Over 5k for the first time in months!!

So - it's over a month since the last run and I've had a birthday since then. And I don't know what prompted me this morning - but I am glad I did. 

I've been doing exercise classes through Everyone Active over the last few weeks and maybe, just maybe, it's beginning to have an effect. Anyways,  I went out and did my first over 5km run since 27th Jan so well done me. The worst bit was towards the end, heading up behind the prison and deciding I was going to do the further one, the one with all the potholes and mud. It turns out that the hill doesn't stop when you get onto the cut, that the path is still rising. Bloody hills. But I didn't stop and now I feel very pleased with myself.

Perhaps I will start doing a bit more? Maybe? yes no?

Definitely continue with the classes as I've paid a year in advance for them (far, far cheaper than pay as you go - but there is an element of commitment)

Stats are a little underwhelming other than the undeniable fact that I broke the 5k mark

Yay!!!!!

5.15km

7m 5s per km

Sympathy For The Devil

 Only because it was the song I was listening to as I finished my run. It was on the Halloween playlist. And I think it goes on my Desert Island Discs playlist along with Heroes. 

So that's a roundabout way of saying I've been for a run - nearly 2 months after the last one. But it was a run. It's been tanking down on and off for the last couple of weeks so I nipped out between showers. Which means I didn't go very first thing to get it over and done with like I normally do. And I'm so glad I did.

My nudge was to put my sports bra on first thing rather than having to change into it before I went out - I hate putting the damn things on so it kind of removed that very minor hurdle.

And I didn't walk. I was so tempted as I am semi-fasting (nothing for the last 16 hours - the clocks went back last night so there is an extra hour to take into account. So well done me. 

4.72 km

6m 42 per km.

so not bad stats for me.

Plus I was in my new shoes and didn't get very painful knees (there was a bit of complaining but nothing debilitating) and my feet were ok (I have stiff arches I think - something to work on) 

So I guess I'm feeling positive about this. I've resigned from my gym (cost, don't go) so I can't allow sloth to take over. I've been to a few random classes at the sports centre so I must keep those up for strength but running would fill the aerobic gap. 

Basically I am well pleased with myself.

unfit: official_2

Well if I thought I struggled last time, I was so much worse this morning. A short, mostly flat run, and I walked several times. I know you need to go through this in order to get fit, but it makes life feel unfair.

OK - there has been a bit of wine and a lot of food over the last couple of days which doesn't help, and I am in the denial stage of wanting to lose weight and get fitter, so I'm not helping myself much.

And then there is my right knee. Is it trying to tell me to stop running? It hurts but not all the time and doesn't ache when I stop. I think it's the over-extending thing again - perhaps a brace would make a difference? Thing is, I don't want to fork out for one if it's not going to help. (Actually, they're not that expensive...) 

4.16km

7min 5s per km - well, there was a lot of walking... 

I know it's better than loafing on the sofa (of which I have done a lot) Perhaps I could do the strengthening exercises the physio told me to do all those months ago - I might not be in this state now if I had persevered. It was no quick fix though and I'm afraid perseverance is not a strong point with me...  'Sow', 'reap' spring to mind

Unfit: official

Well - it's been a long time but I have run out of reasons not to: my Achilles and calfs* are fine, the weather is lovely and I'm getting fatter. 

So I wore my old shoes - the ones I dissed for being worn out and causing foot pain as all the cushioning was flattened - and, well, they were fine. A bit flat but my lower legs were unproblematic.

But my right knee. Argh. It was hurting quite a lot and I think the issue is I over straighten my leg - if I'm more conscious of doing the basic cycling movement which Malcolm Balk taught all those years ago, there isn't a problem. But I've been conscientious about stretching my hamstrings and I might have opened up the back of my knee a nit too much. It also hurts if I do a plank and straighten my leg too far.  So it's something I need to address. I could go down the route of a brace, but that's a bit overkill I think. I need to be aware of it and not overstretch is all. 

It was a short run as I'm hopelessly unfit. but I could see myself doing the same again tomorrow and perhaps once more on Friday then think about upping the distance next week. Get me with my fitness plan despite the pain from my knee and the possibility of wearing the other shoes and getting back on the Achilles treadmill. 

So what would make a difference to my commitment? 

