Since my last post, I had to hang the trainers up for a few days, rest roll and stretch! So in the words of the quote to the left, 'If at first you don't succeed... Try doing what your trainer told you the first time!'
Richard my coach and Sharon who does my sports massage are always telling me, stretch and roll, stretch and roll... but do I listen... of course I do, when it hurts, but its too late then, the damage is done.
So this is what led me to hang up my trainers on Wednesday 5th April and spend the few day following, resting, rolling and stretching.
So on that Wednesday (my first run after Lee Valley 10K) I barely managed 1k and had to stop, limping home I realised that the tightness in my left hamstring, which was working its way through the glute, quad, shin and calf was not going to fix itself.
So I spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday doing lots of stretching, foam rolling, getting the prickly balls deep into the muscles and my tennis ball into my but. If people had looked through my window and saw me wiggling my but up against the wall with a tennis ball I think I may have been in trouble!
On Sunday I decided to go out in my running gear but start with a good walk and see how I went, if I couldn't run then I would walk. My thoughts were, if I concentrated on running the distance needed for the half marathon I might not make it there, but if I just worked on easing the muscles then worse case scenario I could walk the half and still get my medals.
As it happens, I did manage to slow run/walk 12km (with a break at 6k to top up my water bottles at the pub) and with the warm up and cool down walk I was on my feet for 14k. It had put me in a better mood, more positive about the upcoming Milton Keynes Half. The pace was averaging at 8.30/km which is slower than I want to go, but it was what I needed, and proved the Rest roll and stretch stint had helped.
Weeks run up to Victoria 10K
Tuesday - Sports Massage told me just how tight my muscles were, the pain was incredible but at the same time I knew it would be doing me good. Something that I did realise was a part of my left glute is dead, almost like a trapped nerve, it will not budge and this is affecting all down the left leg and lower back. (Something I must concentrate on when rolling)
Thursday - 5k slow run/walk to loosen legs ready for the following day, I managed it but it did feel sluggish. Within a few hours of finishing, I felt so tired, I literally could have slept on the sofa mid afternoon (something I never do unless I am ill, and even then it is unlikely ill sleep). By the time Rob got home and we has dinner, I was desperate to go to bed, I felt sick and dizzy, my head ached and my nose was blocked.
I didn't sleep very well at all so at this point my hopes for the 10k were:
- Making it to the start line
- Finishing race
- Sticking to a run/walk ratio and pace in training for half
- Finishing feeling strong
- Finishing under 1:20
- Finishing under 1:15
- Finishing under 1:13:39 (my PB)
Good Friday - Race Day
Alarm went off at 6am, I felt rubbish. Stumbling out of bed, the legs were tight, not a good start. I had breakfast, and packed my bag and Rob and I set off. As always I was suffering with IBS just to add to my woes.
We arrived at Victoria Park and picked up our race packs, Rob was doing 5k and I the 10K. We had an hour until the start, so went and chilled out for a bit and then I started stretching. Had a little jog and then some more stretching when cramp crept into my left ham string.
At this point I wasn't feeling good, we saw off the half marathoners and then it was Rob's time to start. Then I was lining up, right at the back to make sure I didn't get carried away too fast. The course was 3 laps for me.
I started well, the legs seem to be ok, a little tightness in the left hammy but nothing I couldn't cope with. I started with an 11 minute run and then a 2 minute walk, but knew as soon as I started the next run I needed to do 5/1. As I rounded the first corner I was disappointed to see the marshal was sitting on a bench head down in his phone. If I was going to get round all 3 laps I needed some high energized words of encouragement. Luckily further on the marshals were far more fun, some with bunny ears and others with maracas and tambourines.
Everything was going well up until 5k, I was keeping a good eye on my watch and making sure I didn't run too fast. But as always, the half way point clicked the on button to my mental block. What were fresh legs just 2 seconds ago, and regulated breathing and feeling good turned right round to tired legs, out of breath and shattered. There was a water station positioned about half way round the lap and I had taken a bottle on the first lap and held it as I ran, but this had caused my right shoulder to cramp and pain travelled down my back.
I decided to take on a gel at about 7.5k knowing I was coming up to the water station and could take on some water. So you can imagine my frustration when I saw the marshal opening the bottles with his mouth, I carried on past without taking one. I managed to keep up the 5/1 until 8k, and then it was hit and miss run/walk until the finish line came into sight crossing it it in 1:15:02.
After I finished my legs throbbed so much, and I felt completely drained, I had obviously been tensing throughout the race as my back and stomach hurt so much. Having been so positive after the run on Sunday, I now felt very deflated.
The race all in all was well managed, marked out for the 3 different distances and the marshals bar 2 were fantastic. The medal was funky and I enjoyed a flap jack after.
Legs are a bit hit or miss today, so we shall see how this weekend goes, and whether I can manage a long run on Bank Holiday Monday.
Until then, Much Love
FBB
xx
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