Up!

Been a couple of weeks of ups and downs. Again. My record has broken. Blah blah blah. Blah blah.

I thought things were getting better, I could run 10km two days in a row with no bother. Well, I say that, it was painfully (literally) obvious that I haven't been training for ages. And people overtook me. People who were out for a leisurely stroll walking their dogs were practically lapping me. So I refer to my hip, not pride or anything, when I say there was no bother.

Then I had an epiphany. I started Zumba and Body Balance classes with my Mum. Body Balance is like yoga. It stretched all the bits I had been trying to with my physio exercises, but better and deeper, and to be honest, it kind of hurt, but a good hurt. The next morning I woke up and did my physio exercises, and normally where I could feel the pull in my hip, there was nothing. It was as if the injury had completely gone! Should have tried this months ago, and saved all this time and money!

A few days later I went for a run at my new weekday home (Mel's house :-) ) in Halifax. In hindsight (that old friend) it wasn't a great idea to go running up and down steep streets in the ice. But at the time it seemed the right thing to do. I knew after a few minutes I could feel something, but decided it would probably go away (hindsight....again....). By the time I got back it was quite sore, and the next day it was sore. I think probably because it was icy I was running slightly differently and was all tensed up, and because my problem is inside all the muscley bits, that probably didn't do it much good. I went back to yoga with my Mum though, certain that this would help. Too much enthusiasm though, may not be so great, as I think I then overstretched everything and woke up the next day even more sore.

Back to square one then. Hello square one. I feel we are getting to know each other. We're like BEST FRIENDS, we spend so much time together. I wonder if you like me, as much as I like you??

I spent the weekend feeling down again, and worried about it. Although, I got to go for two great walks with my Mum in the snow (my Dad did come for one, but he ran off - literally, now he's a runner).
  


But I was worried about it, and my Drs appointment to get my x-ray results was still almost 3 weeks away, and I didn't know what to do. Fortunately, even though I'm a grown up (by quite some margin), my Mum can still rescue me in a crisis, and recommended that I email the surgery to ask if they could let me know the results before then. Sure enough, first thing Monday morning they called me back, with the all clear! Woo hoo, hurrah, woop woop!!!!!!!!!

So that set my mind at rest, and in the next few days, it all settled back down. Tuesday I ran 4 miles, Friday 8 miles and Sunday 8.5 miles. Sunday I was in London running with Andrew (although he ran twice as far, not that it's a competition, or anything, not really), it was sunny and really quite warm, and I saw a flower. Winter has been quite dark at times this year, but maybe spring is on it's way! 

I think this symbolizes a new beginning. I'm holding out that the frost doesn't come back and and ruin it all. When something happens to you, even something small and not serious at all, it just shows how delicate our bodies are, like flowers! We must take care of them!

On that note, Dry January is almost finished, and it seems like a small cocktail may soon be in order. 

The Super-Parents

For Christmas, my Dad asked for running clothes, as he had decided to give running a go. As he had been good during the year, Santa agreed to the request. 

Suitably attired, and looking very professional, my Dad set off doing some runs around the local area, building up to 5 km of running and some walking. 

This morning, we went out for our first run together! Age 65, my Dad ran 5 km, none stop (his longest run in 50 years), on a hilly course......in 33 minutes! He's a natural! Look out for him (near the front) at a race near you. For his birthday (in 2 weeks), I am going to enter him in a race, although he doesn't know that, till he reads this. 

Unimpressed by all this showing off, my Mum went for an 8 mile walk, and came back less than 2 hours later, having also decided to do some running. 

They are machines, the pair of them. 

But in a good way, of course. I am very proud of them! 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you all!

Long break from running....but, just in time for a bright and shiny new year, things are looking up!

5 weeks of complete rest from running = longest ever! During that time, I forced myself to swim and gym it, and walk around a lot, and do the stretches.

Christmas holidays to Scotland and stayed in a log cabin in Avimore for a couple of days. Andrew went for a 7 mile run around Loch Morelich, and I went along, and tried running/ walking a shorter route, to test if anything had changed since a few weeks ago. The last few days had been quite mild and most of the snow on the ground had melted, and there had been lots of rain, so there was lots of flooding on the ground. Distracted by the beautiful scenery I hopped over a big puddle. High in the air, I remembered I wasn't supposed to do things like that - I've read that to test a stress fracture, then you should do the 'hop test' by hopping on the stressed leg, and then waiting for pain. Unless you suspect a stress fracture in the hip, in which case you should never do this, as it might make it worse. Oh. Anyhow, nothing happened and I didn't feel anything, and I finished off the run/walk combo with no probs. 

A few days later I tried a run with Andrew and his brother, doing 5km in Inverness, and it felt OK. 

A few more days later back in London I went for part of Andrew's run along the canal and did 5 miles with no problems, and a few days later, today, I did the same and it was OK again. Although I got overtaken a lot, which is annoying. But then I was so excited or my leg to be feeling OK that I didn't care.

Having x-ray on Monday, as I saw the nurse at my doctor's surgery who thought it was also a good idea to get it checked out, although she thought it was unlikely to be a stress fracture, as if it did happen when I fell then it wouldn't be a stress fracture but an actual fracture, which would be causing a lot more trouble than I'm having. And she thought it was more likely to be ligaments or muscular. So that was quite reassuring. And now it seems to be getting a bit better. But still want to check it out. Although, earliest Doctor's appointment I can get is 26th Jan, so there will be some time before I know for sure!

To end, it's resolution time: