Yesterday

So yesterday I went to the gym, as I’d promised myself, but decided I would take it super easy so hit the cross trainer for 10 minutes before doing some weights, and then heading to the dreaded treadmill. Considering how out of shape I became, I am surprised I even last 10 minutes… which I didn’t – I lasted 8. I was hoping to do 1 min walk/1 min run * 9, but ended up doing 3 min walk/1 min run * 2 instead. Which is not even close, but it’s a start, no? And if I combine the distance ‘travelled’ on the cross trainer with distance ‘travelled’ on the treadmill, I managed to ‘travel’ 2km. Which t’ain’t too bad. (Ok, it’s not too good neither, but oh well)

I did remember to stretch afterwards, though.

Disaster

Despite what I’d promised yesterday, I forgo my run this morning with the idea to skip Taekwon-Do training tonight and do my run then instead. And so I headed down to Tooting Bec Common, a brisk 5 minute walk to warm myself up. I crossed the road into the park, making way for my fellow runners (for I understand the etiquette of the track), set my stop watch going, and proceeded to jog.

My plan was to run 1 minute, walk 1 minute. Within a few strides, I was running like an old man. Within 40 seconds, my calves were seizing up and I was waiting for the first minute to end. Finally it did, and it took another three minutes walking until I felt brave enough to try running again. This time, that lasted about 10 seconds, and I had to hobble the rest of the way home. My 0.8mile course I was planning on doing a couple laps of ended up taking me 15 minutes to complete. I then had a 0.4 mile walk home from the common. I hobbled indoors, told my wife I’d injured myself, and collapsed on the floor, pleading for her to rub my poor, disabled legs with deep heat.

What’s going on? I know I gave myself a serious beating last week when I did my 10k without any training or conditioning, could it be I am still in recovery from that? Could it be I am wearing the wrong shoes? Poor form? Combination of the above? What’s the answer, boffins?

Wifey wants me to go to the doctor; I’d rather sit it out for another week and see if things sort themselves out. I want to get back into running, so I hope this all passes soon.

One good thing: I saw my first creepy park guy. Yay!

Hello, runners!

Here I am. If in doubt, start a blog – that’s my motto. With a week gone since my first ever race, a 10k through the streets of London which I struggled through for ninety – 90! – painful minutes, I have begun to get the itch again. Also, my legs have slowly stopped hurting enough for the idea of going for a trundle around Tooting Bec Common not to strike me as insane.

Tomorrow I am planning to begin a “5-week to 5k” training plan provided by the good folks at Runner’s World (since, honestly, I was nowhere near ready for the 10k to begin with!). I plan to attend a 5k time trial in Banstead with some workmates at the end of July, and have a 10k booked at Hampton Court at the end of September (paid for and all, so I have to do it).

JogBlog is what inspired to start this blogging-me-jogging lark, funny gal she is too.