So after 2 days of enforced rest due to my foot niggle, today I managed to get my tempo run in!
I did an extended warm up and cool down routine to try to ensure all the muscles were nice and warm , and with one eye on Podium 5k and my return to racing this Saturday, I also did a shorter "effort" section to the tempo (4 miles).
It felt good to be back and a relief after missing a couple of days.
Brian Porter got to the bottom of the niggle tonight too, it turns out I had stretched the tendon that connects the big toe to the heel. After half an hour of squirming around in pain, he has managed to manipulate it back in to place and shape.
So fingers crossed I am sorted and can push on with the training plan once again from here!
Thursday 26 February 2015
Tuesday 24 February 2015
Running scared!
Ok so this is where we're at - I am currently 10 and a bit weeks into an 18 week training plan for the London Marathon (26th April). Over the course of this length of time I have so far amassed 632 training miles and am well ahead of my training plan from this time last year.
However, similarly to at this point last year, the increased mileage that I am now putting in for the marathon has started to show the first signs of taking a bit of a toll.
Last year I tweaked a muscle in my glutes (that is the bum muscles!) around 8 weeks before London. It meant that I had to take an unplanned 'rest' week and ran lower mileage for around 7 days. The problem was overcome by finally succumbing to the need for regular massage sessions and also introducing new, more stringent stretching routines into my daily training schedule.
This time around(touch wood) I have so far (touches wood again!) remained fairly lucky and injury free throughout my regime to date.
However, as the marathon gets closer, and my forthcoming debut crosscountry appearance for Lancashire in the intercounties nears, every little twinge and niggle takes on added significance and concern. Yep, I'm becoming paranoid! Nothing can come between me and my vest now, I'm so close I can touch it!!
However, over the last two days I had somewhat of a scare, and I thought I'd share it with you - as I'm sure we all get this feeling from time to time!
Yesterday morning I felt a fierce pain through the bottom of my foot, around the instep, when I went to put my shoe on for work. It felt like an electric shock. It hurt at first, but for the rest of the day I was fine, and so (as I'm sure we all do in such circumstances!) I felt fit to run as normal last night. My run went to plan and I felt no discomfort whatsoever. Later on that night though, the pain came back again with avengence! It didn't stop all night, no matter what I tried.
This morning, concerned, I rang my training partner Rob Affleck (see profile picture) and cancelled my track session and sought advice from both him and also a physio friend of mine. Since then, the foot has been absolutely pain-free again all day. Also, encouragingly, there is no visible swelling, bruising, or even any tenderness to touch. A strange one! The general concensus is that the increased mileage, distance and pace of my runs lately have led to the discomfort and I have booked in with weekly massages again to ensure that my muscles remain flexible and supple and relaxed. Plenty of foot massages have been prescribed, so Molly will be busy!
My old, battered trainers are also being slung out!
To be honest, for all the focus on stretching and recovery that I do, my feet have never really been something that I have thought much about, or taken to much care of. That will change now for sure!
I am taking two days off from the training and getting a massage sorted out, then assessing where we are at come the end of the week, ahead of hopefully a return to the racing scene at the local Podium 5k this Saturday.
Wish me luck!
Nothing will stop me running home down here in April!
However, similarly to at this point last year, the increased mileage that I am now putting in for the marathon has started to show the first signs of taking a bit of a toll.
Last year I tweaked a muscle in my glutes (that is the bum muscles!) around 8 weeks before London. It meant that I had to take an unplanned 'rest' week and ran lower mileage for around 7 days. The problem was overcome by finally succumbing to the need for regular massage sessions and also introducing new, more stringent stretching routines into my daily training schedule.
This time around(touch wood) I have so far (touches wood again!) remained fairly lucky and injury free throughout my regime to date.
However, as the marathon gets closer, and my forthcoming debut crosscountry appearance for Lancashire in the intercounties nears, every little twinge and niggle takes on added significance and concern. Yep, I'm becoming paranoid! Nothing can come between me and my vest now, I'm so close I can touch it!!
However, over the last two days I had somewhat of a scare, and I thought I'd share it with you - as I'm sure we all get this feeling from time to time!
Yesterday morning I felt a fierce pain through the bottom of my foot, around the instep, when I went to put my shoe on for work. It felt like an electric shock. It hurt at first, but for the rest of the day I was fine, and so (as I'm sure we all do in such circumstances!) I felt fit to run as normal last night. My run went to plan and I felt no discomfort whatsoever. Later on that night though, the pain came back again with avengence! It didn't stop all night, no matter what I tried.
This morning, concerned, I rang my training partner Rob Affleck (see profile picture) and cancelled my track session and sought advice from both him and also a physio friend of mine. Since then, the foot has been absolutely pain-free again all day. Also, encouragingly, there is no visible swelling, bruising, or even any tenderness to touch. A strange one! The general concensus is that the increased mileage, distance and pace of my runs lately have led to the discomfort and I have booked in with weekly massages again to ensure that my muscles remain flexible and supple and relaxed. Plenty of foot massages have been prescribed, so Molly will be busy!
My old, battered trainers are also being slung out!
To be honest, for all the focus on stretching and recovery that I do, my feet have never really been something that I have thought much about, or taken to much care of. That will change now for sure!
I am taking two days off from the training and getting a massage sorted out, then assessing where we are at come the end of the week, ahead of hopefully a return to the racing scene at the local Podium 5k this Saturday.
Wish me luck!
Nothing will stop me running home down here in April!What is this blog about?
In short? Running. Obviously!
This blog is my own little space to air my views on all things 'distance running', from the races I do, training plans, diet, aspirations and experiences, to opinion pieces and questions for other runners.
I aim to write a new entry each week to provide a little update on how my training and progress etc, so we'll see how this one goes!
My first blog (as this one doesn't count!) will be up shortly and the chosen topic of my starter post? The dreaded injury curse!!
Keep watching :)
This blog is my own little space to air my views on all things 'distance running', from the races I do, training plans, diet, aspirations and experiences, to opinion pieces and questions for other runners.
I aim to write a new entry each week to provide a little update on how my training and progress etc, so we'll see how this one goes!
My first blog (as this one doesn't count!) will be up shortly and the chosen topic of my starter post? The dreaded injury curse!!
Keep watching :)
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