My planned 2 week hiatus turned into over 4 weeks. Two weeks rest for the nagging ankle injury, one week for a severe cold, one week for work/cold/weather etc. The ankle is pain free, even first thing in the morning. It still feels off, inflexible rather than stiff. The plan is to try and run short and slow over the next couple of weeks and not run on consecutive days. Hopefully, the loss in weight, the change in running stride and awareness of the injury will help keep it at bay. I'll know more tomorrow morning.
I finally made it out this morning for a 3 mile jog/run. (My back ordered replacement HR belt showed up yesterday after 5 weeks of waiting, I took this as a sign that it was time to run.) Route was fairly snow packed and icy, but was manageable. The lungs took a beating. Felt like I was starting all over again. I have the 5k in 12 days. I'm still planning on running, but it will be more of a training run than a race. Oh well. Boston Corporate Challenge is the next scheduled event, although I hope to run a 5/10k before that.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Starting over...hopefully.
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2 comments:
I'm told that eliptical machines are the way to go in terms of warm ups, especially for tired ankles or, in my case, calves. If you have access to one, it might be worth a try for 15 minutes or so pre-run.
Good to see you back on the blog.
My advice: take the long view and start slowly. you're not competing with anybody, and certainly not with your 18-year-old-self. That person is long gone. You're running etc. to be fit and serve as a good example to your kids.
Results, speed, success (as you define it) will come with consistency and perseverance, not with dramatically up-ratcheted mileage, speed work and pain.
It serves ZERO purpose to work your butt off for six weeks, fight through pain and discomfort and then sit for 5 weeks. It takes weeks to build up endurance and strength and only ~9 days to lose it. You are definitely starting at the bottom again, and that's fine. Just be patient.
Your body just taught you a lesson, listen to it. You can do whatever you want with running and your body will permit it, but only in time. Running is humbling.
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