1. knee issues - look up the issue and see how I can improve on it

2. old-fashioned cushioned shoes rather than the semi-off road ones. In truth I got those cos I prefer the look of them. I can look up the ones I have and buy a replacement cheaper online. But only after I've done a few more runs 

3. headphones I don't need to bobby pin into my hair to stop them from falling off. Scout Amazon for cheap alternatives 

3.46km

7min 01s per km

Terribly slow, but also a major achievement. 

Well done me  < patronising pat on head >

*calves? makes me think of baby cows

Annoying

I've been planning to up the number of runs I do, gradually increasing the distance as I get fitter. A modest ambition by any standards. And as of the previous run, it seemed to be going well. (Not that one run can really be a sign of progress, but it's a start) 

And so with high hopes I left home this morning thinking I'd do the same route, perhaps adding on a little loop around the prison.

It was going so well, knees mainly  OK, feet acceptable, lungs protesting but holding up.

But my pigging calf. Again, it feels like it's taken a kicking, it was getting worse so I cut it short and came home. I've stretched the thing, strengthened the thing (this is as well as doing stretches before I left), and yet here I am again, aching and knowing I"m going to have to wait for it to calm down before I can even think about heading out on my mission again.

I could accept the cost of a physio, like the lovely one at Moti, and see what I can do to get over it as I do believe I can do the running but not at the cost of my calf. I can't even tell if it's the muscle or the Achilles - feels a bit too high for the Achilles but I guess it is quite a long thing. 

So - how much do I want to keep running and how much am I willing to pay for it? Or do I google the rest of today and work out a plan which may make it worse. 

grr. 

3.15km

6min 50 per km 

Can't do hills

I was doing so well I thought I'd do a slightly longer loop which involved a 100m or so of a gentle incline. I made it past a recycling truck and onto one of the cut-throughs near the allotments. But by the time I was away from public view, I just had to walk for a bit. 50 paces. I counted them and set off again. After that, I was home and dry. Well, dripping with sweat. It's the start of a few days of a heatwave so I was out and back by 720. Don't really like the heat, not when it's almost 30 degrees.

But well done me, right?

Niggles: surprisingly (and reassuringly) my left calf/Achilles were ok. My right knee was painful for a bit but got better.  My left hip - which I think was has always been a slight issue, even going back as far as the half  marathon (2006, still feel proud of having done it!) 

But generally, I survived. I'm away for 2 weeks after the end of next week so if I can actually do 3 runs before then I will consider taking my kit and going for runs when I"m there. Except people will want to run with me and that feels too stressful. 

4.96km

6m 53 per km 

Slow, but so what.

Almost pain free. Yay!

In many ways, it was a reassuring run: very short as I was pretty much out of breath because I've got so unfit over the past year.

Left leg niggles were OK- Achilles and calf behaved which was a relief. My right knee hurt a bit, a little bit stabby like it gets on the stairs, but I honestly don't believe that it's damaging it, rather, it's an inflammation that comes and goes. Paracetamol should sort that out. 

So there is it - perhaps it's the beginning of my plan to get back to running. Did I enjoy it? I'm kind of neutral about it - certainly not evangelical; in truth, I find those people intensely annoying. So what should my attitude be? Stoical? It's a practical solution to an ongoing issue - it's free (until I get new shoes and a loose top to cover up the joggling flab0. But I can do it anywhere, whenever and that's why it needs to be part of my life. 

3.14km

6m 47s per km

Not impressive in terms of physical performance but psychologically it was a triumph. 

Something new to concern me

It was OK getting out there today - the weather is perfect; cold and sunny - so it was with great gusto I left the house.

There was no Achilles pain, knees were holding up and the breathlessness I put down to doing 2 days of 800 calories on the fast800 diet (I have finally admitted to myself that weight loss requires effort and application, not hoping for the best and relying on denial of calorific value of wine/cheese/chocolate/buttered toast...)

But then the new niggle arrived. My left calf has kind of seized up - it's very painful and made worse by running on it, of course. So I kind of walked most of the way back, cutting it very short and feeling hacked off as I'd promised myself I'd do more short runs  (even slow ones) in the future and building up my fitness like that. 

Very disappointed. 

Would different shoes help? More supportive ones? I mean, the new ones I got were based more on looks than whether they would sort my various issues. So I have to decide: do I take the risk of spending the best part of £100 on new shoes which may not make any difference? I don't think I had the same issues of knees, Achilles, hips, etc with previous shoes - just the issue of fatty motivation...

