The past week has been a bit of a pause in running - only two runs, totalling 7 miles. This is primarily because we have been on holiday in North Wales, and have done 3 substantial walks, ranging from 2.5 to 4.25 hours, and from 370 to 500 metres of ascent. Walks of that length are good for endurance training, and the hills are good for leg strength. I've done some strength work as well, and had my first run out of doors since the second calf strain. Sponsorship has taken a great leap forward with a couple of very generous donations as well as a few smaller ones, so the total now stands at an amazing £2,227.50.
As part of my holiday reading, I have been looking at two books about running, each of which claims that modern lifestyles make runners prone to injury, and that it can be virtually eliminated by changing the way we train. Most of us spend many hours each day sitting - and this leads to weakness in certain muscles, excessive tightness in others, and the resulting change in our gait is responsible for the most common injuries. Modern shoes - including modern running shoes - leave our feet and legs much weaker than they would be if we walked around barefoot.
Happily, neither of these books are recommending that we stop sitting down and start spending the whole day on our (bare) feet to correct these problems. Instead, they each offer a programme of exercises which will enable us to run with better form, and make injury a thing of the past. You will understand that this is very appealing to me. Strength training has been part of my routine all along, but it has been generic strength work, focussing on the big muscles of the arms, legs and trunk. These programmes focus on the smaller stabiliser muscles. Having tried a few of the exercises out, I can confirm that they reach parts which were not previously being reached!
So, this evening I'm going to work out how I can use my two strength training sessions in the remaining weeks to the best advantage, and also how to add a 5 or 10 minute strength session into the other days in the week. My running programme is going to continue as I'd planned, with the adaptations I've already decided on to avoid over-stressing my calf, i.e. more walking and swapping one run for crosstraining for at least the next couple of weeks. I'm also going to have my first foray this week into the world of sports massage. I rather suspect that it involves more of the deep tissue massage to which the physio subjected me.... but it is said to be very effective, so I am going to give it a go.
Seven weeks from now, I will have completed the London Marathon. It's time to start fine-tuning - my kit, my hydration, my nutrition during long runs - as well as launching the final push to build endurance for the big day. At the end of the day, I have to do this. But having said that, the encouragement of others helps a lot too. Thank you.
Sunday 23 February 2014
Saturday 15 February 2014
Patience and Persistence
Sponsorship money continues to come in and the total now stands at £1,650. This week, I have run on three days, adding up to a total of 13.3 miles. Each "run" was on the treadmill, consisted of 30s run/30s walk, and was broken up into segments of between 12 and 30 minutes. The longest so far was this morning, when I did 3 segments of 30 minutes. In addition there has been an awful lot of cross-training - some strength work, but mostly bike, crosstrainer and rower - for a total of 8 hours spent training. And yes - I did do the 3 hrs 45 minutes on Monday, including the walk to and from the gym. I've also done the calf strengthening exercises most days, and have almost reached the 3 sets of 10 which the physio recommended.
This week there have been some fantastic examples of dedication and effort on display at the Winter Olympics and in the efforts of Davina McCall in her challenge for Sport Relief. Lizzy Yarnold said a couple of things that really resonated with me. Firstly, she said that by the time she came to start her slides, the hard work had been done. She had done it over the preceeding months and years, in every training session, every decision about what to eat and drink, every time she had an early night instead of going out with her mates. I don't have - and don't need - the the training regime of an Olympic gold medallist, but for me, too, the hard work is being done now. By marathon day, all that will remain will be to put it to good use.
The second thing Lizzy Yarnold said was about believing in your own potential and working to be the best "you" that you can be. I won't win the London Marathon, I'll probably never make a "Good For Age" time, I'm not attempting a time target, or even trying to run the whole way. But I can, and will, finish. That means I need to stay well enough to start. Several people in the past week have tried to persuade me that it would be better to pull out of the London Marathon and try again next year, or perhaps another marathon in the Autumn. But everything has been planned for this year - and that's what I want to do.
