Not Running In Heels by NotRunningInHeels

Hello hello!

It's been a while since I posted anything. This was because things were actually going pretty well. Even though I have stepped down a bit with the training after not getting up to speed in time for the New Year, I was feeling positive, and following the signals and signs that my body was giving me to train at a level a little higher than my current plan, but lower than my initial plan.

Training two weeks ago went really well, and I managed to get my second 10K under my belt during my 90 minute long run last Sunday! I am still getting a tiny bit of back pain, which almost feels like a bruise on the vertebrae of my lower back, but this went within a day, and my knees felt better than they had done the week before, so I am starting to feel the benefits of the cross training sessions already. I've also watched a LOT of The Big Bang Theory during these sessions. I can't believe I've never properly watched it! I feel a celebratory box set purchase coming on after I finish the Marathon in 90 DAYS!!!

This week has been a different week altogether. I missed my run on Tuesday, and cross training on Wednesday too, because of a combination of lack of motivation, work stress, deadlines, and some shocking weather. Saying that, I managed to stay up until the very early hours of Monday night / Tuesday morning in sub-zero temperatures with my telescope stargazing, so clearly there was a priority issue here. I got back into it on Thursday after severe guilt set in, and did a 40 minute run! It sounds silly, but on the plan I had to do a run-walk. I have so far been doing 5 minutes running and 5 minutes walking, and alternating this. The plan now said that I was only allowed 1 minute of recovery walking between 5 minute run sections. This felt a bit daunting, so instead, I decided to do a slightly longer session to make sure that I covered the same amount of run-sections, but had 2 minute walks in between. I managed to cover 5.3K, which isn't great in the time given, but I'm focusing on the fact that I spent 30 of the 40 minutes running, with six run-sections. That's definitely the most running that I have managed, so I can see some progress being made! Another mini achievement, which I really need to focus on right now, as it's been a bit of a rubbish end to this training week.

I did my cross training yesterday, although I actually went for yoga instead of rowing or cycling, as my lower back was starting to feel twingey. This happens now and again, probably due to the hypermobility, and I walk like an old lady for a few days, lowering myself into chairs like a heavily pregnant woman, because I can't seem to bend at the hips when this happens. I woke up with more pain this morning,but thought that a run might help loosen things up. My aim was 105 minutes of 5 minutes of alternating run-walking. I even got changed into my highly attractive running gear (which now always reminds me of my friend Tom saying 'all the gear, no idea' - so painfully true!), but I couldn't do it. I was filling up my water bottles, gasping in pain. I had to give in. Instead, I put on 'Pilates for Dummies' and followed as best as I could. Engaging my core and easing the pressure on my lower back definitely helped for a little while, but it's flared up badly now :(

I've just taken some ibuprofen, and I'm rubbing Ibuleve into it too (being careful not to overdo it on the ibu-business, of course!), and I think I'll have to sleep on the floor tonight, just like I've been sitting on the floor with my back against the wall this evening. I've sat with my back against a radiator for an hour too, which I think helped. I'm hoping that things will settle, but it could be because of the running, or the fact that I sit terribly when I work. It sounds silly, but I can't sit on chairs without cutting off the circulation to my feet and getting pins and needles! I am quite short, and if I sit with my back supported, my knee bend doesn't reach the edge of the seat of the chair, and the blood doesn't flow around my legs properly, so instead I tend to curl up on beds and sofas, which are all terrible for your back in the longer term, but never hurt at the time. Whatever it is, I think a night of sleeping on the floor alongside all the ibu will sort it out. Fingers crossed for a positive start to the week tomorrow, and maybe I could do a long run then. With ballet class to look forward to tomorrow evening, at least I know I'll get a good stretch afterwards.

First bad week, but focus on the positives. I've got two 10K+ under my belt at this stage. My regular runs are up to around 5K, so with two of those on a good week, plus the 10K lon runs, I'm covering ground, and I'm slowly but surely improving. I've gone from spending 50% of my time running to 75% of my time running, which is a huge improvement when we look at it from a mathsy perspective. Thinking happy thoughts!

I've also been embracing TuneTribe's Sunday 'sale' on music album downloads. They have 100 albums for £4 each Sunday evening, which has been helping me keep the music fresh (although I seriously regret buying that Florence and the Machine album - that made me run faster just to get it over and done with. Never listen to music critics, Suze, your taste in music will never be critically acclaimed, but you love it and you know it!).

Anyway, as it has been a bit of a rubbish week of training, I've unashamedly decided to cheer myself up next week with Now That's What I Call Disney. Come rain, snow, back ache or sunshine, I will be smiling through three volumes of Disney classics! Altogether now, Hakuna Matata!

Have a wonderful week ahead, and I'll be back soon, with more levels unlocked ;)

Suze x