Running Therapy

Recently I have failed in my running. Despite having 4 events lined up for the year, the first being in April, a combination of bad weather keeping me in and an unfortunate predisposition to be in hibernation mode over winter has led to me being a bit lackadaisical in my approach to my exercise regime. I did join the gym but I’m only managing a couple of classes a week.

But this week I re-discovered my motivation. I’d been having a pretty shitty week and was feeling stressed and emotional, so much so I couldn’t seem to stop crying. I was over-thinking and was getting overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness. Then I had an unexpected day where I was working from home. It was a beautiful sunny day, so come lunchtime; I put on my running shoes, with an easy 3 mile jog planned. I ended up doing 5 miles. I feel lucky living in such a beautiful city at times like this.

I came back feeling better, not just physically, but emotionally. I had forgotten how therapeutic running can be for me. The right conditions, some good music can help me work through my feelings and come out of it feeling more positive and able to deal with things better. Taking advantage of this feeling I went and signed up for #Run1000miles in 2018. I am late coming to this, already into our last week of February, but am hoping that I can get my running mojo back properly and get my training more on track, while also being inspired and motivated by others taking part. I only have 7 weeks before my first trail race of the year – 17km in Hawkshead in the Lake District. I haven’t run further than 5 miles so far this year. It’s a challenge but one I feel I’m now in the right mind set to tackle, just hope the weather continues to get better J

On a side-note, it is the end of an era. My oldest running tights have bitten the dust. I think I’ve had them over 10 years, they have seen me through a marathon and many other half marathons/10kms. 

Day 31: Another Janathon comes to an end...reflections on Janathons past

Even though I will not be able to have claimed to have done any exercise today (the forecast for snow and high winds prompted me to leave my running gear at home) I thought I would still blog. I do have Pump planned in for tomorrow and did double whammy yesterday so hoping that will make up for it ;).

I was looking over my Facebook memories today and always through January I get my old blog posts coming up and we are now looking back on 5 years of them! Though think I've been doing Janathon longer.. In recent years I have been slacking terribly and have found myself look back fondly and in slight awe of my past self's will power to always get out and do something. I have evidently got lazy in my old age! Though I have just signed up for 2 more +20km trail races so with other already signed for events makes 4 major running events in one year. That is a record. I should probably be a bit more diligent in my training really... I have gotten really bad for not following a training plan and letting other thing get in the way. I still blame a certain someone for being a bad influence!

But will this blog I vow to be more focused in my training. I may even try to keep blogging to motivate myself to keep an eye on the prize. They prize being not ending up badly injured through bad training or crawing pas the finish line with all the veteran +60 runners. Noone likes it when a grey-haired granny flys past your tortoise like person!

So farewell January I will not miss you, you have sucked. Janathon, I will miss as usual, hearing everyone elses efforts which are usually better than mine!

And as promised the Highland cow from last week! Better late than never! It really didn't want to pose for me

Day 24: People exercise at this time?!

Due to the on-going, seemingly endless horrible weather (I know its winter but ffs, this is getting boring), I decided to get up super early and get to the gym when it is nice and quiet. You'd think it would be at 6:30am...but I was pretty surprised that there were more than a handful of insane people already there! I'm guessing it is still part of the January influx of temporary nubies (of which, I guess I am one, though I definitely plan to be here long term). I recently joined pure gym which is 24 hours. It is probably very doubtful but I really want to try and go at like 3am just to see who actually goes at that time.

Anyway, did a bit on the treadmill and then moved onto the weight machines. Really want to get used to using the free weights but still getting used to the new environment and was still too populated for me to explore. Think I will have to go at some insane time to get some space to myself!

Another downside to my new gym is that it's about a mile away (whereas my last one was just round the corner). I got outside to see that the rain which I had managed to avoid getting here had returned with a vengeance. So I got an extra mile running in there :)

And because I didn't get my photo of my lovely Janathon pyjamas yesterday, here's one now (they are lovely an comfy!)

Day 16: Going Hardcore! With snow!

It may be already day 16 for Janathon but I am only really a few days into getting back into my fitness routine. But instead of carrying on with easing myself back into things, today, despite the expected post weights muscle soreness, I lauched myself into the hardcore stuff. DOMS what DOMS.

My rational for chosing to do a P90X DVD (if you don't know what this is, think ripped American shouting at you to "BRING IT" with some workouts that have in the past brought me to the cusp of throwing up) is this: I am stiff from yesterdays effort so the Cardio X workout will loosen me up. Well it certainly did that. I had forgotten how tough the yoga bit is at the start. Yes, there was hardcore yoga.
I feel better for doing it, though I expect my muscles will not agree tomorrow.

On a side note - even if I had my running gear, it would have meant going out in a blizzard, however i did work to and from work in it. I looked like a snowman by the time I got there! I even put on my snowman slippers in tribute.

Day 15: "What are you doing!!!" said my legs

So, due to it being fecking freezing outside and because I forgot to take my running trainers to my folks (where I am cat sitting), I set myself to 'ease' myself into some strength training. I thought it would be my upper body that would be the hardest but after some squats and lunges various muscles in my legs seems to rebel at the activity, almost cramping painfully.

I did incorporate some P90X moves which may have been a bit ambitious for my first session but I really wasn't expecting for my body to react in such an extreme way. So I eased off and kept the session faily short. Even so I'm guessing I will suffer DOMS tomorrow. I just hope I can still walk.

Another disappointment in my exercise realm happened today too. I recently had to buy a new sports bra, my old one being now a few years old and starting to wear out. Now, I bought a Shock Absorber run bra. The last one I bought was a 34DD, I am a bit bigger just now so I thought a 36E would suffice.(I do have another one in this size which fits fine). So I go to put it on only to find I can't even do the first hooks up. I mean, seriously, how can the same make/type of bra have gotten soooo much smaller in a couple of years?! We aren't shrinking you know!!

Fingers crossed I can still walk tomorrow!

Day 12: Where did the last 11 days go!?

Oh well, better late than never I suppose :)

I  know the point of Janathon is to do exercise every day for a month . We are now practically half way through the month and I only managed to do ‘proper’ exercise today. By proper I mean something that entails putting on work out gear and possibly breaking a sweat. Sadly for the first couple weeks I have been ill. Not slacking but sporting a bone fide excuse. You may have heard that the flu is practically disseminating the populace.  I kind of had a flu-lite (not man-flu, not the life threatening kind but bad enough to stay in bed for 3 days and a few more mobile but feeling shite).

But now I am mostly well I have no excuse, I even re-joined the gym after a 2 year break. But today, I actually ventured out on a run for the first time in a month. Wow, does that time make a difference. 

Only managed just over 2 miles and they hurt. Was mainly my lungs which I think may have a significantly reduced capacity. I still have the lingerings of a cough which doesn’t help but with a 17km trail race signed up for in April I have to suck it up and get on with it.

It’s not going to be easy the next few week, nay months to get to my goal of being fully action ready for Tough Mudder in June. I once again question my decisions to put myself through these things!

Stats!

days of Janathon missed 11

distance: 2.3 miles

time: 23 mins