Back to the Future

Quick Update. So after my last long run on 19/9 I took the whole week off as a precaution. I was just afraid that if I continued to run the left calf might get worse and then keep me out for yet another long stretch. So stuck to bike work, stretching, icing, etc . Later in the week got a mail from the physio who treated my recent Achilles issue. She was just checking to see how I was getting on. Perfect timing to get some advice on the now troublesome left leg.

Overall she thought I was making good progress and her online diagnosis of my new issue was probable fatigue related to increase in workload. I suggested a sports massage might help and she agreed so booked a session for Monday this week. (With someone else in same practice).

So after some tests my new physio guy( I think I've seen nearly all of them in the practice now at this stage!) confirmed that his thoughts were fatigue also and no major issue to worry about. He concentrated on working on the glutes, hamstrings and calves on both legs. Felt good after it and went out for a run that evening. Did a little under 4 miles @ 8:50 pace and really enjoyed it.

Leg a little stiff this morning and seems to stiffen up after long periods of inactivity. Cycle commuted to work today (20k round trip) and have pilates class tomorrow at lunchtime. Will go out for a run tomorrow evening and continue on an every other day basis for the moment while continuing to work on the latest niggle.

The advice I've got is to foam roll the glutes on a daily basis. He said when he first went at the left one if was like a rock in a certain spot. So that's the plan for the moment. Hopefully can now get a few weeks consistent running in and get back to the base building proper.

30/9- Lunchtime pilates class. Club run in the evening. Ended up going a little further than planned. Most of the group were doing 13 but I doubled back and ended up with 8.5 when 6 or 7 would have been enough really.

8.51 miles @9:18 although it felt faster than 9:18 pace. Felt very comfortable aerobically on this run.

1/10- As expected, the left calf very stiff this morning. Treating with heat seems to be doing the trick though. Rested from running but did some stretching and 20 mins on the static bike.

Time for an update!

Went for 5 mile run on 4th Oct and the calf just didn't feel right so decided I needed to rest it. Spent the next 4 weeks or so RICEing it, rolling it, stretching it, trying everything in the book, except going to the physio, with very moderate improvement.

It was very frustrating and I was beginning to wonder if it would ever improve and went through a stage of wondering if I should just get out and run, maybe I was being too cautious about it. So on 3rd November I just decided to go back running and keep it short and see how I got on.

This resulted in;

3/11 - 3.47miles @9:22
5/11- 3.27miles @9:29
7/11- 3.53miles @8:42
8/11- 4.46miles @9:09
10/11-4.09miles @8:42

All runs done with no pain. I was organizing a big bunch from work to do the Run in The Dark so I did it myself too. I would have been quite happy with 52-53 minutes given I've been doing so little but came in at 50:17. Was tiring towards end and had a bit of a stitch. I probably could have dipped under the 50 but I didn't want it that much. Happy out and no ill effects apart from some stiffness which I will continue to manage.
11/11- 6.22miles @8:05

Splits: 8:52,7:45,7:49,8:02,7:58,8:06,(8:11)

Have a sports massage on Saturday on a groupon so will get them to focus on that area.

Will continue to try keep the runs short and frequent for time being and see how things go. At least I'm back running.

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Great news! And good strategy to keep it short and simple for now.

I think when you've been through the mill with injuries you become much more aware of cause and effect and as a result become a better judge of what's serious and what's not. Here's to a long and uninterrupted running streak for you .

Thanks BG. It'll take time but I will be back to where I was... And beyond. Just gotta be patient. Watch this space! :-)

So it's been a couple of dodgy weeks running wise. Just as I was starting to get some consistency going again I hit yet another bump in the road.

Gave myself a couple of days off after the Run in the Dark and then went for a sports massage on the weekend, where he rubbed the bejaysus out of my calves,hamstrings and quads. he told me I was badly dehydrated and need more sessions but told me I should stick with my normal physio. Refreshing I suppose to hear he didn't just want my money. I was a bit bruised after this but went a for an easy short run the next day ,Sunday(3.75mi @8:41).

I was travelling to Frankfurt on Tuesday (up at 0345hrs:eek:) and wasn't back until Wednesday night. Two days of walking around in new shoes that absolutely destroyed my feet with blisters, put an end to any running for the next 10 days. I was off to Gdansk on the Friday anyway for a boys weekend away but this meant I didn't pack the runners.

Still have this lingering stiffness in the left calf but decided I'd just get on with it and be careful. I ordered some compression socks the other day to try them out and see if that makes a difference. So I dragged myself out of the bed yesterday morning to do the Park Run in St Annes(nice to see Murph_D and FBOT01) with no expectations except to find out just how much fitness I've lost and figure out how much work I have to do. Not pretty. My strength over short distance is shot and I faded badly on the second lap and coasted in to a 24:02. I was relatively happy though and have to be realistic about it considering what I have or more like , what haven't been doing over the last while.

So the short term plan is to try take a few seconds off that time each weekend for the foreseeable future. I'm going to try the club winter league also every Wednesday and try and race myself back into fitness. That'll mean two speed work sessions a week and then I'll fit some easy runs around those for the next while. I've registered for the Fat Turkey Run in Howth just after Christmas and will probably do the Raheny 5 too. Apart from that, I'm just hoping to get some consistency back again, get a good block of running in over December/Jan and then pick a target. I need targets, that's my best motivator otherwise I tend to tread water and get lazy. Let's hope I can keep the injury demons at bay too. It's getting boring now how often I've had to write a comeback entry in this log but it is what it is. It's all about bouncebackability now. I've got to prove I can do it and get back to my own former, modest but self-satisfying glories.

Come join me. I guarantee it will not be boring. It will fraught with tales of woe and stories of joy, disappointments and victories,tears and laughter. Just another normal year in Redrunner's log I suppose, but already I'm looking forward to 2016.

" If we could somehow harness this lightning... channel it into the flux capacitor... it just might work"

6/12- 3.12 miles @9:36- Just a short easy run to get some miles in. Calf still a little stiff

7/12- Calf better but decided it's time for a professional opinion.

8/12- Physio visit. Prognosis is good. Its fixable.Just some tightness that can be worked out and an exercise regime to follow,basically stretching and calf raises to strengthen them up again. Ran to and from physio. 1.5miles @10:00

9/12 - Winter League Round 2 - 2miles. Have to keep running to a minimum at the moment but he didn't say I couldn't race! (Didn't mention it to him mind you)

Conditions not great, quite windy in one or two sections. Just went out to try and hold a faster pace than the 3 miler last week and try put in a push on last stretch. Mission accomplished. 14:04 for the two miles. That'll do nicely for now.

Will rest the next couple of days. Work night out tomorrow, so rest will be as much as I can muster for next couple of days!

Not a whole lot to report since last weeks winter league run out. Have been keeping the running to a minimum as per physio orders and just got out the last two days;

13/12 - Easy Run -5.78miles @ 8:59
14/12 - Easy Run at lunchtime - 4.29 miles @8:49

Some core work done this evening also. Will rest tomorrow in advance of Winter League Rd 3 on Wednesday which is a 3 miler.

The calf doesn't seem as tight as last week but I've another physio on Wednesday and will keep going with the calf raises to try and strengthen up.

On the beer in Bray and who should I meet only kielyunusual . Small world.