Don’t fret, we are nearly at the end of this bleak month which feels as though its been dragging on forever. Good riddance to January is all I’m saying. My training hasn’t exactly kicked started as I planned and has been blue for another reason.
A few weeks ago, I carelessly bashed my right knee into a kitchen draw handle. How amazingly stupid, but it was also so amazingly painful.Training was going so well up until that point. Hill and speed sessions were added to my schedule, all important to increase endurance pace. So when this incident happened I was not best pleased.
So there I was on a sunny but cold Sunday morning, 7th January to be precise, all ready to go for a 9 mile run.This was going to be my first long run of 2018 and I was really looking forward to it. As I started I could feel something wasn't quite right and after three miles it was really twinging.There is always that dilemma when you feel something is not quite right in training as to whether you should carry on or quit? I was running on a flat surface and decided to carry on and go for the full 9 miles. It was only on my return journey when I had to run down some steps that a shooting pain went from my right kneecap all the way up my leg. And that was it, running over and I had to limp home. Bugger or much bluer words to that effect! I realised that the bash the previous evening was a little more serious than I first thought.
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| Gym session |
Over two weeks has now passed. I’ve tried a couple of times to run but not with much success. I’ve carried on my fitness regime in the gym resorting to pedal power on a racer bike and lifting weights. A trip to the Physio has also been made and now with structured exercises to strengthen the knee I think I’m turning a corner and will soon be back to pounding the streets of London. So not the greatest start and perhaps I need to bubble wrap all sharp corners so I don’t make the same mistake!
Whilst boring friends with the woes of my lack of training, a writer friend, Neil Bailey (very good books by the way, When she was bad and Bad for Good) come up with the great idea of interviewing me so you, the reader, can get to know me a bit better. “No dodgy questions!” I said to him. So over the next couple of blogs you will be able to read this interview.
Here is Part One:
Did you run competitively at school?
Ha ha ha haha, sorry I just need to stop laughing. That’s a big fat NO to that answer. As soon as I hit my teens I hated running. In fact, hated any type of sport to be perfectly honest unless it was Hockey and that was only so I could get my revenge on anyone that had given me grief during the week with a nice little whack to their shin - accidentally of course. “Sorry Miss, didn’t see her leg there!”
When did you start running as an adult?
I started running in my late thirties - around 38 I believe so I really am a late starter to all this running malarkey. And I would only run on a treadmill at the gym. I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone I knew seeing me run outside. I just thought everyone would fall around laughing seeing my huge rear wobbling down the road. I was extremely body conscious so treadmill it was, and I tried to time it when the gym wasn't that busy. I remember the first time I managed to run 20 minutes non stop and I was so proud of myself.
And why did you start running?
Well, I’ve just mentioned I was body conscious. Throughout the majority of my thirties I was undergoing IVF treatment. The gruelling schedule of hormone injections played havoc on my waistline. I also had been through a pregnancy and birth and I just struggled to shift the baby weight. But the main reason to be perfectly honest was for my own sanity. I struggled with depression very badly after the death of my daughter and exercise was my way of keeping sane. I still have dark days but I find a nice long run gives you plenty of time to think and work things out in your head. When the endorphins kick in you end up feeling on top of the world.
Why did you decide to run a marathon? You’d previously suggested you were happy running 10k and half marathons.
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| Richmond 10 mile T.Shirt |
Have there been any moments when you’ve had second thoughts?
Only recently, when I haven’t been able to train. I do get a bit down when I can’t keep to the correct training schedule. But I’m extremely determined and I’ve raised a lot of money so basically I can’t entertain any second thoughts.
Do you have a regular route you run in training or do you like to mix it up?
I have lots of different routes of all different distances but I never run the same route each week. I would find this a bit tedious but also if you stick to the same training regime your muscles just get used to it so your not giving your body any new challenges. You need to mix it up to get the best benefits out of training.
Do you prefer running on hard services (roads, pavements) or soft?
Well lets be honest here, hard services aren’t great for your joints especially long endurance runs. I think 10k is OK on a hard service but for longer runs I would prefer a softer surface. I do enjoy trail running in the countryside or beach.
What are your ideal weather conditions for running?
Perfect conditions would be a dry cool sunny day. When the sun shines I always seem to run faster.
Is there any weather you won’t train in?
I’ve trained in most types of weather now but wouldn’t train in extreme conditions, i.e. ice or snow on the pavements or if it was scorching hot. Absolutely hate running when it is too hot.
You have mentioned joining a running club. Do you prefer to run on your own or with others?
In a race I prefer to be on my own. I don’t have to worry about keeping to someone else’s pace. Otherwise, it’s always nice to run with someone else and have a good chat. The miles seem to clock up a lot a quicker that way!
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| This was my first session with the Greenwich Runners in March 2017 |
The second part to this interview will be next month.
