Saturday 9 April 2011

Let's start from the very beginning.

Wow - what perfect weather! Every bone in my body, except for maybe one suspect little foot bone that shall remain anonymous, wants to run.
Run and run and run and run.
I'm actually at the stage (and Jon can confirm this) of dreaming (and ever so slightly sleep talking) about running. I've been hugely inspired by the 'Born to Run' book that Paul A. has lent me and am about half way through reading it. I am now fascinated by ultra marathons, obsessed with the Raramuri (or Tarahumaras) and ever so slightly keen on running (just slightly you understand).
I highly recommend it - even if you're not even remotely interested in running, as it's just a really really good story.

Speaking of stories - why did I start running?

As I've eluded to before, it all started when my car broke down. I drive an MG, you may have heard them referred to as Rovers. Anyway product identity issues aside, they are prone to head gasket issues and 'Prone' is an understatement, as mine ended up in and out of various car hospitals for almost 3 months. In that time I had to find an alternative way of getting to work and it was spring/summer, I worked 3 miles from home and I needed more exercise. So I started walking.

It began with just trying to walk there and back in quicker and quicker times. I then progressed to running small sections, especially when I had to get home for something. I didn't realise at the time - but I was effectively using the walk-run technique until I was able to fully run the full 3 miles home.

Eventually my car was fixed, but I carried on running. It then began to get dark in the evenings and I realised that I didn't feel too safe running alone and would also enjoy a bit of company and advice to help me progress. It was then that I joined Sandhurst Joggers and have never looked back.

This weekend there will be several Joggers runner various marathons - Brighton being one.
GOOD LUCK to you all and have a fantastic run - remember to enjoy yourselves :-)

Foot update!
Carl 'Magic Hands' Bradshaw thinks we've been progressing well on the foot injury to the stage where I am allowed to try walking (or walking for more than the 30 min I have limited myself to). You may think that's no big deal, but this weekend I've never been more excited about the prospect of rambling along walking. With the beautiful weather, the timing was perfect to amble out the door and go for a little wander. My intention was to walk briskly for 1 hour, unless anything (namely the foot) started hurting or twinging, then I would stop.

So I set out and was reminded about how lucky I was to be living amongst such beautiful wildlife. I hardly saw another soul for the first part and was even tempted to remove my trainers and walk along in socks for a while, to see what difference it would make. Around that exact moment two mountain bikers shot past, looking slightly more confused as they overtook the walker carrying her trainers. As I was approaching a gravelly section and didn't want to risk being the cause of any biking crashes, I decided to put my shoes back on and finish what turned out to be an 1hr 50 min walk. With no foot pain!
Oh yes! It was so hard not to break into a run and get over excited, but if this injury experience has taught me anything, it's how to listen to your body and not rush or push things. So I stuck to the happy walking and snapped a few pictures on the way:

Race you to the top? (Taken from my iphone)
So I feel like the end of this injury phase is close and I'm starting to build up the basic blocks towards running again.

It's like a whole new beginning...

Keep enjoying the good weather!

Biscuit Nikki x

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