another week of rest, it's starting to hurt!

Having dropped in to a health centre in Bath yesterday for some further advice on the knee, the advice is a full week off with Ibuprofen - to be taken orally (leaving the ibuprofen gel for the time being). I can swim, however. HOWEVER, I really don't enjoy swimming, especially when I think the whole marathon project may be failing anyway.

From the emotion you can sense already in this post, you can probably see that I am battling with frustration and regret, especially as this impact injury could have so easily been avoided. But the discipline of accepting the situation and forming and adapting a recovery plan is actually very valuable, and I will not only see the negatives. During this rest period, and into the following resumption of training (which, if my knee does recover, will probably have to "reverse taper" given the date of my marathon) it would be useful to score and record the stiffness/ache/pain/discomfort.

Yesterday = 0.5
2hr walk.

OFF

Well, the knee wasn't sorted, so I decided to go for it and stop! I am at the end of day 2 of no running, and the memories of the first six months of 2012 are there, although I don't feel haunted by them. I am really trying to see this as an opportunity to think about my training, the blog, build in other forms of exercise like core training...

I am just listening to a helpful interview on approach to injuries with Tim Cruse-Drew. He is asking relevant questions. Check it out here.

recovery run: my slowest shortest and best ever....

after yesterdays long run, and the decision to go the full distance, my knee has been aching more strongly again. after umming and erring for  while, i decided that a recovery run was probably a good idea still. Wow, it was so short and slow... and amazing! The next day the knee was feeling improved. For me this stimulates still further reflection about the train gently to train and race hard. I am certain I have never come close to running in a sustained way this gently before, and yet I kow that it was the best possible session for me at that time.
It took me an injury to really do justice to this method, which in some ways is a pity, but it is a light injury that is manageabl and I am learning a lot through it.  am grateful for these never ending learning opportunities :)

Still stiff, opportunities for introducing other principles

8.5 km trip to the shops to get some milk!

I am not really a fan of what I call "utility run", ie doubling up a run with some other purpose like shopping, but actually I think on occasion it doesn't matter too much!

Knee is still stiff and limiting my pace. Still applying the Julian Goater principle of running quick paces even if pace is slow. Today while thinking about to optimise this off-pace period I tried pumping my arms to work on my arm strength. At first this wasn't particularly easy to coordinate, with the exaggerated pumping and probably weak arms, but I adjusted and it soon became fairly maintainable. I am, however, wondering if I should maybe take a few days off to allow the knee more recovery and concentrate on strength and core exercises. 

First run in Devon: running is a privilege

12 km. Easy 6 min/ km progressing all the way through to almost 4 min/ km. then very easy before a hill challenge, around a mile.

A wonderful run. First run in Devon since I was a kid. Forgot how hilly it is! The beauty and the picturesqueness of the rural setting around Bideford soon took my mind off my less-than-100% state: 

- right knee from silly volleyball incident.

- L elbow from stupid cycling accident. 

- breathing not entirely clear, especially at the start, accompanying slight cold at the moment. 

- cut on toe. 

- !

It often seems to be the return leg that God opens me up to him. Was really struck by the privilege of being able to run today. To the point that if I was never to run again I would still be happy for this. Great place to be. Also just so aware of the privilege of having a family who support me and allow me to go. Just amazing to be able to practice this releasing and liberating sport!

5k and a stupid bump!

Craziness, for within a few metres of leaving my parents house on a
loaned bike, I succeeded in riding straight into a parked car! My Dad
who was watching nicely didn't laugh and was just concerned but I
couldn't help notice the slapstick comedy value there!
Anyway, we changed my bike for another as I had mangled the chain a
bit and headed over for what I think is one of the Uk's greatest
inventions: the park run scheme... Except it wasn't, thanks to the
bristol balloon fair at Ashton Court park. The few of us that did turn
up decided to have a crack at it anyway, and we certainly had our work
cut out weaving between the crowds and children already out in their
droves for the fair! Thoroughly enjoyed it although it has contributed
to a bigger question I am asking: why am I running no faster with all
the training I am doing, and why am I getting benefits only in terms
of recovery (as lovely as that is)?
I got to ask this question to a few people the next day so see the
next entry on this topic.

Olympic marathon

My excitement just continued to grow as we coached into the centre of London for the men's Olympic marathon. And I was going to see the man who has been such an inspiration to me, Ryan Hall. Sadly something happened and Ryan had to drop out. Fantastic though to hang out with Lee Merian's crowd, who were obviously delighted with such a strong performance from their fellow Guernsey man.