I managed to get out yesterday for a very short run, hurrah, which was just to test my foot recovery after about 5 weeks of rest. It was just an approximately 1 mile loop from my flat, watch-free, taking it easy to see how it felt. My foot didn't hurt at all, but it also wasn't quite 100% - it felt 'tight', for definite. A bit more rest required, but I am cautiously pleased with that. I made sure to do plenty of stretching and foam-rolling afterwards, which felt a bit daft from a very ploddy 1 mile run, but it's pretty vital for my recovery. I probably stretched and rolled for longer than I was actually running! *laughs*I noticed I was red-faced, sweating and breathing hard fairly early on in the run (and still pretty red-faced in this immediate post-run photo, haha), my fitness levels have definitely plummeted since Carlisle HM while I've been resting and recovering - but I had no problems running the full mile, and it also managed to focus my mind again on where I'll be when I do get started again with my training. I'll try to get on the exercise bike as much as I can this week, and make sure I do work that really gets my heart rate up. I've been a bit idle - enforced idleness, but yep, I could have done more. That said, I know I can work hard enough over the next 5 months, to get to the marathon; it's way past the time to start getting on with that!
This weekend, doing a bit of much needed decluttering around the flat, I finished reading some old running and fitness magazines and decided to cut out some motivational pictures, words and phrases - which I think means it's time for me to start keeping a fitness journal again, and food diary. Part of me thinks starting this on 1st December is a really good plan, when I'm hopefully starting running - it's all too easy at this time of year to let the weather, the busy Christmas period, and all the seasonal food, derail you - especially when the 1st of January looms as a tempting 'new start' each year. If I can get myself properly sorted with tracking food and activity and keeping motivated leading into the crazy season, I should survive the year unscathed, and in a very firm position to get cracking with 2016. x
Horah for the pain free 1 mile :-)
ReplyDeleteAs for getting back into running, starting your new diaries on the 1st of December.... This neatly co-incidences with the Marcothon... 5km every day for each day in December. Coming back from injury with one week to go it might be too soon. However, you could split the distance up into two shorter runs, one to work, and one back, and do straight 5km+ runs at the weekend.
If you could manage the logistics it'd be a great way to get back into training. You'd need to avoid faster and longer runs initially as you rebuild strength and aerobic fitness. From my experience consistency of training is more important than any one specific workout so while running everything super easy might not even feel like training, the fitness builds everyday so the net improvements can be significant.
My foot pain is an overuse thing, so running every day is definitely not a good plan for it. ;-) It's basically PF - marcothon very definitely wouldn't be right for me. :-)
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