In order to do it, I need both patience and persistence. Patience to resist the temptation to run too much, too fast, too soon. Persistence to do what I need to do instead - all that cross-training, which I find boring (unlike running, which is intrinsically enjoyable), plus the stretching and strengthening exercises. My 3:45 session on Monday was important as much for the psychological strength of having done what I'd decided to do as for the physical training effect.
As I think about these things, I am reminded of some verses from the letter to the Romans: "...we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope" (Romans 5:3-4). If I had not injured my calf, I would not have needed to alter my training in this way. I would not have needed to endure hours of crosstraining. I would not have learned that I could do this, and I would not have the increasing confidence that I can and will do whatever I need to do to complete the challenge which I have set myself.
Romans, of course, is talking more about spiritual challenges than physical ones. The text continues: "And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (Romans 5:5)
I fully expect to complete the Marathon - but even if something happens and I am not able to, I have the assurance of two things. Firstly, that it was not for lack of dedication or trying that I fell down; and secondly that, whatever happens, God loves me, just as I am.
This week there have been some fantastic examples of dedication and effort on display at the Winter Olympics and in the efforts of Davina McCall in her challenge for Sport Relief. Lizzy Yarnold said a couple of things that really resonated with me. Firstly, she said that by the time she came to start her slides, the hard work had been done. She had done it over the preceeding months and years, in every training session, every decision about what to eat and drink, every time she had an early night instead of going out with her mates. I don't have - and don't need - the the training regime of an Olympic gold medallist, but for me, too, the hard work is being done now. By marathon day, all that will remain will be to put it to good use.
The second thing Lizzy Yarnold said was about believing in your own potential and working to be the best "you" that you can be. I won't win the London Marathon, I'll probably never make a "Good For Age" time, I'm not attempting a time target, or even trying to run the whole way. But I can, and will, finish. That means I need to stay well enough to start. Several people in the past week have tried to persuade me that it would be better to pull out of the London Marathon and try again next year, or perhaps another marathon in the Autumn. But everything has been planned for this year - and that's what I want to do.
In order to do it, I need both patience and persistence. Patience to resist the temptation to run too much, too fast, too soon. Persistence to do what I need to do instead - all that cross-training, which I find boring (unlike running, which is intrinsically enjoyable), plus the stretching and strengthening exercises. My 3:45 session on Monday was important as much for the psychological strength of having done what I'd decided to do as for the physical training effect.
As I think about these things, I am reminded of some verses from the letter to the Romans: "...we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope" (Romans 5:3-4). If I had not injured my calf, I would not have needed to alter my training in this way. I would not have needed to endure hours of crosstraining. I would not have learned that I could do this, and I would not have the increasing confidence that I can and will do whatever I need to do to complete the challenge which I have set myself.
Romans, of course, is talking more about spiritual challenges than physical ones. The text continues: "And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (Romans 5:5)
I fully expect to complete the Marathon - but even if something happens and I am not able to, I have the assurance of two things. Firstly, that it was not for lack of dedication or trying that I fell down; and secondly that, whatever happens, God loves me, just as I am.
Saturday 8 February 2014
Easing Back In
After following the physio's advice virtually to the letter - and yes, it did hurt! - I went on Wednesday and was cleared to run. He applied some of that coloured tape you see proper athletes sporting to give my calf some extra support for the first few runs, and it shows no signs of peeling off yet. Here are the rules for my rehabilitation:
1) Stick to the treadmill for 2-3 weeks
2) Don't run on consecutive days
3) Alternate running with walking
4) Start with a short time and build up gradually
5) At the first sign of tiredness or pain, stop running
6) Continue with the strengthening exercises, building up to 3 sets of 10
7) Stretch frequently
So, my first run on Wednesday was for just 20 minutes, running for 15s out of each minute. On Friday I did 25 minutes, starting out running 20s out of each minute, switching to 30s run/30s walk after 10 minutes. On each of those sessions I made up the balance of an hour with other exercises -bike, rower or crosstrainer. I've also done a couple of strength training sessions - one of which has left me with some rather sore muscles as I must have overdone it. I also did a full 2 hours of crosstraining in the gym on Monday, in place of the 9 mile run that was on my schedule.