3.19km

7m 11s per km.

Rain, Pain and my achilles. Again.

I shouldn't have crowed too soon. 

This morning it started raining about 5 mins after I left - I would not have run if it had already started, so that's a bonus. Kind of. 

My knees hurt a lot more this morning, but they're OK if I concentrate on being strong, not allowing them to turn in even a fraction - but it's slightly worrying. I think being back at the gym is a very positive thing in that respect: the exercises there are pretty much what the physio gave me, but with the weights and the machines it's easier to focus on the effects they're having

I decided to find a 5k route which meant a longer trek up to a favourite cut-through (I know, who has a favourite cut-through...) I was thinking how horrible being out of breath is and how wonderful it would be to walk for a while. But that's where the magic happens, right? That's where improvement lies, where fitness flourishes. So I kept running, knowing that once I hit the level it would be fine. It was; how nice.

But oh my god - my Achilles. Again. It was a little achy at first but now it's stiff and hurty and I think (fear) it's going to be as bad as it was before. Just when I thought I was over it. Just when I thought I could actually get back into this running thing. 

So - do I risk getting a different pair of shoes, ones that are more cushioned, more supportive? It's another £100 or so which, as a newly unemployed person, I don't want to spend. Not with a sick cat's operation to pay for this week... Not with no guarantee they would solve the issue... 

4.94km (sooo close to a 5k!)

6 min 38 per km (I blame to slog up the hill) 

Weight

OK, it's the 1st May, the start of my favourite month and I want/need to make the most of it. So what better way to start than to go for a little run. 

But I'm overweight and unfit and it's bloody hard work. That's OK, of course it's ok - I'm doing this for me: it doesn't matter if I'm slow or fast, it doesn't matter if I look like a middle-aged overweight woman trying to run, it doesn't matter that it's a stupidly short run. That's all in my head - no one else cares. And why should I care what they think anyway? I know I would like to look like one of those lean older ladies who have been running all their lives and also do yoga - but I can work on that. 

4.34km

6m 27 per km

So that was the fastest I've run in a long time and I didn't feel like I was trying any harder - therefore I am in fact getting fitter despite what my lungs and legs are telling me. If I'm putting in the same effort as last time, but I go faster, then I am getting fitter. And that should feel good. Of course, my lizard brain is telling me that the next time, if I'm a bit slower, I will have failed. But I won't actually know that's how I will feel until I go for another run - and that is the bit I will not have failed.... 

I love Spring

 It wasn't too hard getting out there this morning: when the sun is shining everything seems a little bit easier. 

That's not to say it was easy running - I got out of breath and found even this very gentle run hard work. I guess that's the whole point. I think my benchmark of feeling better about running is when I know I won't want to walk - which is a combination of getting fitter and also having a more determined mindset. I mean, the whole point of this is well-being - mental and physical strength.

Nothing much more to say - it was a very ordinary run - my knees and Achilles behaved which was nice; the bum/glue thing wasn't an issue; the only tiny niggle was my toes jamming into the end of my shoes - so I guess that's solvable by tying my laces a bit higher up my feet. Yay

4.53km

6m 40s per km 

Bum

So, this has been brewing for a while - an April run. And it's not 1/2 way through the month yet: well done me. 

It was fine - not too cold, not too far, didn't walk. I had to tell myself that when it felt hard going, that was where the magic happened. It's a tough sell, but I didn't walk. Did I say I didn't walk?

Now - I have issues with my knees hurting a lot when I go up and downstairs: I've been to a physio and have been given many, many exercises to make them better. And I think they're working. The exercises are to strengthen my glutes, hamstrings, quads - all the bits that keep my knees on the straight and narrow. So when the stabbing agony of knee pain hit me once or twice this morning, it struck me that I don't engage my bum muscles enough to keep my knees in line. So once I consciously did that, my dear old joints were, if not fine, then a whole heap better.

Yay!

4.74km

6m 41s per km 

Wake Up Call

 It wasn't the hardest thing to go out this morning, the thought had been noodling around my head for a while. And I was going to let myself off the hook by having an old lady jog, no pressure.

