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Sunday, April 21, 2013

Things are looking up!

The past week has been really promising and I'm starting to feel I truly am on the way to beating this injury.

I saw my physio nine days ago and he said it was time to start building up my kilometres to about 75-85% of my normal training load. He also said I could do one 'light' speedwork session a week. This was the best news I've had in ages.

I had some dry needling (which is apparently great for high hamstring tendinopathy) and we also talked about how important it is for me to consistently do strength exercises - glutes, hamstrings, hip extension. I've got a whole lot of different ones to do, some using body weight, some using weights and some using resistance bands.

I had two new 'toys' delivered early last week - a 'power band' to use for resistance work (rather than the makeshift things I've been using) and a 'pocket physio' that I can use to release some of the pain and tightness I get (especially after sitting and driving - I actually sit on it in the car).

Super band.
Pocket physio.

I got these online from Sport & Physio Supplies - I have absolutely no relationship with this business at all and I want to say how fantastic the service was. I ordered on Friday night and the parcel arrived on Tuesday. The price of the band was cheaper (in some cases much cheaper) than other places I looked and the quality seems good. (See the end of this post for a video of an exercise using the super band).

I'm really pleased to say my body has handled the increase in kilometres really well. Greta (Garmin) has come out of retirement once again and is back recording distances. Over four days last week (Sat-Wed) I clocked up 70.13km, including one small set of 6x2 min reps (with 2 min rest) at the track - my first time doing anything 'fast' since November last year. I had no idea what to expect in terms of pace when I was at the track. Part of me was really afraid I wouldn't even be able to get to 4min/k pace. Thankfully it wasn't as bad as I feared. My fastest rep was at 3:16k pace and my slowest was 3:32k pace. I felt strong through my glutes and I played it a little cautiously. I was prepared to call it quits if my hamstrings/glutes started to feel 'wrong' but it all went OK (even though the daylight suddenly disappeared and I found myself running in near darkness and guessing where the lane was. I was worried I was going to trip over because the grass track I go to is in crap condition and there were also water bottles and rubbish all over it).

After a great start to the week, getting sick wasn't the greatest thing to happen. Every second person seems to have a head cold or flu at the moment, including me. I didn't run Thursday, Friday or Saturday and today I did a slow 22k. My legs felt good (which is why I kept going to 22k) but I had a cracker of a headache and a bit of a cough. Nonetheless, it was very heartening to be out running without pain.

I know I have to be careful not to do too much too soon, but I have gradually been building up the running (on physio approval) over the last few weeks. I am paying close attention to how my body feels - I'm not going to jeopardise the last few months and set myself back again. If everything goes well over the next fortnight I'm hoping to be able to start proper training with Sean again (modified proper training, but at least following a program and starting to work towards goals other than 'fix injury) in about the second or third week of May.

Finally, here's an example (from YouTube) of another strength exercise my physio has me doing with the super band. The guy in the video talks too much but put up with it and you'll see the hip extension work I'm doing. The only difference with me is that I start with my knee bent (not straight like him) so it mimics the running motion.


Keep on keeping on.

J

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

For Boston

I, like so many people today, am trying to get my head around the gut wrenching tragedy that took place at the Boston Marathon.

There are no words.

I think runners, in particular, around the world are reacting so strongly to this because it hits so close to home - we've been there, racing towards the finish line, elated and euphoric. We've had our own friends and family on the sidelines cheering us home. From its sheer simplicity - running - comes a moment that celebrates all that is good - self belief, determination, community, camaraderie.

How dare some crazed, sick people take away our freedom to enjoy a life without fear? Who now will take to a start line without a worry, even just fleeting, that the events in Boston may be repeated? Innocence is lost.

My deepest sympathy to everyone touched by the bombings.

This popped up on my Facebook feed a little while ago, and it shines a little bit of light in a dark moment in time.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Risk = Reward?

I can't believe Canberra Marathon is just over a week away and I'm not going to be racing. I've run the last nine of them - this was going to be my 'Griffin' tenth. It was also supposed to be the first time I ran under 2:50. Based on Melbourne last October, if I hadn't been injured and I'd kept up the training with Sean, I'm pretty sure I could have done it.

Instead, I'm frustrated as all hell. Looking down the barrel of months and months of modified training in the hope of getting back to where I was four to five months ago. And that's assuming I can actually start following a program soon and incorporating some track/fast running without breaking.

Without breaking. As Hamlet would say, "ay, there's the rub." I'm concerned that after all this I'm going to be overly cautious and not work as hard as I should because I'll be nursing my tendons. However, if I'm NOT overly cautious and I do end up breaking again I'll be left with nothing.

Is a modified program in which you remain cautious in the name of self-preservation better than risking it all to be the best you can possibly be?

I don't want unanswered questions. I want to know I gave it everything. I just hope over the coming months I discover that I do have more to give.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Mizuno blog

Being a Mizuno Brand Ambassador is, for me, a complete privilege. I have access to really great gear, I can get advice on different types of shoes from people who know their stuff, and I have the honour of being associated with a brand that's known for excellence.

Now, with the launch of Mizuno's new blog, I'm also able to share some of my experience, thoughts and knowledge with other runners. Hopefully some of what I say will interest or help others - but if not, I'm sure something one of the other athletes posts will.

Over the coming weeks and months Mizuno will add more posts to the blog with the aim of making it a comprehensive resource for runners of all levels. There are a few posts up there now, including this one I wrote on being a runner.

For so many years I felt like a fraud - someone who somehow managed to make people think I was a decent runner. I thought it was only a matter of time before people discovered I wasn't really a runner at all. Slowly, it dawned on me that I was a real runner - not because of the times I posted or the medals I won, but because I was dedicated to the sport and I loved it.

With this high hamstring tendinopathy slowly starting to work itself out, I'm able to run more often and I'm telling you, my mood has improved dramatically. I'm not running fast, I'm not training properly and I'm not racing but I am outside doing what I love to do.

You can read the Mizuno blog here: http://www.mizuno.com.au/running/blog/