Next Monday is due to be 16 miles, or 3:45 - which is an awfully long time to spend in a gym cycling round different pieces of equipment. I have yet to decide whether I am even going to attempt that time. Physically, it will be good for endurance. But I think the real benefit would be mental. It's about discipline... making a decision, and following through. Because on 13th April, if I think that giving up is an option, I might be tempted to do it. Whereas if I know that the only reason to stop is a serious injury, I will keep going when it gets tough. As for Monday - rather than do a longer run session, I may do 2 or 3 20 minute ones so I am doing more running in total, but having breaks in between to reduce stress on my calf.
The guru of run-walk-run, Jeff Galloway, suggests that for the pace I have been running at, the best ratio to use is 30s running and 30s walking. Before this latest setback, I was using 60/60, and itching to increase the amount of running - which is where I came unstuck. Galloway also says that shorter run segments and more frequent walk breaks reduce your risk of injury. Bearing in mind that 30/30 and 60/60 are exactly the same proportion of running to walking, I'm inclined to stick with the 30/30 from now on.
One of the articles I found on the internet about coming back from injury suggests that, for each week during which you have not run, you should think of taking two weeks to get back to the level/distance you were at before the injury. At that rate, it will be early March before I get back to a 13 mile run, and I may only manage 15 or 16 before it is time to start tapering for the race. A lot of decisions to be made - and nine weeks to go.
Another online donation this week leaves me just a few pounds shy of £1500 raised, plus I know that people have started to fill in sponsor forms. There's also another fundraising event been organised - a Brass Band concert in March. It's going to be a busy few months, and I am very grateful for all the support and encouragement I've received.
1) Stick to the treadmill for 2-3 weeks
2) Don't run on consecutive days
3) Alternate running with walking
4) Start with a short time and build up gradually
5) At the first sign of tiredness or pain, stop running
6) Continue with the strengthening exercises, building up to 3 sets of 10
7) Stretch frequently
So, my first run on Wednesday was for just 20 minutes, running for 15s out of each minute. On Friday I did 25 minutes, starting out running 20s out of each minute, switching to 30s run/30s walk after 10 minutes. On each of those sessions I made up the balance of an hour with other exercises -bike, rower or crosstrainer. I've also done a couple of strength training sessions - one of which has left me with some rather sore muscles as I must have overdone it. I also did a full 2 hours of crosstraining in the gym on Monday, in place of the 9 mile run that was on my schedule.
Next Monday is due to be 16 miles, or 3:45 - which is an awfully long time to spend in a gym cycling round different pieces of equipment. I have yet to decide whether I am even going to attempt that time. Physically, it will be good for endurance. But I think the real benefit would be mental. It's about discipline... making a decision, and following through. Because on 13th April, if I think that giving up is an option, I might be tempted to do it. Whereas if I know that the only reason to stop is a serious injury, I will keep going when it gets tough. As for Monday - rather than do a longer run session, I may do 2 or 3 20 minute ones so I am doing more running in total, but having breaks in between to reduce stress on my calf.
The guru of run-walk-run, Jeff Galloway, suggests that for the pace I have been running at, the best ratio to use is 30s running and 30s walking. Before this latest setback, I was using 60/60, and itching to increase the amount of running - which is where I came unstuck. Galloway also says that shorter run segments and more frequent walk breaks reduce your risk of injury. Bearing in mind that 30/30 and 60/60 are exactly the same proportion of running to walking, I'm inclined to stick with the 30/30 from now on.
One of the articles I found on the internet about coming back from injury suggests that, for each week during which you have not run, you should think of taking two weeks to get back to the level/distance you were at before the injury. At that rate, it will be early March before I get back to a 13 mile run, and I may only manage 15 or 16 before it is time to start tapering for the race. A lot of decisions to be made - and nine weeks to go.
Another online donation this week leaves me just a few pounds shy of £1500 raised, plus I know that people have started to fill in sponsor forms. There's also another fundraising event been organised - a Brass Band concert in March. It's going to be a busy few months, and I am very grateful for all the support and encouragement I've received.
