30/05/2010 – Running Free!!

Since my last entry things have been going really well. My cold became quite severe which is unusual for me so I did in fact have a few days off. I drove down to my parents without my bike, as I knew that I was going to be able to run. It felt so good to fill my gym bag with my running stuff; I packed much too much stuff as I didn’t know what I would need for the weather down there. When I was running outside every week I intuitively knew how much clothing I would need on, but that intuition had left since my injury! Also my parents in Norwich always seem to get warmer weather than us even though they are by the coast. I have never run in really warm weather, as I didn’t start until late August last year when it wasn’t massively warm.

I drove down on Sunday 9th May and decided I would rest that day and start my running on the Monday. This I did but I was extremely nervous! However, the run was fine, it was quite cold and I even needed my hat and gloves on as well as two layers and my running tights. I felt so free and didn’t really run that much slower than when I was a regular runner. This really pleased me and I found that I was able to master the Garmin watch once again! I ran each day for 4 days and found that the time went quite fast and the landscape was quite pretty and very nice to smell! Unlike where I live, there were parks and masses of flowers hanging off every shrub, even in people’s gardens.

 
I must admit for a couple of runs I really did not want to go out as I had been full on wedding shopping with my mum every day early until late and by the time we got home I was tired. I forced myself to go and ran slower for two of the runs. It became a bit difficult to plan a route that would take half an hour to run and not leave my too far away from the house to walk back. I found myself having to repeat certain sections of the run to keep nearby and I expect this was not as relaxing as just being able to just go and then stop on one long route. However, just to be able to run, and on hard surfaces, every day, felt fantastic for me. I didn’t care about my speed or distance, but to know I wasn’t that slow just made it better. I will always remember that time in Norwich fondly, chilling out on holiday; spending quality time with my parents; wedding shopping, and beginning to run again too. My last run was one of my best and fastest and felt great.

 
Since returning home I became ill with a stomach virus so had to have some more time off from running. However, since then I have run a further 4 times on the treadmill at the gym. I believe that I suffered with a bad cold and then a stomach virus as I was run down, as I never get ill usually, especially since I have started running. I was exercising for about 3 hours a day, which was an increase of 2 hours every day, five days per week. Since my injury it has been difficult for me to ascertain what exercise would keep me fit enough to be able to run with no problems once I was injury free. Using the cross ramp 3 days per week for an hour at a time didn’t seem to be enough, so I bought a bike to cycle to the gym which is seven miles per day and a further hour of exercise daily. 
For the other two days I took body pump classes with weights to tone my body and develop strength and stamina, which were about an hour long. I think this was ok. I then took some aerobic classes back to back with the body pump twice a week and with the cross ramp once weekly. I think this was going too far and totally tired me out. I wasn’t at my best in any of the classes, merely just trying not to collapse! This gym is extremely warm and I need a lot of isotonic drinks just to replace the lost fluid which on it’s own is very tiring.

 
I took extra aerobics classes as although I wasn’t able to run yet I could take on most of the aerobic moves, and those I couldn’t I just toned down.
So now I am back running three times a week on the treadmill and I am just doing one body pump class per week, one aerobic class and one abs class. For the time being I am driving to the gym but once I feel energetic enough I will be cycling again.  And I’m going to leave it at that!
Going back onto the treadmill has had its ups and downs. There is no mirror in front of me to right my stride into an efficient one, so at first I was all over the place, which felt quite dangerous. Also, as I have mentioned the gym is massive, so with all those machines, plus wide screen TV’s everywhere a lot of heat is generated. They have air con but also next to it in the ceiling are these massive bright lights, which generate their own heat, which is directed right onto your face. I am running for 37 mins at the moment, but on the last 2 runs felt I wanted to run more. I stopped though, as I want to gradually increase the time because of my injury and also because of the heat.
I also seemed to suffer with a lot of muscular pain both during and after my runs on the treadmill. This has slowed me down. I have had tight calves and painful thighs and on occasion a pulled hamstring. Not to mention the dreaded blisters! This is all new to me, as I never suffered with anything when I ran before. I am trying to remember to stretch before and after my runs and this has made things a bit better. I also massage my poor muscles in the bath too.
I have also found some re-usable blister plasters from McDavid. They are fab and are so much cheaper than Scholl’s party feet!! You can even wash them and they stay sticky, check them out on the Internet!
Until next time I wish you great running throughout June and hope we get some nice weather!

6/5/2011 - Army Training Course Needed!

04/02/2011 – Hi There!

05/10/2010 - Morton’s Neuroma Madness!

21/08/2010 - The Wedding Journal

30/05/2010 - Running Free!!

06/05/2010 - Surprises Come In Podiatry Orthotics!!

15/04/2010 - Having Wheely Good Fun

22/03/2010 - Running Withdrawal

15/02/2010 - Swimming Towards Recovery

04/02/2010 - Help I’m Injured!