Well, my Achilles was troubling from the off although it eased a bit after 10 mins or so. But I was so out of breath - it's really hitting home how overweight, how unfit I really am. I think I've convinced myself that because I used to run a lot further I can just pick it up from there, and never mind the years in between. Well, life isn't like that. Apparently, you have to put in the effort.

2.39km

6m 58s

Told me.

Old. And peas.

 So 3 walks and occasionally slowing to a just-faster-than-walking pace. 

There has to come a time when I don't let myself off the hook with an 'oh but well done me for going for even this shabby little run' and accept that I will lose the ability and desire to run at all. And that would leave me with having to pay to go to classes. Which is now an issue as I've been made redundant. Which should give me ample time to get fit and up the miles etc. 

Except - my aching Achilles is still troubling me.  I think it might be my shoes not giving enough support (but they are good on the slightly off-road, very bumpy and muddy sections) (and they look cool) But whatever the cause I am now on the sofa with my ankle resting on frozen peas. And there are peas all over the floor cos I hadn't sealed the bag well enough... 

4.76km

7 min 1s per km - that is by far the slowest I have been for a long time. Perhaps ever. 

Is this wise?

4.76 km

6m 58s per km

Well, it took a bit of persuasion to get me out the door, but that was the easy part.

The first 100m or so, the golden zone, was fine, I was feeling great, thinking I'm so happy about this. Then my Achilles kicked in and began to ache gently. Then aching quite strongly. About this time my right knee also kicked in: it seems if I don't line it up properly, and quite accurately, it really hurts.

So there I was, kind of struggling with various aches and pains and with the thought that I should stop running and save myself long term injury. But it wasn't getting any worse and if I concentrated on my alignment it seems to help. So I kept going (slowly) and ended up running nearly 5km.

Then I got to thinking. Is it my shoes that are the issue? The sides of my feet ache a bit these days: is that due to the lesser padding on these ones? Perhaps the lack of foot support makes my legs unstable, making my knees and Achilles have to work harder?

It's a theory. But I am ok with running other than the pain and fear of injury. So not that OK. 

Benefit of Dry January

 5.05 km

6m 57s per km

How terribly slow, but that isn't the point. I think it's not far off the time I did for my 2 Parkruns, so at least I'm not getting any worse.

And it was OK.  I didn't get the urge to walk like I've done before - not that it was easy, but I think I might have had a bit more energy. I haven't lost any weight or anything - perhaps it's Dry January finally paying off. Only 4 days to go of course - perhaps I will continue into Arid February 

Pain tally: right knee niggle, nothing too bad: it remains to be seen if the stair-based agony kicks in again (it's been quite mild recently, thank you for asking)

Also - the outside of my left foot - it's something to do with tight arches I think. I'm working on them, being conscious of them when I'm walking to make sure I'm flexing.

Such a dull post. Apologies. 

What have I done?

Basically, I've been putting off going for a run for weeks through worry about my Achilles. It's still not right, but I can live with it. And so, with some trepidation, I set off this morning in the crisp winter sunshine with a spring in my step. 

And it was OK. That first burst of enthusiasm when nothing hurts and I was on full puff went away quite fast, but I kept going There was one moment of weakness when I felt like walking - but I'm putting myself through this cos I'm unfit and the process of keeping going is what changes that, is what will turn me into a running machine.

4.13km

6m 35 per km 

So nothing to brag about. Nothing to be ashamed of 

As for the 'what have I done?' thing - it means I've run out of excuses for sitting on my increasingly fat bum rather than go for a run. 

Slog not Jog

First run of the year, always good to get it out of the way. Even if it's not a total triumph.

Although - it was a success - I got out on the road again, that's a biggie.

My Achilles so far is OK - it's been aching dully for months but it's not feeling bad - a bit throbby maybe. My knees - they seem ok with running, it's stairs which are the killer. 

So according to mapmyrun I ran 0.38km at just over  7 min a km. I accuse the app of not measuring correctly cos I know I ran for over 20 mins. So it wasn't heroic by any stretch of the imagination but I know mapymyrun did not make an accurate assessment of my effort. 

And I felt OK. I have lost a lot of fitness over the past few months and gained a lot of pounds but with Dry January kicking the year off to a good start (Day 3 and all is well) and only 1/4 of the Christmas cake nommed I feel quite positive about 2021

It can't be any worse can it...