through nothing else other than my own abysmal running year) was hitting hard like i knew it would), but I had to recover.

So thats it. 6.5m running in a week. It will improve.

HS3

27 Sept - 3.1 11:16

No pains! Tired achey legs. Still recovering from illness, so not too worried about tiredness. Hill seems to rise from the depths like Godzilla. Not becoming less daunting just yet. I still believe the first mile is throwing stats off because Strava isn't clicking in. But most important thing is, it was pain free and for the second time I found myself enjoying the run.

29th Sept - 3.2 - 11:24

Still no pain! Sleep an issue atm so tiredness and awareness of the hill, and the chance that maybe those first down hill splits on previous runs could be accurate I took it handy. A mile in, still no pain. Before I knew it I was at Newlands Cross and turning back. I want to start stretching out the runs soon, so the previous day I did a scout around the area to see what I could find. It's all very hilly. Which is fine, but I like the challenge my new hill presents and as it would be at the end of every run, adding another steep(ish) hill at the start would ruin my buzz. With that in mind, the sooner I get the better of hill 1 I can extend the route to include hill 2. So as I was still painfree instead of slowing, I kept up the pace as much as I could as the climb started. Picked a lamppost, as I neared it, picked another etc until I felt a tiny pull in my right calf. Nothing too sinister, but I was wrecked too and had another bit to do before run was finished, so that was enough. I loved the run. Everything was moving so well, it was pure enjoyment. Was disappointed Strava stats did not agree with my efforts, but cannot discount how fabulous it felt to be painfree and stronger.

1 Oct - 5.3 - 11:50

Could hardly sleep. Was so excited that today was the day I get to run again. Completely new thought process. Usually I wake up thinking today is the day I have to run, it's going to hurt so much and be so uncomfortable. Now it feels like the beginning all over again. Picked a usual route. Has a hill I used to find daunting. But since I found the new one, this should be a piece of cake. I'm not saving myself for any sessions, so can play around with these hills. A mile and a half in, was passing my brother's house where I'd normally paint on a smile in case they saw the hell I was in. Today, I cruised by, enjoying it all. As I got to the turn for the hill, I became so anxious had to talk myself out of wussing out and when the time came, did the same as Wed. Picked a landmark, kept pace, extended to next target and next one and then eased off. I suffered a little after, but it was a good suffering. 4 miles in was feeling so fresh, I didn't want to go home. Not an ache, no discomfort in the calves, so I added on a loop. As I passed the house I thought, You muppet, you could be sitting on the couch with a cuppa. But then it occurred to me that I wouldn't swap this experience for anything. I have waited all year for a run like this! I toyed with the idea of going further, but am a bit nervous about taunting things just yet. So told myself, if you're good and you head home now, I'll let you do a sprint finish through the park. And so I did. Tank still wasn't empty mind you, which is great. Again, Strava stats screwed me over. Studied all runs I've done on that route and I remembered how I died on each and every one of them. I also remembered how each and every run I've done this year I was only too happy to finish...This far shall I go and no further. Today I didn't want to finish. Massive turning point, that!

I'm not sure whether this feelgood phase is due to the lower milage, the shorter stints in general, the physio, the strength exercises, or that cycling (because of funerals and other family stuff) has taken a bit of a knock. Or whether it's a combination of everything. But I never thought running would ever feel this good again. I thought pain and discomfort was part and parcel. Seemingly it doesn't have to be.

Stretches done every day. Strength exercises done every second day.