Saturday 1 February 2014
Painful Neccessity
Another £70 has come in this week, leaving only another £1025 to meet my £2500 target. Everyone is so generous, thank you. Of course, I would dearly love to raise a lot more. I've just come back from a funeral visit, listening to a lovely lady talking about her husband's losing battle with cancer and the indignities it inflicted on him. Every pound raised brings closer the day when all cancers will be cured.
This week's big news is my visit to the physio on Thursday. Apparently, if a calf strain is left to heal in its own time, it will do so leaving a knot of scar tissue which is less flexible than normal muscle. For day to day activity, this is not a problem. But for running, it is a permanent weak point, making the muscle more likely to break down again in future.
The solution is to break down the scar tissue by deep massage, followed by icing the area to limit bleeding, and interspersed with regular stretching to encourage the healing tissue to align itself in the right way. This treatment is enhanced by strengthening exercises.
If you think that deep massage sounds painful, you would be right! The physio supplemented it with some ultrasound treatment, and told me to get David to do the massage for 5 minutes a day for the next five days. Apparently I won't be able to do it hard enough to be effective myself, as it's too painful. I then go to the physio again for another treatment, and then all being well I will be cleared to run. He wants me to demonstrate that I can hop 50 times on the injured leg - I managed 40 yesterday, so I am highly optimistic that I will get the go-ahead.
This time my return to running will be even more cautious - short segments of slow running amid a lot of walking. I will increase the running only very gradually. I will make up the rest of the time when I would have been running with various crosstraining activities - mainly elliptical crosstrainer, exercise bike and rowing machine. For the first week (or maybe two or three) I'll do my running on the treadmill, as this can guarantee me a flat even surface, which is what I need at the beginning.
So - ten weeks to marathon day, and feeling optimistic. There is still a long way to go, and - for the next five days at least - more painful kneading of my calf to be endured. I've also got to be disciplined with the stretching and strengthening exercises, and with the crosstraining. Some people say they find running boring - I can't understand that, since to me it is a joy. But the cardio equipment in the gym, that truly is boring!! I did an hour this morning, and got through it by dint of listening to some of my favourite songs from my youth on my new sporty MP3 player.
So, there you go. Months ago, one of the runners on fetcheveryone.com told me that getting to the starting line of a marathon is an achievement in itself, and often underestimated. I am starting to think he may have been right!
This week's big news is my visit to the physio on Thursday. Apparently, if a calf strain is left to heal in its own time, it will do so leaving a knot of scar tissue which is less flexible than normal muscle. For day to day activity, this is not a problem. But for running, it is a permanent weak point, making the muscle more likely to break down again in future.
The solution is to break down the scar tissue by deep massage, followed by icing the area to limit bleeding, and interspersed with regular stretching to encourage the healing tissue to align itself in the right way. This treatment is enhanced by strengthening exercises.
If you think that deep massage sounds painful, you would be right! The physio supplemented it with some ultrasound treatment, and told me to get David to do the massage for 5 minutes a day for the next five days. Apparently I won't be able to do it hard enough to be effective myself, as it's too painful. I then go to the physio again for another treatment, and then all being well I will be cleared to run. He wants me to demonstrate that I can hop 50 times on the injured leg - I managed 40 yesterday, so I am highly optimistic that I will get the go-ahead.
This time my return to running will be even more cautious - short segments of slow running amid a lot of walking. I will increase the running only very gradually. I will make up the rest of the time when I would have been running with various crosstraining activities - mainly elliptical crosstrainer, exercise bike and rowing machine. For the first week (or maybe two or three) I'll do my running on the treadmill, as this can guarantee me a flat even surface, which is what I need at the beginning.
So - ten weeks to marathon day, and feeling optimistic. There is still a long way to go, and - for the next five days at least - more painful kneading of my calf to be endured. I've also got to be disciplined with the stretching and strengthening exercises, and with the crosstraining. Some people say they find running boring - I can't understand that, since to me it is a joy. But the cardio equipment in the gym, that truly is boring!! I did an hour this morning, and got through it by dint of listening to some of my favourite songs from my youth on my new sporty MP3 player.
So, there you go. Months ago, one of the runners on fetcheveryone.com told me that getting to the starting line of a marathon is an achievement in itself, and often underestimated. I am starting to think he may have been right!
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